Every YHA in Australia is now Ecotourism Certified

Lots of accommodation providers talk about sustainability. We've just been recognised for it.

Doing better while you travel shouldn’t have to cost more. And it shouldn’t be hard or complicated either.

So what does eco-certified actually mean?

Think of it like a recycling symbol on a product, or an organic label on food. Eco-certification works the same way, but for travel.

For YHA, certification by Ecotourism Australia means we were independently assessed on how we operate, and officially met nationally recognised sustainability standards. Ecotourism Australia’s program covers more than 200 criteria across four pillars of sustainable management, environmental stewardship, socio-economic impact and cultural engagement. Once certified, properties are audited again in their first year, and every three years after that.

In 2024, we set a clear goal to bring every YHA property up to a recognised certification standard. Some of our properties were already there, but we wanted the whole network to meet the mark. So now, wherever you stay with YHA in Australia, you can feel more confident about what sustainable travel looks like in practice.

What this looks like in action

Sustainability can feel a bit vague. At YHA, it’s all about the real changes across our network.

Our Sustainable Properties Fund invests directly in reducing energy use, carbon emissions, waste and water consumption across the network. That includes things like solar panels on the roof, solar hot water, smart building technology, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. We also replaced single-use plastic water bottles with refill stations back in 2016, long before it became the norm. Refillable toiletries, organic waste composting and guest food-sharing programs are a simple part of everyday life at YHA, meaning a more circular approach to everything that we do. Every property has a waste plan, tracks emissions, and actively thinks about the community around it and the experiences it offers to our guests.

In 2025 alone, this looked like:

• 2,347 social activities across the YHA network (including 148 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural activities)
• 26,467 YHA guests took part in these activities and experiences
• We increased our partnerships with First Nations businesses and providers by 32%

From guided hikes and beach clean-ups to cultural tours and language exchanges, these are the moments that connect travel to place, making tourism feel regenerative with a sense of giving back more - not just low-impact.

We make it easy for you to choose better

Choosing to stay at YHA is already a step in the right direction. Every night you spend here supports a network that is actively making a difference, together over time. Sustainable travel shouldn't have to cost you more, and at YHA, it doesn't.

There's more you can do while you're here, and we make it easy:

• Refill your water bottle at our water stations
• Sort your waste across five bins, including compost
• Reuse your towels during your stay
• Walking, hiring bicycles, or taking public transport while exploring a new destination
• Join free cultural activities led by First Nations businesses (available to YHA members)
• Use the guest swap shelf and food-sharing programs to reduce waste

When thousands of travellers make these small choices together, it really adds up. That's the kind of travel we're here for. And it's the kind of travel you're already choosing.

Part of something bigger

This is part of a longer journey, and none of this happened overnight.

YHA Apollo Bay Eco and YHA Grampians Eco were first certified back in October 2007, making them one of the earliest certified properties in the country. Reaching certification across the whole network was the next step. YHA also holds B Corp certification, a global movement holding us to the same standard of accountability across people, planet and purpose.

Together, B Corp and Ecotourism Australia are separate certifications that collectively show we’re on a journey of making things better, now and into the future. Ecotourism Australia's ECO Certification is independently audited and reviewed every three years. Once you earn it, you keep earning it. Improving and continuing to do better time and time again.

That's the bigger picture at YHA. Making better choices where we can, investing through our Sustainable Properties Fund, and improving in ways that add up across a whole network, all while moving towards net zero and regenerative travel.

YHA Australia

Explore 18 certified properties across Australia, each independently verified to recognised sustainability standards, making it easier to choose a stay that’s better for the planet and still affordable. From beach clean-ups to cultural experiences, it’s travel designed to give back, not just tread lightly.

YHA network

Integrated Report

Explore our Integrated Report, which brings together our financial performance with strategy, governance, performance and future outlook - all in the context of our purpose: to create an open and accommodating world where life flourishes.

Read now

Ecotourism Australia

Ecotourism Australia promotes and supports the tourism industry through building capacity and actively promoting sustainable tourism operations and systems.

Learn more

B Corp Certified

We have earned B Corp certification - independently verified across governance, people, community, environment and customers.

Explore B Corp

Common Questions

No.

They measure different things. Ecotourism Australia certification assesses environmental and sustainability practices at the property level. B Corp covers the whole organisation, from governance, social impact, worker practices, community contribution, and environmental performance. YHA holds both.

They recognise different things.

Both sit within the Ecotourism Australia program, but they recognise different things. Nature Tourism Certification is for properties where the natural environment is central to the guest experience. YHA Apollo Bay Eco and YHA Grampians Eco have held this level since 2007. Sustainable Tourism Certification recognises strong environmental and sustainability practices across operations, and applies to the rest of the YHA network, all of which achieved certification across 2024 and 2025.

Yes.

Sustainable Tourism Certification assesses operational practices (energy, water, waste, procurement, and community contribution), not just the nature based properties. A city property is held to the same core criteria as one in the Grampians. Properties in natural environments simply carry some additional verification requirements that reflect their setting.

Independently audited.

Ecotourism Australia is Australia's peak body for nature-based and sustainable tourism and runs the country's longest-standing ecotourism certification program. Certification requires a third-party audit, and operators don't self-assess. Once certified, properties are audited again within their first year and every three years after that. All certified operators are listed publicly on the Ecotourism Australia directory.

The whole YHA network.

All YHA properties held Ecotourism Australia certification as at the end of 2025. YHA Apollo Bay Eco and YHA Grampians Eco hold Nature Tourism Certification, and all other properties hold Sustainable Tourism Certification.

Commit to certification.

Ecotourism Australia certification is the standard we hold every property in the network to, and that doesn't change when new properties come on board. Each new property will undergo the certification process at the earliest practical opportunity.