Germany – Travel with a sustainable mindset
Being a responsible traveler increasingly becomes a guiding principle when vacationing in Germany. Overall, more than 3,000 certified accommodation providers and eateries have made sustainability a predominant aspect of the philosophy of running their establishment, no matter if it opens its doors to 10, 100, or 1,000 beds. Renewable energy increasingly has become the source of choice in Germany, meanwhile phasing out costly and uneconomic solutions of the past.
Hotels and accommodations are confronted with a new reality of how to balance solutions that are easy on the wallet and safe for the environment alike. Hospitality experts present doable, affordable solutions for city dwellings and family-run Bed & Breakfasts in remote areas.
The GNTB accumulated a detailed map that allows travelers to make an educated decision about where to spend their time and witness how solar power, wind energy, or hydropower effectively harnesses energy into electricity.
The map displays more than 1,500 accommodation providers who meet sustainability requirements at https://www.germany.travel/en/feel-good/accommodation.html. The selection was made in collaboration with sustainability experts and tourism specialists in each German Federal State and provides a detailed list of certifications for responsible tourism.
Under the label Green Pearls, travelers can find “handpicked” eco-friendly resorts and restaurants using farm-to-table ingredients only. Certified accommodations include, for instance, Biohotels, which use 100% organic food and beverages. The Umweltgütesiegel auf Alpenvereinshütten (Environmental seal of approval for Alpine Club huts) certifies remote mountain destinations, and Blaue Schwalbe (Blue Swallow) certifies especially ecologicallyoriented guesthouses and inns in areas that are hard to reach by car or public transportation.
