Gothenburg World Leading City for Green Hotels

Gothenburg (Sweden) – 21 May 2012 – Now you can sleep with a green conscience, almost everywhere in Gothenburg, Sweden. Over 80 per cent of hotels in the city are environmentally certified, and the goal is that all will be.

“We strengthen our competitive edge internationally if we are a sustainable destination,” says Stefan Johansson, Chair of the Gothenburg Hotels Association.

Gothenburg is one the world’s most sustainable destinations when it comes to hotel rooms. More and more arrangers of events and congresses are demanding sustainable solutions, which are in ready supply in Gothenburg.

“At the moment nine hotels are undergoing training in environmental certification and more are due to start in the autumn. For those of us who work with these issues, it’s a good example of the Gothenburg spirit of working together for positive results,” says Stefan Johansson who himself runs Nääs Slott country hotel.

The Gothenburg Hotels Association has 31 member hotels with 2500 rooms in total, with 84 per cent of these having environmental certification. Of the 20 larger hotels in the Large Hotel group, 90 per cent are currently certified green. It is an impressively high amount, even when compared internationally.

“It’s remarkable to see the effort by the Gothenburg hotels to achieve Eco-Certification. Gothenburg is today a world leader. Their achievement in such a short time serves as a case study to the rest of the world. It demonstrates what can be achieved by a group of hotels who come together to develop a common vision, and collaborate to share best practice and lower costs,” says Guy Bigwood, Sustainability Director på MCI Group.

“Of all cities we have compared ourselves to, Gothenburg comes out top. The goal is to reach 100 per cent which is unbeatable,” says Katarina Thorstensson, project manager for the Sustainable Gothenburg project at Göteborg & Co.

The project started two years ago with the aim that Gothenburg will be the most sustainable destination in the world, and from a holistic perspective. Transportation, hotels, conference facilities, and arenas will all provide the best green solutions available. This is also a Nordic partnership where Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden are participating to create a sustainable Scandinavian region for conferences and events. Even in comparison to its neighbours, Gothenburg is a long way ahead.

“For Gothenburg as a destination, it’s a question for the future of being able to package large parts of the tourist experience in a sustainable way. Being green then becomes not just an issue of ecology but also economics,” says Stefan Johansson.

Media Contact:
Goteborg & Co
Stefan Gadd
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