The tourism body for Britain’s Ocean City, Destination Plymouth, is celebrating another sustainability success which saw Richard Stevens, Managing Director, Go South West and Chair of the Destination Plymouth Board, accept the Green Tourism Bronze Award on behalf of the team.
Green Tourism promotes greener ways for businesses and organisations to operate and advises on adopting a smart, sustainable outlook from top to bottom.
Its certification programme recognises the commitment of tourism businesses that are actively working to become more sustainable – an ethos that Plymouth, as a leader in sustainable tourism, has long championed.
Destination Plymouth, a private/public sector partnership, is one of more than 50 businesses across Britain’s Ocean City’s tourism, leisure, cultural, heritage and hospitality sectors to have signed up for the Green Tourism programme, and its work to support businesses across the city in becoming accredited has been progressing for over a year and a half, since February 2022. Those taking part receive free expert support to help them reach their sustainability goals and gain the internationally-recognised Green Tourism Standard, with many already accredited with bronze, silver or gold awards.
The programme includes a series of webinars with Green Tourism showing the benefits of enhancing sustainability practices to attract the rapidly expanding, green-minded tourism and corporate events sector. Destination Plymouth also ran programmes with 40 businesses to provide ‘Green Edge’ customer service training as well as ‘Carbon footprint’ training and low carbon assessments with SWMAS.
Amanda Lumley, Destination Plymouth’s Chief Executive, says: “The fact that these awards are recognised worldwide as a sign of operating in a good, environmentally-friendly way is vitally important for our reputation. And we’re thrilled with this achievement.
“But we can’t rest on our laurels and the work goes on as we continue on our green journey city-wide. We’re encouraging as many businesses as possible to get involved because as each individual business benefits by becoming more environmentally-friendly and eco-conscious, the reputation of the whole city and surrounding area is enhanced as a sustainable destination. It’s a win-win.”
Destination Plymouth is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda, which aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
For businesses wishing to find out more about this important environmental and sustainable opportunity and to apply directly, please visit www.visitplymouth.co.uk/green-tourism
