Last year, Virginia Beach was the first “Virginia Green Destination”. To be certified “Virginia Green”, tourism partners such as hotels, restaurants, events and attractions must meet specified water conservation, energy conservation and recycling standards. They must also minimize the use of styrofoam/disposables. Today the City announced that the Virginia Beach hospitality industry “took that challenge to the next level, exceeding a goal to certify 100 new hospitality businesses”.

Per their press release: “The Virginia Beach hospitality industry exceeded its goal to certify 100 businesses with the Virginia Green program – including hotels, restaurants, events and attractions. Currently, more than 115 Virginia Beach businesses are Virginia Green certified, including 42 percent of Virginia Beach hotel rooms. Virginia Green awards green certification to businesses that take steps to reduce harmful environmental effects”.

What is Virginia Green?

Clean water, clean air, and abundant wildlife are what make our mountains, streams, and beaches so appealing to our tourists. Visitors to Virginia care about the environment and so does our tourism industry! This is the main premise behind Virginia Green. It is a network of tourism-related organizations and programs that are committed to protecting the environment while promoting responsible tourism.

Click here to learn more about the Virginia Green program.