For the past year, WEI has been an active member of the Department of
Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Ad Hoc Committee. This committee was
established to explore the development of a voluntary environmental
certification program for the Wisconsin tourism industry. WEI has been
contracted to take the lead on this initiative to develop the
certification program, called “Travel Green Wisconsin.”
The Travel Green Wisconsin certification program will add bottom-line
value and top-line recognition to the tourism industry. It will promote
smart business practices that will help to conserve and protect
Wisconsin’s natural resources while bringing cost savings to Wisconsin’s
tourism businesses. At the same time, it will educate travelers on
Wisconsin’s commitment to a healthy environment. The certification
program will help promote and define the Wisconsin brand.
WEI will be working with the Ad Hoc Committee and other key stakeholders
to further develop the certification program. Travel Green Wisconsin
will be a voluntary program based on a point system in which certain
point totals will need to be established in specified categories, such
as waste reduction, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and water
conservation, in order to obtain certification. The facilities could
then choose additional conservation practices to implement, which will
give participants the opportunity to characterize their own program.
Participation in Travel Green Wisconsin will be available to a variety
of tourism operators.
The Travel Green Wisconsin certification will acknowledge and promote
facilities that have become certified, bringing participants marketing
and cost saving benefits for their environmental improvements.
Before the Travel Green Wisconsin certification program is implemented
statewide, a pilot program will first be conducted in possibly two or
three communities in the State as early as next spring.
