As companies seek to help travelers determine how to identify sustainable options and help businesses understand how to operate, certification has become something of an important - yet murky - area.

“There is a ton going on in certification,” said Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst in an interview in the PhocusWire Studio at Phocuswright Europe 2024.

The lack of clarity is not new. Plenty of small and large players have taken shots at removing the haze. Startups have popped up with the intent to solve the problem once and for all. And Booking.com, which partners with Travalyst, introduced a Travel Sustainable program in 2021 and recently dropped its sustainability badges from its site after authorities in the Netherlands claimed its indicators were "misleading." Instead, Booking.com plans to lean on third-party certification.

Davey and James Lever, chief technology officer of Weeva, touched on certification and more in a wide ranging conversation on sustainability sensibilities in the PhocusWire studio at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona. 

As companies seek to help travelers determine how to identify sustainable options and help businesses understand how to operate, certification has become something of an important - yet murky - area.
“There is a ton going on in certification,” said Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst in an interview in the PhocusWire Studio at Phocuswright Europe 2024.
The lack of clarity is not new. Plenty of small and large players have taken shots at removing the haze. <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/new-efforts-spotlight-sustainability-short-term-rentals" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Startups have popped</a> up with the intent to solve the problem once and for all. And Booking.com, <a href="https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/learn-more/becoming-certified#question-160951" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">which partners with Travalyst</a>, introduced a Travel Sustainable program in 2021 and recently <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/booking-removes-travel-sustainable-badge" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">dropped its sustainability badges</a> from its site after authorities in the Netherlands claimed its indicators were "misleading." Instead, Booking.com plans to lean on <a href="https://news.booking.com/bookingcom--prioritizing-third-party-certifications/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">third-party certification.</a>
Davey and James Lever, chief technology officer of <a href="https://weeva.earth/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Weeva</a>, touched on certification and more in a wide ranging conversation on sustainability sensibilities in the PhocusWire studio at <a href="https://www.phocuswrighteurope.com/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="5cadecf187056a000ef37147">Phocuswright Europe</a> in Barcelona.

A regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

A regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

In Phocus is a regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors.

In Phocus

Sally Davey, CEO, Travalyst, and James Lever, chief technology officer of Weeva, touched on certification and more in a wide ranging conversation on sustainability sensibilities in the PhocusWire studio at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona.

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