HI has become a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI), led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI) unites the tourism sector behind a common vision to address the root causes of plastic pollution. It enables businesses and governments to take concerted action, leading by example in the shift towards circularity in the use of plastics.
HI has been part of the Advisory Group of the GTPI programme since its beginning in 2019 and although the pandemic has put a hold on the process, we, together with many others in the hospitality industry continue to stay faithful in our desire to contribute to eliminating the unnecessary use of plastics in tourism.
Back in 2018, two crucial motions were passed at the HI Conference reaffirming HI’s commitment in contributing to a sustainable world.
The first, to minimise, if possible, ban, single-use plastics across all HI Hostels and the second, to reduce the ‘foodprint’ in all HI Hostels that offer food products.
The approval of these motions has allowed HI to start working on a strategy to help HI hostels around the world reduce their plastic and food waste through the provision of practical solutions, monitoring and target setting.
As a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, HI commits to encourage its Member Associations to eliminate, innovate and circulate the use of unnecessary and single use plastics. HI encourages its Member Associations and Hostels to join the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and will continue to advise and support our hostels to better manage plastics and follow up on the ‘Say HI to a world without single-use plastics’ motion signed in 2018.
What can YOU do to bring your share?
- Travel with a refillable water bottle.
- Bring a reusable shopping bag.
- Pack a water purifier bottle.
- Carry your own cutlery.
- Avoid plastic containers when buying street food.
- Don’t use single-use products
