Introduction of a label for sustainable tourism adapted to the particularities of Morocco

The greenadvisor criteria system is based on 23 criteria that are divided into 13 fixed criteria and 10 dynamic criteria. The fixed criteria are the same for all members and provide the basis for sustainable development. The dynamic criteria require 1 concrete action per criteria and per year, in fact 10 actions per year. These actions may differ by company We have adapted this criteria system specifically to the needs of Morocco and thus want to enable long-term sustainable development. The local tourism sector is very diverse and consists mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises. These are often overwhelmed with long criteria lists and rigid frames. The result is mostly frustration or greenwashing. One of our main goals is therefore to enable our partners to progressively integrate sustainable measures into the management of the business and to shape them individually. This approach also allows to communicate with guests about sustainability in a different way. You can show your guests that you have committed yourself to a long-term development, rather than claim that you have already achieved a kind of "perfection". So far, we have certified 6 companies with greenadvisor. Through a partnership with a network of rural hotels, another 10 will be added by April 2018. By the end of the year we would like to have 40 companies certified. Once this goal is achieved, we plan to make of greenadvisor.ma a booking platform, offering our partners an alternative to traditional platforms. Geographically, we have limited ourselves to the regions of Marrakech and Agadir. By the end of 2019 we would like to be active throughout the country. In order to test our criteria system in reality, we decided to work with completely different companies. Our first partners include companies that are completely different in terms of their geographical location, size, conception and management. Riad les Sources Berbères, Riad in the medina of Marrakech Amani Hôtel Appart, family hotel in the center of Marrakech Dar Ayniewen, Hotel Villa in the Palmeraie de Marrakech Hôtel The Source, Hotel Resort, Route de l'Ourika Domaine de la Roseraie, country hotel in the Atlas Mountains Hôtel Fellah, boutique hotel, Route de l'Ourika We are aware that sustainability only works in the long term if the companies derive a financial benefit from their efforts. That's why we offer our partners the following marketing tools: 1. Referencing on greenadvisor.ma On greenadvisor,ma travelers can find out more about our system in general and the measures taken by our partners in particular. They can also contact the companies directly and book their stay. 2. Access to the network "Elementerre" It is a network of companies that have received the greenadvisor certification, and national and international tour operators specialized in sustainable travel. 3. Referencing on "Viami" by Greendestinations Viami is a digital map which allows travelers to spend 100% sustainable stays. Morocco was selected as one of the pilot countries. Consulting-Elementerre is the exclusive partner for the selection of companies that gives them the opportunity to increase their visibility. 4. Cooperation with Tokela Tokela is an agency specializied in sustainable tourism marketing. The multi-lingual team of editors, authors and art directors combined with a global network of photographers and bloggers creates original content across all types of platforms and formats. Most of our partners have been working with greenadvisor for about a year now. They have taken measures to reduce their negative impact on the environment and to increase the positive impact on their local context. The measures lead to an improvement in the following areas Ecological Footprint Human Resource management Integration in the socio-cultural context Communication and interaction with guests Since we allow our partners the possibility to choose their measures, we accompany and advise them throughout the process. We help you to find appropriate measures that promise a quick and visible success. Feedback from our partners shows that grenadvisor's gradual and long-term approach allows them to engage their employees easily in the changeover process.