Tuu Eco Stay Awards: Elevating Hospitality with Data-Backed Sustainability Practices
As discussions around sustainability gain traction in global tourism, Asia Pacific is taking center stage. During her keynote address at ITB Asia 2024 in Singapore, Liz Ortiguera, Managing Director for Asia-Pacific and Senior Advisor to the CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), pointed out the region's impressive economic contribution, projected to reach 3.2 trillion USD by the end of 2024. This booming sector supports over 191 million jobs, showing its important role in local economies. Alongside this growth, there's a surging demand for eco-conscious travel, with 76% of travelers seeking sustainable options.
Against this backdrop, the Tuu Eco Stay Awards was established to celebrate and recognize genuine sustainability efforts of hotels across Asia, helping the industry grow responsibly and transparently.
A Mission Rooted in Real Progress
The Tuu Eco Stay Awards was conceived with a clear objective: to recognize hotels that make genuine strides in sustainability rather than those that merely pay lip service to the concept.
Terry Blackburn, Founder of Tuu, explains, "The Tuu Eco Stay Awards were created to recognize hotels making measurable progress in sustainability, not just claiming it."
This initiative follows Blackburn's successful tenure with the Asia Property Awards and his realization of the need for a platform that focuses on real, verifiable sustainability in the hospitality sector. With Asia being a big player in hotel development, Blackburn believes the region "offers the perfect opportunity to encourage meaningful change."
The Tuu Eco Stay Awards helps hotels maximize the value of their ESG data and celebrate real sustainability wins.
Categories That Matter
The awards focus on four categories that reflect the pillars of sustainability:
Environmental Impact: This evaluates how hotels manage resources, focusing on reducing their ecological footprint through efficient resource use and innovative practices.
Sustainability Planning: Focuses on long-term strategies, assessing how well hotels integrate sustainable practices into their core operations.
Local Community: Celebrates hotels that actively engage with and contribute to their neighboring communities, promoting social responsibility.
Cultural Heritage: Honors the preservation of local traditions and enriches guest experiences by integrating cultural appreciation.
"Together, these categories provide a comprehensive approach to sustainability, rewarding hotels that are leading the way," says Blackburn.
"We've designed the awards to encourage hotels to go beyond compliance. Categories like Local Community and Cultural Heritage show hoteliers that sustainability isn't just about environmental impact—it's about social and cultural responsibility too," he explains.
The Tuu Eco Stay Awards celebrates hotels that (clockwise from top left) reduce waste, source locally, and reduce energy consumption. There are 30 Special Recognition Awards in 4 categories: Environmental Impact, Sustainability Planning, Local Community, and Cultural Heritage.
Ensuring Authenticity Through Rigorous Processes
A defining feature of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards is their stringent data submission and auditing process. Hotels are required to submit six consecutive months of data across key areas such as energy, water, food, and waste. This ensures that only those demonstrating progress are considered for recognition.
"Sustainability is all about measurable progress," affirms Blackburn. This process ensures authenticity and prevents greenwashing, a prevalent issue in the industry.
Entering the awards and using the Tuu platform is free, making it accessible to hotels of all sizes.
Once a hotel qualifies for recognition with a verified rating, there's a fee that helps support the independent verification, auditing, and benchmarking processes. This thorough review ensures that recognition is based on verifiable outcomes.
Hotels can enter 30 Special Recognition categories judged by a panel of experts, further ensuring the credibility of their sustainability practices.
The Impact of Recognition
Blackburn emphasizes the importance of this recognition, stating, "Winning a Tuu Eco Stay Award signals that a hotel's sustainability efforts are not only genuine but also backed by verified data."
He added that in today's market, where both travelers and corporate clients are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, this kind of recognition is invaluable.
“Beyond the award, we help hotels tell their sustainability stories in ways that resonate with guests and clients. Winners are featured in our publications and the Winners’ Directory, and they can use the award logo in their marketing materials. This kind of recognition can lead to increased bookings and greater brand loyalty from eco-conscious travelers and corporate clients,” adds Blackburn.
Winning a Tuu Eco Stay Award helps hotels attract both eco-savvy travelers and c-suite executives looking for sustainable MICE venues.
Raising the Bar for Sustainability Standards
The impact of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards goes beyond recognizing the hotel’s achievements. By demanding data-backed proof of sustainability efforts, the awards encourage a shift from superficial gestures to genuine, long-term sustainability commitment that benefits everyone.
"We're raising the bar for transparency and accountability in sustainability," says Blackburn.
The awards also emphasize the importance of community partnerships, local employment, and cultural preservation—integral components of sustainability practices. Recognizing hotels that excel in these areas will inspire others to expand their understanding of sustainability to include social and cultural aspects.
By inspiring hotels to move beyond compliance and embrace a holistic approach to sustainability, the awards pave the way for a more responsible and impactful future in hospitality.
Guidance for Aspiring Award Winners
For hoteliers aspiring to improve their sustainability practices and become future Tuu Eco Stay Award recipients, Blackburn offers valuable advice: "Start by gathering the right data. Understanding where your hotel stands in areas like energy, water, and waste is the first step."
From there, hoteliers can make targeted improvements that yield measurable impacts.
"Focus on long-term actions, not quick fixes. Sustainability is a journey, and meaningful progress takes time. The Tuu Eco Stay Awards recognize hotels making real strides, and with the right steps, your hotel can be among them.”
Terry Blackburn, Tuu Founder
Future Expansion
Looking ahead, the Tuu Eco Stay Awards is poised to expand its impact beyond Asia. Plans are underway for launches in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions.
The awards' commitment to data-backed transparency and alignment with global standards like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is aimed at ensuring their continued relevance and impact.
"Sustainability is always evolving, and we’re committed to evolving with it," Blackburn concludes.
Tuu Founders, from left: Terry Blackburn, Ian Paynton, and Liam Barnes
All photos were provided by Tuu.
Asia Sustainable Travel is proud to partner with the Tuu Eco Stay Awards. Their mission to recognize hotels implementing genuine sustainability practices aligns perfectly with our values, the industry's needs, and the preferences of today's travelers.
