The Green Key: A Label On The Rise

The Green Key label, which recognizes sustainable tourism establishments, has seen a record growth in France in 2024. We invite you to discover the features of this label, its award criteria, and its progression in numbers.

What is the Green Key label?

The Green Key label was launched in 1994 in Denmark for tourist accommodations such as hotels, youth hostels, and holiday centers.

It was developed in France from 1998 to support tourism professionals wishing to develop activities that are more respectful of the environment and biodiversity.

Today, the Green Key is the leading international eco-label for sustainable tourism in tourist accommodations and restaurants. This label distinguishes about 5,000 tourist accommodations and restaurants worldwide, in 63 different countries.

In France, it is developed by the Teragir association, which also carries the Eco-Schools, Young Reporters for the Environment, Blue Flag, and International Day of Forests programs. In 2023, French labeled accommodations recorded some 43 million overnight stays.

What are the criteria for awarding this label?

The Green Key label is awarded by a jury of tourism and environmental experts. It recognizes tourist establishments that are committed daily to reducing the impact of their activity on the environment and biodiversity. The certified professionals work particularly to limit the greenhouse gas emissions of their establishment.

The awarding of this eco-label is based on a hundred criteria divided around 7 themes:
• the environmental policy of the establishment.
• raising guest awareness.
• water resource management.
• energy saving.
• waste reduction and recycling.
• responsible purchasing.
• living environment.

Among the mandatory criteria, establishments with the label must inform their guests about the local fauna, flora, and natural sites nearby and raise awareness among clients about eco-friendly practices to preserve species and protected areas.

Since 2022, tourism professionals who commit to this approach must implement at least two biodiversity protection initiatives within their establishment or territory.

What is the progress of this label in France?

In 2024, 1,564 establishments have been awarded the Green Key label in France, which is an increase of 575 establishments from 2023. This ecotourism label has seen a record growth of 45% compared to last year.

This growth is particularly notable in hotels, with 788 establishments receiving the label in 2024 in mainland France and its overseas territories, up from 411 in 2023.

According to Nathalie Bel Baussant, director of the sustainable tourism department at Teragir association and responsible for the Green Key label in France, "this significant progress reflects a deepening awareness within the industry of its environmental impact."

Which regions have the highest number of certified establishments?

In 2024, the South, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, and Île-de-France regions are at the top of the Green Key ranking. Even though the growth of this label pertains to the entire French territory, it is in the Île-de-France region where it has seen its strongest increase. This year, the Île-de-France region has 211 winners, more than double compared to 2023.

However, this performance was not enough to dethrone the South Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region: it leads the ranking for the total number of certified establishments, with 242 winners, 93 more establishments than in 2023.

According to the Teragir association, partnerships formed with the tourist offices of Marseille and Nice Côte d'Azur as well as with Provence Tourism and the South region have promoted this environmental commitment, in a territory particularly aware of the challenges associated with climate change.