Sustainable Tourism: The Tour Operators' Contribution

and start with the easy steps that do not cost too much. It is important that progress can be shown by
taking new steps each year. Whilst MyTravel NE does not impose any fixed implementation time frame on
hotels participating in the programme, it does require that, within the first year:
• Sewage and wastewater are treated in compliance with local laws; and
• Solid waste is separated into as many categories as can be processed by the local authorities.
Hotels that have chosen to participate in the programme are highlighted in MyTravel NE’s catalogues
and on its web site. Although MyTravel NE does not officially verify the implementation of the 50 Steps
Programme, customer questionnaires include environmental questions, and MyTravel NE completes a
yearly environmental audit of each hotel. Each year MyTravel NE also presents Environmental Awards to
the hotels that receive the best results based on the customer questionnaires.
Benefits
Participation in the 50 Steps Programme has provided a
number of benefits for MyTravel NE’s partner hotels:
• Increased attractiveness to the growing number of
environmentally aware customers;
• Contribution to the creation of a better environment
for their customers and staff;
• The ability to attract more customers and secure
more bookings; and
• Significant economic savings.
The programme has also encouraged more hotels to
commit to integrating environmental considerations
into their management practices. As more hotels start
adopting environmental practices, more pressure is put on
local authorities to provide for basic infrastructure, such as
wastewater and solid waste processing systems.
The programme has also provided benefits for MyTravel
NE, including:
• Hotels identified as participating in the 50 Steps
Programme now get earlier bookings;
• Having environmentally certified products reduces
the risk of losing customers that make environmental
choices; and
• Communication tools, such as the 50 Steps
Programme posters, have strengthened MyTravel NE’s brand, demonstrating to customers that the
company is about clear environmental choices and not just policies.
mytravel’s 50 steps programme
Comments
The main limitation of the programme is the time required to introduce it at each hotel. The next step
for MyTravel NE is to train more of its staff so that more hotels can receive training and participate in the
programme.
The hotels have reacted very positively to the programme, and information, tools and training provided
by MyTravel NE have made it easier for them to get started. One of the best incentives for the hotels is
to receive environmental recognition in MyTravel NE’s catalogues and web site. This recognition allows
them to attract more customers and secure more bookings.
It is MyTravel NE’s wish to be able to use externally verified eco-labels for the hotels, as these have a higher
level of credibility among customers and hoteliers. Therefore, MyTravel NE is now supporting the adoption
of the European Union’s eco-label for hotels, the EU Flower, in all of its Sunwing Resorts.
Sustainable Tourism: The Tour Operators’ Contribution 33
2. Supply Chain Management