Our sustainable and CSR approach
At the Tours Val de Loire Convention and Visitors Bureau, sustainable tourism is more than just words.
We are convinced that we can travel more gently, more respectfully of the environment, more inclusively, and that solutions exist, from accommodation to activities.
To put these convictions into practice, the Tourist Office & Convention Bureau Tours Loire Valley has been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap, Accueil Vélo and Destination Innovante Durable labels. Here's a closer look at what these labels mean:![Tourisme & Handicap]()
Tourism & Handicap
Accessibility to leisure activities and holidays for all is essential, which is why we wanted to make a commitment through the Tourisme & Handicap state mark, awarded to tourism professionals who have an adapted, quality approach to receiving visitors with disabilities.
The Tours Office was awarded the mark in 2012 for 4 disabilities: motor, mental, visual and auditory, and the Villandry Office in 2019. For example, a hearing aid, a document presenting the town in Braille and a document with enlarged characters are available at reception in these two offices.
Many of the town's service providers have also been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap label. To ensure that our visitors with disabilities have the best possible reception and to help them in their research, a specific document on the tourist offers is available.
To consult the list, click here.
![Label Accueil Vélo]()
Accueil Vélo label
Tours is at the crossroads of 4 major cycle routes: the Loire à Vélo, St Jacques de Compostelle, the Scandibérique and Eurovélo 6, so Tours Tourist Office is delighted to welcome many cycle tourists! To give them the best possible welcome, the Tours and Villandry tourist offices have signed up to the Accueil Vélo label, which guarantees high-quality services along cycle routes. The label was awarded in 2009 in Tours and in 2010 in Villandry.
What services are on offer?
- cycle parking,
- drinking water and toilets on site or nearby,
- useful information for your cycling holiday (train and bus timetables, etc.),
- weather forecasts,
- advice and information on cycling,
- a light repair kit,
- the option of booking accommodation or a taxi.
![Logos Destination Innovante Durable]()
Innovative Sustainable Destination
In June 2023, Tours Val de Loire Destination was awarded the Sustainable Innovative Destination label. This label, created by the France Congrès et Evénements network, aims to unite the players in the business and leisure tourism sector and encourage them to strengthen their commitment to sustainable development. Tours Événements, which is piloting the initiative in Touraine, has brought together a number of organisations, including the Tours Val de Loire Convention and Visitors Bureau, to work together on this project, encouraging local tourism, promoting sustainable purchasing and reducing the use of single-use products...
![Clef Verte]()
Clef Verte
To provide more specific support for accommodation and restaurant owners, the Tourist Office has been a partner of the Clef Verte since day one. An international label awarded to tourist accommodation and restaurants that demonstrate effective, continuous and dynamic environmental management and responsible practices. The Green Key is awarded by a jury of tourism and environmental experts. Their authority in the field of tourism and sustainable development is a strong vote of confidence. Internationally, Green Key is deployed in 60 countries by the Foundations for Environmental Education network. By 2025, 36 establishments in Indre-et-Loire will have been awarded the label.
Every year, the Tourist Office organises a special day to help accommodation and restaurant owners who want to sign up to the scheme, with a focus on the challenges of the label, feedback from certified partners and a practical workshop for project leaders (understanding the criteria, online diagnosis, action plan).
![Acteur du Tourisme Durable]()
Sustainable Tourism Players
The Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office is a member of Les Acteurs du Tourisme Durable and as such takes part in the Universités du Tourisme Durable every year.
The Universités du Tourisme Durable is two days of conferences, round tables and the sharing of concrete actions with over 500 players committed to more responsible and inclusive tourism. In 2024, the anniversary edition in Bordeaux on the theme of ‘New narratives: for whom, for what?’ provided an opportunity to reflect on the key issues for 2040:
- boosting low-carbon mobility,
- making tourism accessible to all,
- adapting to climate change and limiting its environmental impact,
- developing local offers for non-starters,
- making tourism jobs more attractive.
Our approach goes beyond labels
Tours Tourist Office also encourages its partners to offer more ‘responsible’ products and services, and supports their development. A guide to responsible tourism has been produced for visitors who wish to consult it. It includes transport tips, ideas for outings in the countryside and good advice on how to buy locally.
![Comité RSE]()
In line with our commitments, an internal CSR Committee was set up in 2023, bringing together 8 employees from Tours Tourist Office.
These labels, brands and initiatives are proof of the day-to-day commitment of the Tours Val de Loire Convention and Visitors Bureau team to providing visitors with the best possible welcome and inviting them to enjoy increasingly responsible business or leisure holidays.
