Designed specially for tourism businesses, the Green Tourism Business Scheme will help you reduce costs, improve your efficiency and increase your marketing potential, while also reducing the environmental impact of your business. In other words, help the environment, and help your business. Businesses already in the GTBS show clear operational and marketing benefits which improve their financial bottom line and their wider environment. Financial gains should cover the cost of your visit.

By adopting environmentally friendly methods to improve your business efficiency you can tap into the growing market of environment-conscious visitors and at the same time contribute to sustainable tourism in Scotland. We’re not talking about implementing an arduous and complex green strategy in your business, rather adopting simple measures and behaviours that reduce your business’s environmental impact and ultimately save your business money.

For example, if everyone in Scotland only boiled the water they needed to make a cup of tea instead of filling the kettle every time, we would save enough electricity to practically run all the street lighting in the country!

Some of the simple measures you can take in your business are:

• Switching off computer monitors when not at a desk – a PC monitor left on overnight wastes enough energy to laser print 800 pages
• Using energy saving lighting
• Fixing dripping taps and reducing water pressure
• Recycling waste e.g. glass, paper, aluminium cans, cardboard
• Only printing when necessary and turning off lights when leaving a room

Straightforward practices that deliver environmental and business prosperity. Many companies in Scotland have already achieved tremendous success by applying to the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Customer expectation

The key benefit of the Award lies in communicating your ''green credentials'' to your customers. German and Dutch visitors, wildlife watchers and outdoor recreationists particularly enjoy the Scottish environment and value attempts by businesses to make their operations green.

Large companies and corporations with environmental policies are increasingly seeking to make their supplier chain green and this is extending to accommodation provided for staff and customers.

Membership of the GTBS will provide independent verification to your customers of your commitment to a quality environment. Not only will it promote what you already do but it will give guidance on how to do more and save more.