From 27 September 2026, new European rules will raise the bar for how organisations communicate environmental claims to consumers.
The Empowering Consumers Directive strengthens existing European Union consumer protection rules governing environmental claims and sustainability labels. And while it is European legislation, its implications extend beyond Europe.
For tourism organisations and destinations, that means greater scrutiny of the sustainability claims they make, the evidence behind them and the way those claims are communicated to consumers.
A new EarthCheck Research Institute paper takes a closer look at those implications and provides practical guidance for navigating the changes.
Why this matters for tourism
Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in travel choices, investment decisions and stakeholder expectations. In response, tourism organisations and destinations are placing greater emphasis on communicating their sustainability performance.
As those messages become more prominent, so does the risk of environmental claims that are vague, exaggerated or not supported by sufficient evidence. The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) responds to that risk by strengthening consumer protections against misleading environmental claims.
The Directive prohibits a number of practices that have been common in sustainability marketing. Generic claims such as “green” or “eco-friendly” will only be permitted in limited circumstances, sustainability labels will need to be based on recognised certification schemes or established by public authorities, and businesses will face tighter rules around carbon offsetting claims and statements about future environmental performance.
Environmental claims aren’t limited to written statements, either. Imagery, colours, symbols, logos, labels and other promotional elements can also create an impression of environmental benefit.
For tourism organisations and destinations, this means taking a closer look at both what’s being communicated and the evidence behind it. Environmental information may need to be drawn from across areas such as energy, water, waste, procurement and supply chains, with appropriate processes in place to ensure claims accurately reflect actual performance.
The implications also extend beyond Europe. Tourism organisations and destinations outside the EU may still be affected where their marketing and sales activities target European consumers.
A practical guide to preparing
Authored by Professor Graham Miller, Rodrigo Guimarães Chair of Sustainable Business and Academic Director of the Westmont Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at Nova School of Business and Economics, the EarthCheck Research Institute paper explains the Directive in the context of tourism.
It examines what the changes mean for tourism organisations and destinations, looks at recent examples of environmental claims attracting regulatory scrutiny, and includes a practical six-step action plan to help organisations prepare and respond.
With the new rules applying from 27 September 2026, now’s the time to understand what they could mean for the way your organisation communicates sustainability.
Need more support preparing for the new requirements? Speak to the EarthCheck team about how we can help your organisation get ready.
About the EarthCheck Research Institute
The EarthCheck Research Institute advances evidence-based sustainability and regenerative tourism practices across the global tourism sector.
Through research, benchmarking and collaboration with destinations and tourism operators worldwide, the Institute supports the development of credible frameworks that enable tourism to contribute positively to environmental protection, community wellbeing and economic resilience.
