Updated on 22 January at 2.30pm.
The number of certified tourist accommodations has tripled in three years, and the Green Key label has grown for the fifth year running. After an increase of 45% in the number of certified establishments last year, the same trend has been recorded this year. The new winners include 2428 establishments, compared with 1665 last year, more than 1,500 hotels and 326 tourist residences can now boast it, in addition to 324 campsites, 75 holiday villages and 51 youth hostels. This brings to nearly 8 % the proportion of accommodation in France with a quality label.
"The players in the sector are committed to meeting environmental challenges by controlling their greenhouse gas emissions, the volumes of water they consume and the risks of pollution that undermines biodiversity. They are also more aware of social and societal issues." says Nathalie Bel Baussant, head of sustainable tourism at Teragir Davantage, the association that is developing this label in France, which was created in Denmark in 1994 and has been rolled out internationally under the name Green Key.
Examining the environmental management performance and responsible practices of establishments on the basis of 100 to 120 criteria on 7 themes, this a guarantee of eco-responsibility in the eyes of travellers, travel managers and meeting organisers alike, is becoming a 'must have' for many hotel groups. Accor, Appart'City, Best Western: all these players intend to see all their properties awarded the label sooner rather than later.
This the Accor Group's commitment is even being extended on a global scale, with the aim of 100% of its eco-certified network by 2026This is reflected in a new wave of Clef Verte hotels in France. In addition to the 230 establishments already recognised by the label in 2024, more than 320 hotels have been added this year. These include many Ibis, Mercure and Novotel hotels, as well as several MGallery and lifestyle hotels such as the Mama Shelter in Lyon, Rennes, Dijon and Paris West and the Mondrian in Bordeaux, as well as Adagio aparthotels. The long-stay brand, developed by Accor and Pierre&Vacances, aims to have all its sites certified by 2028, and currently has 47 Clef Verte establishments, with a further 20 applications in the pipeline for next year.
This development, driven by the hotel group, is also carried by owners Like SuitCase Hospitality, which welcomed the new certification of two Ibis Styles in the Paris region, and Atypio, most of whose establishments carry Accor group brands. From ten Clef Verte hotels last year, its portfolio now includes 27 certified establishments. "We are actively pursuing our continuous improvement approach to offer positive hospitality to our customers. This is great recognition of the work we have been doing for several years."commented Jérôme Schibler, CEO of Atypio Hotel Experience.
Similarly, the French Best Western has seen some sixty new hotels In the case of Appart'City, there are just twenty of them. But these groups are not the only ones to follow suit. In line with the brand's eco-friendly positioning, the nine Eklo have just been awarded this label. For its part, the IHG group, which already had a number of Green Key hotels, including the InterContinental hotels in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille, has registered the certification of six Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels, the Crowne Plaza Paris République and Marseille hotels, as well as Voco and Hotel Indigo hotels and, to cap it all, the IHG Green Key hotel. luxurious Carlton in Cannesfor its Regent brand. Less present in France than IHG, the Hilton group added five new labels this year, bringing its total to ten, while two Radisson hotels received awards, for a total of 12 Clef Verte hotels in France.
The will of hoteliers, a priority for destinations
Driven on the one hand by the hotel groups, this labelling policy is also driven by the hotel industry. driven by metropolitan areas. Whether in Bordeaux, Lille, Montpellier or Toulouse, more and more hotels are winning awards. But it's no coincidence that the Clef Verte awards were unveiled on 21 January in Lyon, at the Musée des Confluences.
Through an incentive policy - 80 % of the certification costs are covered by the tourist office in the first year - the destination " is proud to now have 33 % of its eco-labelled hotels" says Robert Revat, Chairman of ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès. " This meets the objectives of the 2021/2026 Responsible Tourism Development Plan for the Lyon Metropolitan Area" explains Hélène Duvivier, vice-president of the Lyon Metropolitan Council with responsibility for European and international relations, decentralised cooperation and tourism.
New Ibis and Mercure hotels, as well as the Pullman and Mama Shelter at Accor, two Appart'City hotels, the Radisson Blu and DoubleTree by Hiton Lyon Eurexpo, the Eklo hotel and the Moxy Lyon Aéroport: in all, the Lyon region recorded 29 new establishments awarded by the Clef Verte for a total of 73 winners in the Rhône department.
Overall, the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region saw an increase of 50 %, ranking it third among French regions behind Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (+33%) and Île-de-FranceThe Paris region was the first with 438 accredited establishments, compared with 240 in 2024. The Olympic Games had already kick-started the movement, with the Paris region recording the strongest growth last year. But its hotels have not stopped there, with a further increase of more than 82 % winners by 2025. While this growth will affect all the departments in the Paris region, Paris stands out with 108 new winners, bringing the total to 247. A gold medal tinged with green.
