Eco certification for hotels in India: Issues & challenges

Eco certification has become a buzz word now a days and it is perceived that number of stakeholders are going for it including number of hotels that are enchasing it. The global trend towards seeking environmentally conscious products and services, including those in the hospitality industry, began in the early 1990s. India is one of the first nations to adopt environment as part of its constitution and has well framed legislation in place but the acceptance of top class environmental standards over and above mandatory ones is not forthcoming. While globally voluntary certification for environmental norms is catching, India is lagging behind. This paper presents different Eco Certification System in India, important issues involved in the implementation of these systems, environment awareness in India.