Travel for Turtles
Sea Turtle Friendly Certified
Look For This Seal When Traveling In Florida
Sea Turtle Friendly Certified was launched to accredit Florida beachfront hotels that take the extra step to ensure their daily operations meet sea turtle protection standards and engage their guests in one of the greatest conservation stories of all time. By staying at a Certified hotel, you are helping sea turtles survive and recover.
Are you a Florida beachfront hotel?
Become A Candidate!
Important dates include:
February: Applications Due
March – October: Inspection Period
No matter if this is your 1st or 15th year in the program, you will undergo on-site inspections to ensure your plans are being followed.
November: Certification Award
You did it! You passed your inspections and you deserve praise. CCinc will host an annual award ceremony in honor of your hard work.
Environmental Standards
The rigorous process of the certification requires candidates to meet the following standards below. For more details of these requirements, please click HERE.
Education
Must provide educational materials about sea turtles on the property and on social media to spread information and knowledge to a broader audience.
Lighting
Must follow all local sea turtle lighting ordinances and State recommended guidelines to minimize harmful impacts to nesting moms and hatchlings on the beach.
Sustainability
Must show steps to remove single-use plastic to-go containers, straws, cups, utensils, and bags or offer a plastic alternative on property. Recycling is required and must be easily accessible and available to guests on property.
Natural Beaches
Must keep beaches free of human-made debris year-round and must host at least one beach cleanup per year. Must remove all human-made objects like furniture and recreational equipment from the beach nightly to clear space for nesting moms.
“This certification is a great way to ensure visitors and locals alike that the hotels and businesses are doing their part to protect and serve their environment.”
Turtle Trips
Saving sea turtles cannot happen only along the coasts of Florida because sea turtles are found in oceans worldwide and travel thousands upon thousands of miles to eat, grow and reproduce regardless of political boundaries. Our human actions and behaviors to protect the environment are the same. Actions taken in one place can and will affect the environment thousands of miles away. This is why we are so excited about our partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Association, headquartered in Nosara, Costa Rica.
Both of our organizations are focused on protecting sea turtles and incorporating sustainable behaviors to enhance or restore the coastal ecosystems used by sea turtles to survive. Starting in 2022, together we will facilitate Turtle Trips in Costa Rica. This new experience will immerse travelers in sea turtle conservation, sustainability, and volunteering. Every trip will support local communities, national parks and refuges, and organizations by providing donations and helping hands on important conservation or sustainability projects. Every traveler will receive certification for volunteer hours earned during the trip.
Voluntourism
Activities offered through Costa Rica Turtle Trips are subject to change based on community need but may include: Beach Cleanups, Biodiversity Surveys, Boat Tours, Farming, Hiking, Recycling, Reforestation, Turtle Walks, Yoga, and More! REGISTER TODAY
Partnering with:
