Celebrating Green Hotels at the Tuu Eco Stay Awards

One Planet Journey’s Richard Lindberg chats with Terry Blackburn, founder of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards, set to have its inaugural event in Bangkok in April 2025. With a desire to end greenwashing and advance the agenda of sustainability in the accommodations sector, the Tuu platform lets hotels showcase their green credentials in critical areas like energy, waste, food, and employment. The mission is global, the stakes are high, and the team is roaring to go.

Sustainable Accommodation on the Rise

“No one wants to stay somewhere that’s making no effort towards sustainability.”

– Terry Blackburn, Founder of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards

Sustainable accommodation has become a crucial part of the travel industry for many reasons; it’s the right thing to do, there is legislative pressure, it’s a competitive edge, and consumers increasingly ask for it. In fact, research from Booking.com shows that 76% of global travellers are looking for sustainable options, pushing the accommodation market towards greener alternatives. Now, before we celebrate too early, talk is cheap. There is a vast difference between intent and action. There’s even a phrase for it, the say-do gap.

Sustainability certifications can help the situation, also helping consumers to spot greenwashing. New legislation in the EU aims to reduce exaggerated green claims, and businesses now face the risk of fines, which makes them afraid to promote anything related to the word sustainable. But greenhushing is not a solution. We should celebrate the ones that take a leap forward, putting money and effort into genuine sustainability improvements.

Partnership for Sustainable Success

What can it look like? There are properties that focus on energy-saving measures and renewable technology, others that reduce water usage. Some employ local sourcing, pay fair wages, and encourage community engagement, and a few do it all. There’s an upfront investment but in the long term it saves money, and attracts more customers as demand for sustainability continues to grow with younger generations.

Travellers crave inspiration from trustworthy sources. We need stories of how sustainability efforts impact locals and ourselves. Instead of the constant doom and gloom, the shaming and the guilt, we want positive news. Somebody showing us it can be done. The businesses that get it right will dominate their sectors for decades to come.

This is why One Planet Journey is proud to announce a partnership with the Tuu Eco Stay Awards, the only dedicated and data-backed sustainability awards for hotels in Asia. The ceremony will take place in Bangkok in April 2025. The organisation’s mission to highlight eco-conscious accommodations through a data driven approach resonates with what the industry needs, what we stand for, and what travellers want.

Why the Tuu Eco Stay Awards?

“We have a chance to encourage positive change right from the start and celebrate hotels that are leading the way.”

The story behind the initiative goes back to when Terry founded the Asia Property Awards, which became the largest real estate event in the region, spanning 16 countries. After selling the business to Property Guru in 2019, he looked at opportunities in the sustainability space. While the Property Awards celebrated some great projects, it also contributed to unchecked development across Asia, without creating a net benefit for the environment.

Combined with the backlash against greenwashing in hospitality, Terry saw a chance to do something that married the recognition of an award with rigorous, 3rd party verified data. That’s how the Tuu Eco Stay Awards came about: rewarding real progress, with transparency and accountability at the core. Terry, together with co-founders Liam Barnes and Ian Paynton, now chart the course to where business success and positive impact are intricately intertwined.

Asia and Bangkok – The Perfect Place to Begin 

Since most of the new hotel developments happen in Asia, it made sense to once more start here. The region has been home for Terry in terms of business for over 20 years.

Bangkok is an obvious choice for the inaugural event. It’s one of the most visited cities in the world with a vibrant hospitality that blends tradition with modernity. The city progressively embraces sustainability, from eco-conscious hotels to community green initiatives. Beyond that, Bangkok’s energy, its accessibility, and amazing dining and drinking scene make it an ideal place for bringing together the industry to celebrate sustainable progress.

Terry’s passion for the destination is unmistakable.

”Bangkok is about so much more than its main attractions. For me, it’s about finding those hidden corners, experiencing incredible food and drink, and seeing a side of the city that most visitors miss.”

He’s quick to rifle off suggestions for those wanting to explore beyond the typical tourist spots. Right across the river, Bang Krachao (Bangkok’s “green lung) is a peaceful escape, with bike paths winding through lush greenery and local markets, a refreshing contrast to the busy city streets. A reminder that even in a place as built-up as Bangkok, there are efforts to preserve green spaces.

Another cracking spot is Talad Noi, one of Bangkok’s oldest neighbourhoods. It’s full of character, with colourful street art, traditional shophouses, and hidden cafes that give you a real glimpse of the city’s unique mix of old and new.

Terry’s third tip is to hop on a longtail boat for the less-explored sections of the Chao Phraya River. There you can experience life along the waterway: stilt houses, small temples, and quiet riverside communities still untouched by large-scale tourism.

Tuu Eco Stay Awards – Process and Criteria

“We want to support and amplify real sustainability without adding unnecessary burdens.”

