After eight months of concerted effort, the Chamonix Tourist Office has obtained the ISO 14001 environmental standard. This norm, certifies the application of a system for environmental managemet (SME). Initially, it necessitates an analysis of the tourist office impact on the environment and the implementation of actions to reduce this impact. Any environmental action becomes a federative project.

ISO 14001 certification is internationally recognised with 70 000 Japanese businesses certified and an increasing numbers of the world’s leading ski lift oper5ating companies following suit. Amongst them Aspen, Jackson Hole, Lech, Saas Fee, Grandvalira, Zermatt and Gstaad. French ski resorts have taken to the certification with gusto in the past two years and there are now around 15 resorts (Lift operating companies or tourist offices) with the certification – far more than in any other country. After Megeve Tourism, Chamonix is the 2nd tourist office in France to obtain this norm.
This certification is by no means an end result. Its principal aim is to provide a benchmark for company actions and to increase awareness and encourage other local tourist players to take similar action.

Chamonix and Megeve tourist offices are now working hand in hand to develop a more responsible form of tourism in the Mont-Blanc region. With this goal in mind, they are the founding members of the association 'Mont Blanc Ecotourisme'.

“We hope that, with the current movement towards sustainable development, our actions today will also be sustainable and that in a few years time we will have a comprehensive eco-tourism product in the 'Pays du Mont Blanc’.” said a resort spokesperson.

www.chamonix.com

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