The Green Stays Awards are a significant step towards defining standards for sustainable tourism in Malaysia and across the Asia Pacific region, says Dr Mihee Kang, Director for the Asia Pacific, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) at the launch of the Airbnb Green Stays Awards in Malaysia.
Airbnb collaborates with the GSTC and the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY), launching the inaugural Awards to recognise and celebrate small, local tourism accommodation providers in Malaysia which incorporate sustainable practices into their operations, based on local sustainability criteria developed with guidance from both partners. The Awards are part of Airbnb’s ongoing efforts to help rebuild tourism in a more sustainable and inclusive way, in line with the Government’s strategies in the recent 12th Malaysia Plan.
“As a global Airbnb partner, GSTC is pleased to be part of this joint effort to launch Airbnb’s first-ever green travel accommodation awards. The conversation on sustainable travel is one that all industry players should be part of, and it is particularly timely as we work to rejuvenate the tourism sector,” says Dr Mihee.
Andrew Sebastian, President & CEO of ECOMY, said: “Sustainable tourism and conservation has been a core mission for ECOMY, and we are excited to be collaborating with Airbnb and GSTC to foster greater local awareness and education. As travel gradually resumes nationwide, we hope that these Awards will celebrate and uplift our small eco-friendly travel accommodation businesses, promote the adoption of green practices across Malaysia, and drive greener and more sustainable travel.”
Airbnb, GSTC and ECOMY will form the judging panel for the inaugural Awards. Nominations will be scored across a range of criteria, including use of green products, waste management, energy conservation, water conservation and biodiversity conservation. Malaysian hospitality providers can now apply for the Awards from now until October 24, 2021, at airbnb.com/malaysiagreenstays.
All recipients of the Airbnb Green Stays Awards will be featured in Airbnb’s upcoming sustainable travel campaign, including a dedicated microsite promoting these Stays.
