Accor announces landmark sustainability partnership with Qualmark New Zealand

Accor Hotels In New Zealand Are Working Towards Gold Certification Under Qualmark's Global Sustainable Tourism Council Recognised Standards For Sustainable Tourism Businesses.

New Zealand's largest hotel operator, Accor, has entered into a strategic partnership with Qualmark to work towards certifying Accor hotels, resorts and apartments across New Zealand as Gold standard Sustainable Tourism Businesses.

For three decades Qualmark, a New Zealand quality assurance organisation, has supported thousands of tourism businesses across the country to operate sustainably. Qualmark's Sustainable Tourism Business certification criteria is a rigorous process that evaluates standards of sustainability across five key pillars: business systems, environment, people, community and culture, and health and safety.

This criteria was recently the first in New Zealand to gain Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) recognised status.

Qualmark NZ GM Steven Dixon said: "We're excited to partner with an industry-leading hotel operator like Accor. Travellers are now three times more likely to choose a business that has been sustainably accredited."

Accor Pacific COO Adrian Williams said: "We are delighted to partner with Qualmark as a leading voice and authority for sustainability in the New Zealand market. In 2023, Accor Pacific removed some 55 single use plastic items in over 80% of hotels. Accor operates more than 40 hotels across New Zealand including Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis brands."