Stay green, shine bright: how the EU Ecolabel is reimagining the hospitality business

On 16 March 2026, the European Commission webinar ‘Stay green, shine on the market: how the EU Ecolabel brings environmental excellence to your tourist accommodation’ dived deep into what the EU Ecolabel offers for the sector. 

The timing could not be better: according to Eurostat, the number of overnight stays in the EU in 2025 came to 3.1 billion, a 2 % increase from 2024, indicating the push for greener accommodation is not simply a trend, it will have a tangible and positive impact. 

The power of policy 

European Commission EU Ecolabel team leader Małgorzata Gołębiewska opened the session by highlighting the record-breaking surge in interest, with numbers of tourist accommodation services with the EU Ecolabel growing quicker than in any other sector. ‘Conscious travellers are increasingly looking for accommodation that has reduced environmental impact,’ she said. 

Małgorzata Gołębiewska also outlined how the EU Ecolabel guarantees excellent environmental performance through optimised management, reductions in energy and water use and food waste – which also leads to cost savings – and lower emissions. This kind of engagement creates loyalty among customers and staff, as well as public procurement opportunities, enhanced visibility, and legal certainty. 

A strategy for the future 

Currently in the works, the EU’s new sustainable tourism strategy will be aiming to reinforce tourism governance, balance sustainability with competitiveness and integrate tourism with policies in other areas. 

‘We are adapting to the new challenges that the industry and destinations are facing. We are looking for new ways of working together and supporting the tourism ecosystem, including in its green and digital transition,’ said Ramunė Genzbigelytė Venturi, European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport Policy Officer for Tourism. 

Reinforcing this, Marta Machado, Deputy Director-General of HOTREC, argued that the EU Ecolabel is a shield for SMEs. It protects them from legal and reputational risks, helps level the playing field and facilitates structured sustainability engagement. In her words, ‘Certification mechanisms, including the EU Ecolabel, can be powerful tools for credibility, competitiveness and regulatory preparedness.’ 

EU Ecolabel success stories 

Turning to hotel success stories, David Meixner, General Manager of Ibis Styles Wien City, part of the Accor Group, highlighted that the group is currently looking to obtain sustainability certification, including the EU Ecolabel, across its entire range of hotels. David Meixner, whose hotel was awarded the EU Ecolabel in 2024, pointed: ‘We realised that sustainability was considered as something next to the business. But sustainability is now at the heart of the business.’ To make this shift visible, certification was essential. ‘It became a question of transparency, credibility and market relevance,’ he explained. 

From an SME perspective, Benjamin Förtsch, the owner of Hotel Luise in Erlangen, Germany, saw the main challenges in obtaining the EU Ecolabel as linked to documentation, technical expertise and data collection. In terms of the benefits, he mentioned the helpful external support, the useful data produced by the process and the effect of the international recognition and trustworthiness of the EU Ecolabel. Benjamin Förtsch added that, while guests are not necessarily aware of a hotel’s sustainability efforts, a focus on these areas can enhance the whole feel of the place, encouraging visitors to come back. ‘Would we do it again?’ he asked. ‘Definitely!’ 

To raise certification levels among its providers, Booking.com is supporting them on their journey. To this end, it has launched a landing page to guide providers through the process, connecting them with certification bodies. ‘This process has allowed us to dramatically increase the number of accommodations with certification on our platform,’ said Booking.com Sustainability Programme Manager Thomas Loughlin, who mentioned the EU Ecolabel as a scheme with a high degree of credibility. 

New criteria in line with sector evolution 

Looking to the future, Joint Research Centre Project Officers Zahara Pérez and Judit Rodríguez Manotas outlined the ongoing revision of the EU Ecolabel criteria. ‘A single, uniform set of criteria does not always reflect the operational differences across the tourist accommodation sector,’ explained Zahara. The new criteria will therefore distinguish between large establishments, small and medium-sized establishments, and campsites. ‘The structure allows the criteria to remain coherent, while also being better tailored to the operational realities of different accommodation,’ she added. 

The revised criteria are intended to be more user-friendly for applicants. ‘We are simplifying, removing or replacing criteria, always with the goal of making the EU Ecolabel easier to understand and comply with,’ Judit concluded. 

The key takeaway from the webinar was clear: the EU Ecolabel is a roadmap for more resilient, profitable, and respected business. Ready to let your hospitality business shine? Apply here! 

Watch the webinar and view the presentations here.