ITP and the Environment

For more than 15 years the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), formally known as International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI), has played a leading role in bringing major hotel and tourism companies together to strengthen their approach to environmental sustainability.

HRH The Prince of Wales founded the ITP in 1992. He believed that the tourism sector should and could do more to address the environmental challenges we face. The ITP provides a forum for its members to exchange ideas and in conjunction with them develops tools that improve environmental business practices.

Go to the history section to learn more about us.

Working towards environmental sustainability, the International Tourism Partnership:

• Provides practical guidance for the industry on how to improve environmental performance and how this contributes to successful business operations
• Develops practical environmental manuals and guidelines
• Recommends systems for monitoring improvements in environmental performance
• Encourages the observance of the highest possible standards of environmental management, not only directly within the industry, but also with suppliers and local authorities
• Promotes training of staff in environmental management
• Collaborates with appropriate national and international organisations to keep abreast of environmental issues and best practices
• Exchanges information widely and highlights examples of good practice in the industry

By focusing on practical environmental solutions, ITP provides the tourism industry with tools that will help them become more environmentally sustainable, as well as economically and socially responsible.  ITP's environmental programmes focus on:

• Monitoring and benchmarking waste, water and energy
• Greening the supply chain
• Mitigating climate change
• Providing environmental management systems (EMS)
• Implementing sustainable construction
• Measuring sustainability performance
• Providing guiding papers on environmental practices

Visit the publications and practical solutions pages to find out more about ITP projects and programmes.