Israel says that training and information is a fundamental pillar of being more sustainable, and that once a business has understood the importance of being more sustainable and how that can be achieved, spreading the word is vital so that more and more individuals and entities are working towards a better future. He therefore feels that investing time and resources in ensuring all stakeholders (customers, guests, suppliers and community) are aware of the issues and have the opportunity to collaborate on solving them is something that sets businesses apart in terms of their success.

We asked Israel about the most innovative or interesting initiative he has seen whilst auditing for Travelife. He says that a resort on Sal Island in Cape Verde really caught his attention due to their efforts to protect sea turtles. The property was close to one of the island’s most important nesting beaches so they implemented an annual strategy to protect the nests, first working with local biologists to locate where eggs had been laid, then collaborating with other businesses and the community to build protective barriers around each area. Finally, the property would engage their guests by giving them regular updates on the status of the nests, thus helping to educate more people about the importance of wildlife conservation and of being a responsible traveller.