Sustainability and green issues are now very much mainstream, with governments, businesses and individuals all involved. Tourism, as one of the main economic drivers in the UK, has its part to play. The Green Tourism Business Scheme was established in 1997 and covers the whole of the UK. It is the largest and most established scheme of its type in the World. One of the main aims of the scheme is to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of sustainable tourism in the future. The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Originally developed in partnership with Visit Scotland, it is now the only certification scheme validated by Visit Britain, through the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT). “GTBS provides excellent value for money to a wide range of tourism firms with first class environmental advice and auditing. Satisfaction rates of certified firms are very high and drop out rates low, both for the smallest of tourism firms and increasingly at corporate level.” Xavier Font, ICRT. Businesses opting to join Green Tourism are assessed by a qualified grading advisor against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas, like energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and more. Those businesses that meet the required standard, receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. The current network of over 2000 members is comprised of a wide range of business types, including accommodation providers, visitor attractions, corporate offices and others. By using businesses accredited by the Green Tourism Business Scheme for your holiday or overnight stay, you can be assured that certain environmental criteria have been met by the accommodation you choose. Improving sustainability whilst still delivering a high quality service is imperative and so all accommodation providers have to attain a star grading before they can gain a green grading.