YHA Australia have achieved a significant sustainability milestone, becoming the first accommodation network globally to certify their entire portfolio with Ecotourism Australia with 18 properties receiving ECO or Sustainable Tourism Certification.
The landmark achievement, achieved in January this year, represents a committed and collaborative effort across the network to meet rigorous global standards across sustainable management, environmental stewardship, socio-economic impact and cultural engagement.
Founded on a desire to support the exploration of our planet with minimal ecological impact, YHA Australia offer curious travellers low cost, quality short-stay accommodation spanning from thriving city destinations to off-the-beaten-path locations.
Ecotourism Australia CEO, Elissa Keenan congratulated YHA Australia for setting the benchmark as the first accommodation network to certify their entire network with Ecotourism Australia.
“YHA Australia’s certification journey demonstrates the power of embedding sustainability across their entire portfolio of 18 properties. By committing to Ecotourism Australia’s internationally recognised certification programs, YHA is aligning its operations with global best practice and showing true leadership in sustainable tourism.
“For travellers, trusted certification gives confidence that their choices make a real difference, and when a well-recognised network like YHA adopts rigorous, independently assessed standards, it sends a clear message that sustainable tourism can be both meaningful and accessible, while supporting nature and local communities.
“We thank the YHA team for trusting Ecotourism Australia as their partner in this journey, and we look forward to continuing to work together as YHA champions sustainable tourism across Australia.”
YHA Australia’s achievement reflects a whole-of-portfolio approach to sustainability, supported by its Sustainable Properties Fund, which invests in initiatives to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, waste and water consumption across its network. Projects include renewable energy installations, solar hot water systems, smart building technology, and water conservation measures such as rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. Waste reduction is embedded across the portfolio through comprehensive recycling, composting of organic waste, and the elimination of plastic bottled water in favour of refill stations and reusable alternatives. Community initiatives, including guest swap shelves and food sharing programs, sit alongside a genuine commitment to First Nations engagement connecting guests with Indigenous-led experiences, cultural programming, and community partnerships that deepen what sustainable travel means.
YHA Australia CEO, Paul McGrath said that YHA Australia’s 87 years of community-focused, affordable accommodation prove that sustainable travel and accessible properties aren’t mutually exclusive.
“We are exceptionally proud that all 18 of our properties have now achieved certification with Ecotourism Australia, making us the first accommodation network in the country to achieve 100% Certification across our entire portfolio.
“Increasingly, travellers want to know not just where they go but how the places they stay align with their values, and Ecotourism Australia’s certification offers those travellers a clear and trustworthy answer. Ecotourism Australia’s certification provides us with a globally recognised benchmark to apply consistently across our network, which is a clear competitive advantage for YHA.”
The certified properties are:
ECO Certification
- YHA Apollo Bay Eco (VIC)
- YHA Grampians Eco (VIC)
Sustainable Tourism Certification
- YHA Adelaide Central (SA)
- YHA Blue Mountains (NSW)
- YHA Brisbane City (QLD)
- YHA Byron Bay (NSW)
- YHA Cairns Central (QLD)
- YHA Cape Byron (NSW)
- YHA Coolangatta (QLD)
- YHA Fremantle Prison (WA)
- YHA Hobart Central (TAS)
- YHA Melbourne Central (VIC)
- YHA Newcastle Beach (NSW)
- YHA Pittwater Eco (NSW)
- YHA Port Elliot (SA)
- YHA Sydney Central (NSW)
- YHA Sydney Harbour (NSW)
- YHA Thredbo (NSW)
YHA Australia CEO Paul McGrath will present at Ecotourism Australia’s flagship Global Sustainable Tourism Summit on the Gold Coast in June, exploring YHA’s approach to how purpose and profit intersect – where bold sustainability missions drive success and profits fuel further impact.
Achieving global best-practice Sustainable Tourism Certification and ECO Certification is a meticulous process, involving more than 200 key criteria across four pillars of sustainability. Ecotourism Australia’s certification programs involve an initial third-party audit to award certification followed by periodic independent audits to maintain certification and demonstrate ongoing commitment to responsible practices.
Accommodation providers who have obtained ECO or Sustainable Tourism Certification from Ecotourism Australia benefit from formal global recognition across leading international booking channels, ensuring their independently verified sustainability performance is acknowledged and trusted by global distribution partners and travellers worldwide.
Background
- YHA Australia partnered with Ecotourism Australia in 2024 to work towards certifying their entire network of 18 properties across Australia.
- The partnership builds on the existing long-standing certification of YHA Apollo Bay Eco and YHA Grampians Eco, who achieved ECO Certification in 2007.
- Over the past two years, 16 YHA properties have achieved Sustainable Tourism Certification, with the network (18) achieving full certification on 16 January 2026.
- YHA will announce this achievement with a media roundtable at YHA Sydney Harbour on Monday 30 March, to coincide with additional YHA achievements in recent months.
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Media contacts:
Ecotourism Australia – Myv Costelloe, Stakeholder Engagement Manager
e: myv@ecotourism.org.au
ph: (07) 3256 6777
YHA Australia – Alice Rose, PEPR Agency
e: alice@pepr.com.au
ph: 0467 577 555
About Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation, established in 1991, that promotes and supports Australia’s visitor economy through building capacity and actively promoting sustainable tourism operations and systems. Our legacy program – ECO Certification – was the world’s first national ecotourism certification program and the Sustainable Tourism Certification, launched in 2022 supports non-nature based businesses achieve global best-practice. Today there are some 2500 accommodation, tours and attractions certified by Ecotourism Australia. Ecotourism Australia is also a founding member of the Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA), a global association for sustainable tourism established in January 2025. TSCA members are responsible for certifying more than 19,000 travel and tourism enterprises, organisations, and destinations across the globe – representing the largest cohort of certified operators worldwide.
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About YHA Australia
YHA Australia is a for-purpose, membership-based organisation that has been providing travellers with quality, affordable accommodation for over 85 years.
Operating a network of 18 properties nationwide, YHA Australia offers diverse accommodation options from private rooms to co-living spaces, featuring modern amenities including pools, communal kitchens, wellness spaces, cafes and rooftop bars.
As part of Hostelling International (HI), YHA Australia connects to a global network of over 3,000 unique properties across more than 70 countries, enabling seamless travel experiences worldwide.
YHA Australia is committed to evolving alongside modern traveller expectations while staying true to its core mission of creating communities, caring for the environment, and connecting people with authentic local experiences. Recent investments include substantial property renovations across key city locations in 2023 and 2024, the launch of the YHA Explorer app in late 2024, and the introduction of digital wallet keys in 2025.
Through continuous reinvestment and strategic development, YHA Australia is evolving beyond traditional accommodation to offer a comprehensive travel experience for budget-conscious travellers. By integrating cutting edge technology with community-focused spaces, food and beverage offerings, and authentic local experiences, YHA Australia maintains its position as the country’s leading low-cost accommodation provider.
For more information on YHA Australia, please visit yha.com.au.