Megève Tourist Office gains environmental certificate

Megève Tourist Office has taken a positive lead in the move towards a more environmentally aware and responsible ski resort. It is the first French Tourist Office to have been awarded the ISO 14001 certificate and by achieving this it hopes that their partners within the resort will sign up to a Committment Charter.

Participating hotels will communicate what they have already done to help reduce their environmental impact and detail what other actions they have planned for the future. The Tourist Office are hoping that encouraging hotels to take the environmental pledge will preserve the attractive village of Megève and promote responsible tourism links.

Megève Tourist Office have set up a blog for interested people to share their ideas and comments about the environmental policies of this world renowned ski resort. Having hosted the conference on the Integrated Management of high hillside basins back in autumn 2006, Megève has maintained exchanges between the different mountain zones concerned. The event highlighted the interest shown by Megève in the environment as well as its conviction to preserve it for future generations.

An effective Environmental Management System certified to ISO 14001 can help an organisation operate in a more cost efficient and environmentally responsible manner by managing its impacts, including those which it can control and influence while also complying with relevant environmental legislation and its own environmental policy. Megève Touirst Office carried out a number of environmental initiatives in order to gain the certificate including changing to hybrid vehicles, and using recycled paper or paper from a sustainable source. Accreditation also requires that staff are made fully aware of their responsibilities but also uphold high levels of service to the public who are all important to their environmental goals.

Find out more about Megève's responsible environmental approach on their website .