Leading Green Hotel Ranking & Certification Program Partners with MA GREEN to Promote Sustainable Travel in the Bay State.

MA GREEN, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism program created to encourage sustainable hospitality practices in the state, recently launched a website to help prospective visitors find information on green-certified hotels in Massachusetts.  The Green Key Eco-Rating Program (Green Key) is one of the certification programs recognized by the state, providing Green Key members with a listing on the www.massvacation.com site.

The MA GREEN initiative was launched at the beginning of 2010 with a dual mission. First, serve the industry by providing resources and guidance to help travel businesses adopt environmentally sound practices; second, provide information to consumers seeking to stay at green hotels in their travels to the Bay State.  The Green Key program was a philosophical match for MA GREEN, as the comprehensive Green Key environmental audit was developed specifically for hotel operators.

"We had the opportunity to tag along for the on-site inspection of a Green Key member hotel in Boston and we were impressed with the comprehensive nature of the program," explained Betsy Wall, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. "The auditor was very knowledgeable, property management was actively engaged in the process, and it was clear that Green Key had helped make sustainable practices – at some level – the responsibility of every associate at that hotel."

Green Key, the first program of its kind to rank, certify and audit hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable "green" operations, is a joint venture in the United States between LRA Worldwide, Inc. and the Hotel Association of Canada.  Green Key has been in operation in Canada for more than ten years, coming to U.S. in September of 2009; the program currently has more than 1,300 member hotels.  In Massachusetts, the Fairmont Battery Wharf, Fairmont Copley Plaza and The Seaport Hotel have all earned 4-Key Ratings and a listing on the MA GREEN site, with a number of additional properties in the midst of completing the audit.

"The MA GREEN team has done a great job vetting the various certification programs in the marketplace and partnering with the best-of-breed in a particular facet of green lodging," said Zach Conen, Green Key Vice President of Sales & Marketing, U.S. Region. "We're gratified that we were selected for our focus on green hotel operations and practices. We can't wait to start working with additional hotels in Massachusetts to help them measure and enhance their environmental programs and gain recognition in the marketplace for their efforts."