Water is an indispensable and essential resource: In Thomas Cook's concept hotels on the Greek island of Rhodes alone, an average of 320 litres of water are used per guest and night, in some hotels even up to 700 litres. This includes not only the water required for taking a shower or filling the hotel pool. The water requirements for cleaning hotel facilities, doing the laundry, irrigating gardens and for providing meals are taken into account as well.
Water is of central importance for the tourism industry, but in many tourist destinations water is already a scarce resource today. As hotels account for the bulk of tourist water consumption, tour operators must face this challenge, especially in their hotels. With scientific support from the Futouris sustainability initiative, the project "Wertvolles Wasser" (Valuable Water) initiated by Thomas Cook in 2014 aims first and foremost at sustainably reducing water consumption in Group-owned and franchise hotels. In addition, the findings from the project are to be made available to the tourism industry and provide a contribution to reducing water consumption that points the way to the future.
The DRV is now recognizing this exemplary commitment by awarding the DRV sustainability prize EcoTrophea 2014 to Thomas Cook's initiative "Wertvolles Wasser". The project's focus is on a topic that is essential for the sector: the responsible use of the valuable resource water. "The innovative approach of the initiative convinced the jury", explains Andreas Müseler, head of the DRV Sustainability Committee, the jury's vote. "When analyzing hotel water consumption, the project not only takes account of the direct consumption for hotel showers, pools and irrigation of gardens but also the indirect water consumption used, for example in the production of food."
A monitoring system for different hotel areas is established. Based on its findings, a so-called "water footprint" is set up. It shows how much water is used in a hotel and for what purpose. From the conclusions drawn about consumption the potential for water and cost savings are derived and a water management handbook is developed. All hotel staff participate in a water management training designed to help them to use water responsibly. For more information about the Thomas Cook initiative „Wertvolles Wasser“ please visit: 
www.thomascook.info/unternehmen/nachhaltigkeit/unser-wasser
On 4 December 2014, this year's prize and the EcoTrophea sculpture were awarded to Ms Swantje Lehners, sustainability manager at Thomas Cook, during the DRV Annual Convention in Abu Dhabi. The leading industry association is awarding the international prize for the 28th time to an exemplary and sustainable initiative from the global tourism industry. The winning water project was chosen by the six-member EcoTrophea jury from a total of 26 entries submitted by companies and organizations. The jury includes the following experts: Angela Bürvenich (Bayerisches Pilgerbüro), Prof. Dr. Edgar Kreilkamp (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg), Walter Krombach (Willy Scharnow-Stiftung für Touristik), Inga Meese, (Futouris), Prof. Dr. Strasdas (Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde), and Peter Strub (Studiosus Reisen).