The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) will partner with BeCause, a Danish startup that collates the eco-certifications of facilities and attractions within a destination. Members of GDS-Movement, a data-driven international sustainability agency, can now learn about the sustainability status of their destination’s hospitality landscape on the BeCause platform.
Specifically, they will be able to see which hotels, restaurants, attractions, beaches and experiences have valid sustainability certifications. BeCause is the only sustainability data management hub tailored to the visitor economy.
Prior to BeCause, destinations could only obtain the necessary information by manually matching each certification to the service providers in their area – a laborious process. BeCause works with over 70 eco-certification bodies including organisations like Green Key, Travalyst, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Green Sign and EarthCheck.
“One of the greatest challenges destinations face today is accessing accurate data about the sustainability practices of their supply chains. Our partnership with BeCause directly addresses this challenge,” said Guy Bigwood, CEO of GDS-Movement.
GDS BeCause sustainability dataAccording to a 2024 Booking.com survey, 75% of global travellers say they want to travel more sustainably in the short term. 89% of business travellers say they are taking extra steps to reduce the environmental impact of their travel.
Access to sustainable travel options is also a key consideration for meetings and event planners, with 13% of those surveyed for the American Express 2024 Global Meetings and Events Forecast ranking sustainability as among the top two factors influencing where they choose to hold their events. 39% admitted that they struggle to identify sustainability-certified suppliers.
Andrew Stokes, Director of VisitEngland (the first destination to employ the BeCause data network), commented: “VisitEngland recognises the need to ensure our destinations have access to data that is both trustworthy and accurate … [to meet] the growing demands of visitors seeking environmentally responsible experiences”.
With this data overview, organisations like VisitEngland can zoom in on specific regions and get a rundown of sustainability info in real-time, as well as details on the individual certifications. BeCause will also enable them to tackle the issue of greenwashing with hard data.
“By automating the verification of sustainability claims with direct communication from certification bodies, we ensure that trust is prioritised across the entire value chain – from consumers to tourism organisations,” said CEO of BeCause Frederik Steensgaard.
