Travelife – Sustainability in Tourism has awarded the prestigious Gold Standard Award to Le Méridien St Julian’s Hotel & Spa.

Travelife is an independent auditor working on behalf of the International Federation of Tour Operators, which represents 13 national associations in Europe. Travelife audit all the various aspects of the hospitality industry, including hotels. The audits focus on energy saving practices, waste management, emissions and environment sustainability principles.

The award is given after Health & Safety auditors subject the premises to an on-site inspection, followed by a series of questions to ascertain that the benchmarks and criteria established have been met. The hotel achieved a total of 456 points out of a maximum of 492, and this high score determined the achievement of the Gold Award. Participating tourism organisations can automatically reflect the award status with a logo in their brochures, on websites and in other marketing materials.

The driving force behind the hotel’s successful application was Chief Security Officer Joseph Zammit, and the hotel’s Health & Safety Executive. Asked for his comments, Mr Zammit said: “It is extremely satisfying to achieve such a prestigious award. The process was incredibly detailed, and I am very proud that the hotel has received this certification. Special thanks go to Maintenance Manager John Chetcuti and, indeed, to all our staff.”

The hotel’s general manager Angela Saliba, who was also instrumental in giving her advice and feedback, said, “Apart from the satisfaction and kudos gained, this award underlines Le Méridien St Julian’s commitment to the brand’s goals to score highly in environment sustainability in the hospitality sector.”