VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway leads the way by Going Green
VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway are celebrating after recently being awarded a Gold award in the Green Tourism Business Scheme for the second year running.
The Scheme, developed by VisitScotland, has been established to encourage tourism businesses of all types to improve their environmental efficiency, and in the process save money and add a new dimension to their marketing proposition.
Those who meet the standard will be promoted through internet marketing, providing visitors to Scotland with information on accommodation providers and other tourism businesses that are actively working to help protect the environment. The businesses will also benefit from discovering that good environmental management can also mean big cost savings.
A ‘Green Team’ was set up by VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway in order to identify areas of improvement and introduce best practice. Activities include all offices recycling paper, cardboard and ink cartridges as well as introducing the slogan ‘think before you print’ on to email auto signatures. All of VisitScotland’s offices across Scotland and in London took part in a major employee initiative - Green Week, held in October - to raise the awareness of Green issues and the need to care for the environment. During the week staff from VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway were encouraged to ‘think green’, seeking an environmentally friendly way to travel to work and taking part in an outdoor activity/exercise.
The team have no intention of sitting back and enjoying their award; efforts will continue in the future with new initiatives such as developing the Dumfries Tourist Information Centre (TIC) garden adding a bird table and feeders in the trees and all TICs will be supplied with folders to provide visitors with information on local recycling facilities, public transport, walking, cycling and wildlife in the area and also to make them aware of the green scheme for businesses.
Three levels of accreditation can be achieved under the scheme, Bronze which marks good basic environmental practice, Silver for very good practice or Gold, the top award which denotes excellence in environmental practice.
More information on the Green Tourism Business Scheme is available at www.green-business.co.uk or from the local VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway office.
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