Recent research by Visit Britain has shown that while quality remains a driving factor in holiday decision making, people in the UK are becoming increasingly interested in greener holiday choices.

At the same time many tourism businesses are making efforts to become greener, often by joining one of the many sustainable tourism projects now emerging in the UK.

Natural Discovery is working to help support such projects and promote the businesses involved.

These projects may be based around local networks, bringing together tourism businesses and conservators or, for example, designed to promote best practice through green accreditation.

The following are some example projects and schemes operating across the country.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS)

• The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) is the largest environmental accreditation scheme for tourism in the UK with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards – awarded on environmental merit.
• Visit Scotland, the Scottish national tourist board, originally launched the scheme in 1997 and, as such, the majority of businesses involved – over 450 businesses to date – are located in Scotland.
• Many of the businesses are located in the most scenic parts of Scotland so benefit most from tourism, but others are in towns and cities; all have a role to protecting the environment.
• The Scheme helps them to protect the environment by conserving energy, minimising waste, promoting local transport and attractions and providing food which is locally grown.
• It has won the Highly Commended Award in the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 1998 and a Premier Award for the British Commitment to the Environment Awards 2000.

Organic Places to Stay

• Organic Places to Stay promotes accommodation on organic farms, smallholdings, bed and breakfasts, guest houses and small hotels where organic produce is used according to availability.
• Organic is about much more than just not spraying your food with pesticides: it is an approach to life. As well as serving organic produce hosts will often be involved in permaculture, biodynamics, ecotourism, 'Slow Food' and organic box schemes.
• Their concern for the environment is also apparent in the nature of the accommodation provided: recycling, solar water heating, natural linens, sustainable woods, organic paints and ecological cleaning agents are common.
• There is now a strong and developing network of accommodation around the world that is listed by Organic Places to Stay. Natural Discovery has a partnership with Organic Places To Stay so that we can both promote appropriate accommodation from each other's ranges.

The South-East AONB Sustainable Tourism Project

• The ten designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) cover a third of the finest countryside in the South-East.
• The South-East AONB Sustainable Tourism project has set up clusters of local tourism businesses, including clusters on the High Weald coast, Ashdown Forest, The South Downs, The Kent Downs (see below), The Chilterns and The Surrey Hills.
• The project is spearheaded by Tourism SE, SEEDA and the Countryside Agency and aims to coordinate, deliver and promote rural tourism initiatives. It focuses on supporting tourism business in enhancing their familiarly with issues associated with their AONB.

The Kent Downs Sustainable Tourism Project

• In partnership with Ashford, Maidstone and Swale Borough Councils, Marketing Maidstone Group, Swale Tourism Association and Tourism South East, the Kent Downs AONB Unit secured LEADER+ funding to develop sustainable tourism in the middle section of the Kent Downs.
• In an area stretching from Detling in the east to Chilham and Wye in the west, the overall focus of the project is to promote and manage the visitor experience in a sustainable way.
• The project is being accomplished through a series of initiatives involving local community participation, providing support and training opportunities to tourism businesses, encouraging the use of local produce, and promoting the low impact activites in the area.

The Dyfi Valley Sustainable Tourism Project

• The Dyfi Valley Sustainable Tourism Project, in Mid-Wales, is run by EcoDyfi which has been spearheading many local sustainable projects since 1997, supporting the thriving bilingual community and local tourism.
• The project supports the designated Tourism Growth Area by the Wales Tourist Board and offers support to businesses, for example through training, and promoting green activities, such as cycling and cycle tourism.

The North Moors Sustainable Tourism Project

• The North York Moors Sustainable Tourism Project is a two-year initiative that aims to develop and promote tourism in a sustainable way. This means that tourism should bring benefits to the environment, local economy and resident communities of the North York Moors.
• Initiatives include - Providing better facilities for sustainable activities. Improving infrastructure in popular tourist villages. Making the most of under-used tourism assets such as industrial heritage and wildlife. Improving visitor management & information. Working together with local tourism businesses.

The Green Dragon Environmental Standard

• The Green Dragon standard has been developed in Wales to recognise effective environmental management in commercial organisations and is attracting more and more tourism businesses.
• It is based on acknowledging each step to putting in place a full environmental system.

Other Project and Schemes

• Other local schemes that are emerging include The Responsible Tourism Scheme in the Lake District, The Green Lantern in Lancashire, The Little Acorn in the New Forest, The Green Acorn in South-East Cornwall, The Green Island Award Scheme on the Isle of White, and other projects such as The Real Bath Breakfast.
• More national and international schemes also include Hospitable Climates (run by the Hotel & Catering International Management Association), BenchmarkHotel (from the International Hotels Environment Initiative), The David Bellamy Conservation Awards and GreenStop rated tourism accommodation.