The core metrics – Energy, Water, Food, Waste, and Human Resources (HR) – represent criteria that most hotels already measure or could easily start measuring. The team designed them to be accessible, using benchmarks that wouldn’t require major overhauls, instead complementing existing efforts. Beyond these common criteria, there are 30 Special Recognition categories that promote excellence in Environmental Impact, Sustainability Planning, Local Community and Cultural Heritage, which give hotels a platform to showcase their unique strengths. For these, they took inspiration from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, GSTC, which is widely recognised as the gold standard. Applying their criteria as a foundation makes sense because they set a high bar while still being achievable.

The collected data goes through a verification process, performed by the independent advisory and accounting firm, HLB International. A group of distinguished hospitality professionals acts as judges for the awards, ranging from chefs, hoteliers, marketing and sustainability experts, investors, and real estate developers.

What’s in it for the Hotels?

“Ultimately, it’s about standing out, building trust, and being part of a collective move towards a more sustainable future for hospitality.”

First and foremost, recognition matters. Everyone loves winning an award. But beyond that, credibility comes from solid data, the backbone of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards. The achievements are genuine and trustworthy. By working with Tuu, hotels contribute to a shared pool of data that helps benchmark performance and pushes the industry towards better practices.

Tuu also helps hotels tell their sustainability stories in a way that resonates and connects. Winners get a powerful storytelling tool to communicate their efforts in ways that engage guests and build trust. Beyond the awards, they offer bespoke content strategies to make sustainability central to the client’s messaging, from social media to communicating with guests.

Additionally, they support hotels with training and certification programmes. Through courses, staff at every level now have a way to understand sustainability and confidently bring it into the guest experience.

Hotels in contention for a few of the awards can find themselves on a good path towards GSTC certification. For those already certified, entering a Tuu award should be straightforward, helping them to establish further acknowledgment.

Impact of the Tuu Eco Stay Awards 

“We want hoteliers to see the value in having credible, data-backed recognition for their efforts.”

The team hopes the programme can help end greenwashing and show that doing the right thing from the start is not only easier but more rewarding. If you make sustainability part of your brand, through compelling stories, it becomes natural to connect with guests and clients.

Many hotels have already made great strides, but need more recognition to inspire others. By giving them such a platform, Tuu hopes to amplify their efforts and help spark genuine change throughout the accommodations sector.

A Clarion Call for more Sustainability Investments 

Like any business, hotels prioritise profit first and retrofitting for sustainability, whether it’s energy, water, or waste, can be costly and time-consuming. There’s also a tendency to think that smaller but headline- grabbing actions, such as banning single-use plastics, are enough. These are exaggerated claims rather than genuine change.

But major improvements are coming. Global carbon disclosure (GCD) and increasing pressure from the corporate meetings and exhibitions sector mean that certified sustainable hotels are becoming the norm for four- and five-star properties. Investing in sustainability now helps future-proof against new regulations, avoiding a mad scramble later.

Do travellers look for green hotels? 

The say-do gap reveals that while most guests profess to focus on sustainability, they’re typically looking for the best deal. The data can be misleading. However, there is strong interest in the luxury segment—whether it’s five-star hotels or eco-lodges. We have to recognise that there are different consumers: those that are ok with paying more for a sustainable experience, and those, like tourists or business travellers who might not demand it but appreciate it if offered as standard. 

Tuu Eco Stay Awards in Bangkok – Then the World

“Next, we’re aiming for a European edition, followed by launches in the Middle East, Africa, and eventually South and North America.”

Terry is confident of a successful first year, already on track with a solid number of entries, and plans to expand internationally. Each region comes with its own challenges and opportunities, and the team wants to be part of driving positive change on a global level. With the changing climate being such a visible issue, there’s no time to dither.

The ambition is to make a measurable impact in hospitality, validating and supporting real action. Success means seeing tangible improvements, for example reductions in energy use, better water management, less waste, and stronger human resources practices across participating hotels. But beyond the numbers and the trophies, the Tuu Eco Stay Awards are about fostering a culture of transparency and encouraging open dialogue on sustainability. The first step is to provide a credible platform for accommodation providers to showcase their genuine achievements.

By inspiring hotels to move past superficial claims, they can capitalise on the interest from travellers. One Planet Journey readers have come to expect a celebration of organisations and individuals leading the way. Through content and stories, we inspire others to get involved, and via the partnership with the Tuu Eco Stay Awards, more meaningful and lasting change is on the horizon.

Welcome to Bangkok!

Practicalities

For more information on the awards criteria please visit the Tuu website.

Time: April 2025.

Place: Bangkok, venue TBC.

Have you stayed at a hotel with a green profile? What aspects of sustainability did you notice? Let us know in the comment section! Subscribe to our newsletter and benefit from travel guides, sustainable tourism and luxury travel tips, insightful interviews, and inspirational places to visit. One Planet Journey – The World’s First Deep Travel Magazine.