Topic 2 Impact of the obtention of a label on the tourists

Key figures:

  • 87% of travellers are prepared to trust a label guaranteeing that their trip respects the principles of sustainable tourism (Tourism and sustainable development, Atout France 2011).
  • 56% of French people are prepared to pay more for a holiday to a more ecological destination (Tourism and sustainable development, Atout France 2011).
  • Nearly 50% of travellers take certification into account in their choice of accommodation. This sensitivity is even more important for foreign customers (2011 AFNOR Certification survey).
  • 30% of eco-labelled tourists note a significant or even very significant impact of the label on the rate of occupation (2011 AFNOR Certification survey).

⇒Position your company in response to the growing expectations of customers

Case study: Chambre des Moulins (B&B) – Poitiers, France

After obtaining the EU Ecolabel, they noticed a change in their customer base: they attract increasingly more tourists who are aware of the environment and open to accepting eco-friendly measures. The manager of the hotel sends out a feedback survey to all his customers, regarding their environmental actions:

Overall, 73% of guests said they were aware that the B&B had been awarded the EU Ecolabel, and 93% said that they felt it was a sign of the B&B’s quality.

Following their stay, 84% of guests declared having engaged in one or two environmentally friendly actions, with 14% engaging in over three actions. The most common action was in waste management, followed closely by water management, electricity and heating.

In addition to these positive feedbacks, the B&B also cut its costs thanks to green measures regarding water (-18% for hot water & -12.5% in general), heating (-24%), lighting and more.