Novotel Darwin CBD becomes Northern Territory’s first Sustainable Tourism Certified urban hotel

Having met globally recognised sustainable tourism standards, Novotel Darwin CBD has become the first hotel in the Northern Territory to achieve Ecotourism Australia’s prestigious Sustainable Tourism Certification and the eighth Accor property in Australia to be certified.

The hotel joins a growing cohort of sustainability focused accommodations across Australia seeking independent validation of their sustainability activities.

The Sustainable Tourism Certification supports urban businesses and is an additional program to Ecotourism Australia’s foundational ECO Tourism Certification which supports nature-based tourism businesses across Australia.  There are 24 ECO Certified Operators in the Northern Territory, including the Accor-managed Cooinda Lodge Kakadu which has been ECO Certified since 2005.

Novotel Darwin CBD have met international best practice sustainable tourism standards across eight criteria sections including environmental management, interpretation and education, working with local communities, and cultural respect and sensitivity.

Chief Operating Officer Accor Pacific, Adrian Williams advised "We are immensely proud of Novotel Darwin CBD for achieving Ecotourism Australia’s Sustainable Tourism Certification, marking a significant milestone as the first urban hotel in the Northern Territory to meet these globally recognised standards. This achievement underscores our commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism.

“Novotel Darwin CBD exemplifies our dedication to environmental stewardship, community engagement, and cultural respect. As the eighth Accor property to receive this certification, it joins a growing network of Accor hotels leading the way in sustainable tourism across Australia. We will continue to strive for excellence in sustainability and set new benchmarks for the industry."

Alex Murray, General Manager at Novotel Darwin CBD said they have worked diligently to improve their sustainability initiatives across the entire hotel, and they were proud to announce their certification achievement.

Murray shared “the Novotel Darwin CBD is committed to preserving this unique ecosystem and support our local community with minimized impact to our environment.

“Our hotel is situated on the lands of the Larrakia people, and we actively engage with the local community to promote opportunities to learn about their rich history, traditions, and art.

“The Novotel Darwin CBD is motivated to continue identifying innovative sustainable solutions to ensure we preserve the ecosystem for future generations.”

Ecotourism Australia Chief Executive, Elissa Keenan said the organisation was pleased to recognise Novotel Darwin CBD for their significant sustainability efforts with certification.

“Novotel Darwin CBD have established themselves as an urban sustainable tourism leader by becoming the first Sustainable Tourism Certified hotel in the Northern Territory.

They join 24 ECO Certified operators in the Northern Territory who have achieved global best practice in sustainability.

“It is excellent to see tourism businesses take up the baton and pursue globally recognised certification which ensures they minimise negative impacts on the environment and maximise positive outcomes for community, culture and local economy.”

The Sustainable Tourism Certification program was launched by Ecotourism Australia in late 2022 to provide non-nature based tourism businesses the opportunity to achieve credible and independently verified certification that meets globally recognised sustainable tourism standards.

Last year, Ecotourism Australia and Accor entered into a strategic partnership to independently certify their Australian and Pacific properties as Sustainable Tourism Certified or ECO Certified. There are more than 170 Accor properties currently applying for Ecotourism Australia certification programs and eight have achieved Ecotourism Australia’s Sustainable Tourism Certification standard.

Learn more about Novotel Darwin CBD on the Green Travel Guide 

Image: The cream coloured front façade of Novotel Darwin CBD with cars parked in front of the porte cochere. Credit: Novotel Darwin CBD.