Travelife was developed in 2007 in response to a growing global understanding that businesses needed to take a more proactive role in operating responsibly to address climate change and conservation. Travelife was intended to be a means by which the UK and European travel industry could show that measures were being taken to address these issues, along with growing concerns on social issues and labour rights. In 2009 Travelife became a wholly owned subsidiary of ABTA, the UK travel association.

Work on the current Travelife Standard began in 2004. A group of industry stakeholders and environmental experts reviewed the standard that accommodation providers would need to follow in order to display the Travelife mark, and thus make it easy for both tour operators and their customers to identify which properties were operating responsibly.

This detailed process involved extensive consultation with European NGOs, trade associations, and a variety of subject experts. During this time, it was established that tourism had a significant impact on in-destination social issues, so eventually standards relating to human rights, labour, and community engagement were added. The Standard is occasionally updated to address new issues and to reflect any changes made to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Standard, a set of globally recognised criteria. Travelife remains one of the few standards that comprehensively addresses business management, environmental impacts, and social issues, and is the only standard that was specifically designed by the tourism industry for the tourism industry.

Travelife certifies hotels against all 143 of the Travelife Certification Requirements. Accommodation providers (properties) pay a certification fee every two years that includes access to a comprehensive suite of online tools and resources to help them understand how to comply with our requirements, an inspection audit and, if following this audit we find evidence that they meet 100% of our requirements, a Travelife certification that is valid for two years.

Maintaining their certification within the two year period is subject to passing a remote/desktop “certification check-up” audit which is also included in the cost. Additionally, Travelife may carry out spot checks and has a process in place for guests, staff or members of the public to report suspected non-compliances that are followed up immediately by Travelife. 

New properties typically have their first inspection audit three to six months after paying their certification fee.

Travelife uses third party verification methods and therefore has a network of approximately 25 independently contracted auditors who have been trained by an external auditing consultant and Travelife staff. 

Upon completion of an audit, the auditor submits a report to Travelife and a specially trained certifications specialist quality checks each requirement then communicates with the hotel directly on any further improvements that are required. It is common for properties to have some improvements to make and they are given six months to make these. If their audit identifies 40 or more improvements, they are failed and will need to pay for a new audit should they wish to continue with their certification attempt.

Once the Travelife is satisfied that 100% of the requirements have been met, the property is certified and given a Travelife Certification in the form of a logo and certificate they can display. The certification is valid for two years at which point the property must pay a recertification fee and undergo another inspection audit audit. Properties must continue to do this every two years in order to maintain their certification.

Travelife also has a travel trade product called Trade Support.  This has been especially designed for tour operators and online travel agents (OTAs).  A weekly certification status report made available to Trade Support customers so they can update their systems to show which properties in their supply chain have a sustainability certification.