Travellers and the travel industry are now under intense scrutiny to consider sustainable practices at every turn, but how do we know that the claims travel operators make, are true?
Now that we’re free to travel across the continents, we find that our focus is no longer simply where will we go, how shall we get there. We have become more environmentally conscious travellers acutely aware that our choices make an impact and uncertain how that affects our global carbon-footprint. That’s why Wayaj aims not only to educate travellers on how their choices affect the destinations and the planet, but also encourages their direct participation to actively promote change in travel habits and practice.
Wayaj is a New York-based sustainable travel tech company that runs a two-fold operation, Alight.travel and Wayaj.com, that caters to the needs of travellers and operators alike. Alight.travel is a dynamic new booking website which is purpose-built to have a positive impact on travel and ignite change by connecting sustainability-minded travelers with trusted hotels and travel ideas worldwide. When travellers book through alight.travel they automatically offset the carbon footprint of their hotel stay with the option to also offset their transportation, whilst Wayaj.com supports travel operators and professionals by providing the resources, tools and expertise to empower them to make more informed choices to support sustainability.
Launched just before the pandemic at the end of 2019, the hiatus on international travel ironically gave its founder, Nelly O Gedeon, time to create and enhance its solutions to drive the travel industry forward, sustainably. An electrical engineer by training and a passionate traveller, Nelly recognised that it was critical that Wayaj’s products were rooted in science, therefore, giving them, their customers and members, the credibility and reassurance needed.
Using Wayaj’s tools, travellers can confidently identify where and how they can make a positive difference.
Their proprietary Carbon Footprint Calculating Engine (CFC Engine™) makes it very easy for travellers to calculate and offset the carbon generated by their hotel stay and or their transport. It uniquely calculates the footprint instantly with a version that seamlessly integrates into hotel’s web sites. The CFC Engine uses actual data obtained from each hotel in the calculation of the emissions . Wayaj offers multiple versions of the CFC Engine including one on the website which travellers can use to offset their transportation.
The Hotel Sustainability Rating (HSR) allows hotels to see where they are on their sustainability journey. The HSR reviews each accommodation provider in seven key categories and provides them with a score from 1-100. The HSR indexes an easy-to-understand single page view of an operator’s HSR score. These include: Materials – consumption of resources and use of local and sustainable materials, Community – how the operator works with and supports the local community and the environment, Waste – providing proper waste disposal for all material types and diverting from landfill and incinerators, Water – reuse, sources of water and how wastewater is treated, and Energy – pushing for increased use of clean, renewable sources, Indoors – promoting a healthy indoor environment and the overall management – socially responsible practices in the workplace.
As Wayaj’s Head of Sustainability states, it gives customers the flexibility to choose hotels that offer what they care about most and, gives hotels a better understanding of where they fit in the larger picture of sustainability.
The Kallichoron Hotel in Greece was delighted to find that their partnership with Wayaj resulted in a 14% increase in business. Their motto of ‘taking small actions in our daily operations’ is a sentiment echoed by Wayaj. That small changes are equally important as large, costly initiatives. Simple shifts such as switching to LED lightbulbs, installing aerators on taps nozzles, all make a difference on the HSR index and more pertinently, globally.
The sustainability support program helps operators align their sustainability goals whilst continuing to operate. Creating strategy, proposing procedures and training staff in a package that progresses sustainability across the global network.
Wayaj’s mission is to engender change in our travel habits by promoting awareness and transparency. International tourism contributes approximately 8% of the pollution that causes climate change. Nurturing the growing population of ethical travellers supports the future of hospitality sustainably and allows us to maintain our dreams for future adventures.
