According to Trip Advisor, A staggering two thirds of travelers prefer to stay at sustainable hotels and resorts. Unfortunately, most travelers struggle to determine which resorts are more environmentally conscious than others. To help fill this need, Trip Advisor recently released Green Leaders—a rating system that allows travelers to determine which hotels follow sustainable practices, such as environmentally friendly furniture, and which don’t.

With ratings from Bronze to Platinum, green ratings now appear alongside lodging options on the website’s hotel search system—as well as on competing sites such as Hotels.com and Travelocity. This allows customers to view the hotel ratings they expect, as well as how environmentally friendly they are.

Though only 17% of consumers would be willing to spend more on an environmentally friendly room, many would opt for an environmentally friendly room over one that is not so long as the price points remain the same. In the increasingly competitive hospitality industry, that means hoteliers would do well to consider the environmental impact of their establishments.

Here’s How To Make Your Hotel More Environmentally Friendly

Apply to the GreenLeaders program

In order to have the little green leaf next to your name on Trip Advisor, the first thing you need to do is apply to the GreenLeaders program. The application will take up to an hour to complete and will ask you questions about your recycling habits, whether or not you use energy saving appliances, your water conservation practices, and whether or not you’ve purchased environmentally friendly furniture for your property.

If you meet 30% or more of the requirements, you are eligible to become a GreenLeader and will be assigned Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum status based on the percentage of green practices you have in place.

Implement Conservation Practices

As part of the requirements of the program, all hotels that have achieved GreenLeader status must track energy on a regular basis, replace at least 75% of lighting with energy efficient light bulbs, recycle at least two different types of waste, and have a plan in place to recycle sheets and towels should those staying with you request to do so. In addition, staff and guests alike must be educated in the conservation practices put into place by your hotel.

Purchase Environmentally Friendly Furniture

Though guests are concerned with how the hospitality industry affects the environment, they are even more concerned with how the hospitality environment affects their health. As customers become increasingly aware of the negative health implications associated with the furniture manufacturing industry, it is becoming more and more important for hotels to furnish their properties with environmentally friendly furniture. Concerned with the effects of formaldehyde in confined spaces, for example, many customers are opting to stay where hotels use furniture made from sustainable materials and without the use of toxic chemicals and hazardous finishes.

That’s why Northland Furniture is committed to providing environmentally friendly furniture for the hospitality industry. Our furniture is made in the United States using North American sourced materials. We use LEED-applicable stains and finishes and strive to conserve resources and minimize impact on our environment. Not only are our manufacturing processes better for the environment, but our furniture is made with your guest’s health in mind.

By purchasing our furniture, not only will you meet the purchasing requirements to become a certified GreenLeader on Trip Advisor and other travel booking sites, but your guests will have peace of mind knowing that you use only the best environmentally friendly practices in your hotel. Contact us to inquire about your hospitality project. We’d love to help you become a sustainable leader in the industry.