Sustainability claims are everywhere in travel. From "responsible tourism" and "eco-hotels" to "carbon-neutral experiences", travellers are increasingly exposed to environmental messages when planning their trips. The question regulators are now asking is simple: can those claims be proven? 

With the introduction of the EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, businesses across the tourism value chain will need to ensure that sustainability communications are backed by clear, verifiable and trustworthy evidence. The Directive aims to strengthen consumer protection and tackle greenwashing by introducing stricter requirements for environmental claims, sustainability labels and the way businesses communicate their environmental performance. Having entered into force in 2024 and been transposed into national legislation by EU Member States by March 2026, the new rules have applied across the EU since 27 September 2026.  

Research has shown that consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable products and services, but many struggle to distinguish genuine commitments from misleading environmental marketing. To address this challenge, the legislation updates key EU consumer protection rules and promotes more accurate, transparent and reliable sustainability information.

For many travel businesses, the Directive represents a shift in how sustainability is communicated. Environmental claims that were once considered acceptable marketing language may now require greater substantiation and transparency. For example:

• A hotel promoting itself as "environmentally friendly" should be able to demonstrate the specific environmental benefits behind that claim. 

• A travel provider advertising "carbon-neutral" trips may need to provide clear evidence supporting the statement. 

• Sustainability labels presented to consumers should be based on recognised certification schemes or transparent verification systems. 

The new requirements are likely to encourage tourism businesses to take a closer look at how sustainability information is generated, verified and communicated across their organisations. Some practical actions may include: 

• Reviewing websites, booking platforms and marketing campaigns to identify environmental claims that require substantiation. 

• Strengthening data collection and monitoring systems to support sustainability-related statements. 

• Working closely with suppliers and partners to ensure consistency and accuracy across the value chain. 

• Aligning sustainability reporting and communications with recognised standards and frameworks. 

• Pursuing third-party certifications and sustainability schemes that provide independent verification of environmental performance. 

For many organisations, recognised sustainability frameworks can play an important role in demonstrating credibility and transparency. Within the tourism sector, initiatives such as Travalyst are helping to drive greater consistency in the sustainability information presented to travellers, while standards aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) provide a widely recognised benchmark for assessing sustainability performance.  As the industry moves towards greater transparency, programmes such as HBX Group's Sustainable Certified Hotels Programme are helping make independently verified sustainability credentials more visible across the travel value chain, enabling travel buyers and travellers to make more informed decisions.