Travel Green Wisconsin
From cost savings and increased marketing opportunities to providing a positive environmental impact and supporting local businesses, the benefits of being Travel Green Wisconsin certified are abundant.
New Reduced Fee Structure for Travel Green Wisconsin!
As we continually strive to improve and enhance Travel Green Wisconsin, we have implemented a new fee structure for Travel Green Wisconsin certification, effective January 2012. For all new applications, regardless of size or number of employees, there is now a flat fee of $95. Renewals will occur every other year, instead of every year, for a flat fee of $75.
This is a substantial savings for both new and renewing businesses and addresses the #1 obstacle that prevented more tourism businesses from participating in the certification. The new fee structure was adopted after a focus group of sustainable tourism leaders met to provide the Department with input and recommendations for Travel Green Wisconsin. So now is truly the best time to join the ranks and become Travel Green Wiscsonsin certified!
What is Travel Green Wisconsin?
Travel Green Wisconsin is a voluntary, affordable program that reviews, certifies, and recognizes tourism businesses that have made a commitment to continuously improve their operations in order to reduce their environmental impact. This program allows tourism businesses to evaluate their operations, set goals, and take specific actions towards environmental, social, and economic sustainability. To be certified as a Travel Green Wisconsin business, complete the application (PDF file) located to the right.
How does a business become TGW certified?
To be certified as a Travel Green Wisconsin business, you must complete the application.
The application contains Basic Requirements and nine different sections:
A. Communication and Education (Customers, Employees, Public) 5 Points Required
B. Waste Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling
C. Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Management
D. Water Conservation and Wastewater Management
E. Air Quality
F. Wildlife and Landscape Conservation and Management
G. Transportation
H. Purchasing
I. Local Community Benefits
To qualify for certification, each applicant must earn a minimum of 30 points from the application. First, the applicant must fulfill the Basic Requirements and must meet the minimum point requirements in Section A, Communication (5 points). The remaining 25 points can be earned from any combination of additional application sections.
To receive points, the business may check the examples listed in each category and/or describe an innovative best practice that is not listed. By checking the box, the business is either stating that they have already implemented the practice or are making a commitment to implement it. If they are committing to implement the practice, the business must write an Expected Date of Completion. This date must be within 6 months of submitting the application. Applicants are encouraged to go above and beyond the minimum point total to achieve further recognition. After the application is completed, the applicant should make a copy for their own use and mail the originals along with the certification fee to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, attn: Glenn Aumann.
The applications will be reviewed and the applicant will be notified about their certification status. Certified businesses receive the Travel Green Wisconsin logo to use in promotional materials, added marketing benefits, and Web site listings. Certification is valid for a one-year period from the date of issuance.
Why apply?
• Becoming Travel Green Wisconsin certified can improve your overall bottom line through utility savings.
Certification reaches an increasingly popular traveler demographic that includes travelers looking to stay, eat and visit places where “going green” is truly important.
• AAA Wisconsin recognizes TGW certification and includes the TGW symbol in its guides.
• There are numerous marketing benefits including: regular promotion in Department marketing initiatives, inclusion of the TGW symbol on directory listings, travel items at TravelWisconsin.com and in Department publications, online advertising, and promotion of the program through the Secretary’s presentations.
• Travel Green Wisconsin is designed to give the state and hospitality business participants a marketing edge, promote smart business practices, reduce costs and energy consumption, educate travelers and employees, preserve our resources, support the Wisconsin brand, and protect the beauty and vitality of Wisconsin’s landscape.
• The peace of mind and satisfaction that you are doing the right thing by protecting and preserving Wisconsin’s natural resources.
History of TGW
In 2004, the Department of Tourism created a Sustainable Tourism Ad Hoc Committee of leaders representing tourism industries, non-profit organizations and government agencies with the mission of helping tourism organizations adopt more sustainable business practices. Travel Green Wisconsin launched as a pilot program in several key communities where tourism businesses went through the certification process and provided feedback used to fine tune program elements. The program was introduced statewide in 2007. Currently over 280 Wisconsin tourism businesses and organizations have been certified as Travel Green Wisconsin businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions