These hotels are marked with the “Sustainable choice” label on the company's renewed website. Currently, these hotels already make up over a third of the company's total offerings in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and the selection is set to expand even further.
Growing demand for sustainable hotels
Novaturas has relied on a third-party certification and labeling system to select accommodation that operates responsibly. This means that “Sustainable choice” hotels have a sustainability label recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
“Our goal is to offer travellers the opportunity to select hotels that prioritize nature conservation, waste reduction, community support and cultural heritage preservation. These seemingly small steps mark the start of a journey towards creating a sustainable environment that benefits the hotel and its surroundings. Although these may seem like small steps, they are the beginning of the story and help to create wealth in the environment in which the hotel operates. We hope that this innovation will contribute to our strategic goal of increasing travel sustainability by empowering customers to make informed choices,” says Audronė Alijošiutė-Paulauskienė, Head of Sustainability at Novaturas Group.
These hotels, which aim to reduce their environmental and social footprint, already account for over 30% of the tour operator’s hotel offering at group level. In the 2023–2024 winter and 2024 summer seasons, the company offers a range of more than 950 sustainable accommodation options.
“A survey conducted by Euromonitor International earlier this year found that nearly 80% of travellers would pay a 10% premium for more sustainable travel. This indicates that an increasing number of travellers are environmentally conscious and actively seeking ways to travel sustainably. Our own experience confirms this trend, as we have observed a growing interest in sustainable travel.,” says Ms Alijošiutė-Paulauskienė.
The sustainability expert points out that all winter and next summer destinations of the company include environmentally friendly hotels, and the range is constantly being updated. The largest share of sustainable hotels currently offered in winter destinations are in Maldives, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Indonesia (Bali), and in next summer season offer – Indonesia (Bali), Portugal, Spain resorts.
Tourism is inseparable from sustainability
According to Alijošiutė-Paulauskienė, more sustainable travel is a conscious and responsible way of exploring new places, firstly by becoming more aware of the ways in which environmental impacts can be reduced, and also by taking the initiative to do so. While sustainable tourism is not a new concept, there is currently a growing interest in sustainable hotels and other responsible travel options. It is important to note that environmentally friendly behaviour encompasses more than just addressing climate change; it also involves considering our relationship with nature, local communities, and their quality of life.
“Sustainability changes in tourism are becoming more apparent, although not yet universal. In the future, we can expect to see more alternative modes of travel, as well as the development of sustainable aviation fuels and electric airplanes. Additionally, many hotels are now implementing sustainability changes and seeking credible sustainability labels. Significant changes take time and require cooperation between travellers and travel programme designers,” says the expert.
Earlier this year, Novaturas Group presented its strategy for 2023–2025, with sustainable travel as one of its focus areas. In addition to sustainable hotels, the company aims to reduce the impact of its operations on climate change and expand its cooperation with partners who are committed to sustainable goals. There will also be the focus on educating travellers about more sustainable travel choices.