WE ARE
INBETWEEN
Between those who are making a difference and those who are seeking change. Between complex sustainability initiatives and accessible stories. And it is from this vantage point that we serve as a bridge between tourism companies, travelers, and the media.
Travelers
looking for accommodations and companies that align with their values
Media
seeking inspiration, reliable information, and contacts in the field of sustainable tourism
Information Platform
We curate.
At Green Pearls®, we carefully select our partners and ensure that the information we provide is trustworthy and authentic.
Communication Agency
We tell the story.
We translate commitment into relevant content and stories, building visibility across various channels.
Network
We connect.
We bring together companies committed to sustainable tourism, providing a platform for them to share their experiences, ideas, and knowledge.
Accommodations
who are committed to promoting more sustainable tourism through real action
Brands
for whom sustainability is a way of life, not just lip service.
What we are not:
Certification Body · Inspection Organization · Seal Issuer · Ranking Platform · Booking Provider · Online Travel Agency
OUR MISSION
We want to help individuals and companies that are taking concrete steps to make tourism more responsible gain greater visibility. Our platform offers pioneers, trailblazers, and “beacons” in the industry a place to showcase what is already possible.
THE VALUES BEHIND
GREEN PEARLS®
Transparency is more important than perfection.
We don’t expect perfect solutions. What matters most to us is openly showing what is working well, how measures are being implemented, and what challenges remain.
Progress matters more than empty promises.
We know that change takes time. That’s why we’re more interested in specific plans and long-term development than grand promises or a perfect public image.
We prioritize context over buzzwords.
Rarely can a measure be evaluated in isolation. Each of our partners has unique circumstances and faces different conditions. Our goal is to bring this context to light.
Credibility starts with an honest exchange.
We want to get to know the people behind the accommodations and businesses, and understand their motivations. That’s why personal interaction is an essential part of building a trusting partnership for us.
THE HISTORY
OF GREEN PEARLS®
2009
An encounter that set things in motion
The idea for Green Pearls® began in 2009 with a trip to Thailand. While staying at The Tongsai Bay on Koh Samui, founder Stefany Seipp met the owners, Gob and Goya, and learned about the resort’s history. During its construction in the late 1980s, the resort’s founder, Khun Akorn, already placed great importance on preserving the natural environment. However, hardly anyone knew about that.
The encounter came to an end, but a question remained:
How can hosts who are committed to sustainability and develop their own solutions gain more recognition for their efforts?
2012-2013
Green Pearls® was born out of this very question
Stefany began her research and discovered that accommodations committed to social causes had long existed in many parts of the world. What was missing was a platform where travelers looking for these kinds of unique and socially conscious hotels and vacation rentals could actually find them.
2012
Founding
A question led to an idea: Because sustainability simply wasn’t a selection criterion on the major booking and search platforms at the time. That’s how Green Pearls® was founded.
2013
Launch
The Green Pearls® platform is going live, but not as a booking platform. Instead, it was clear from the start: Green Pearls® makes information accessible, highlights initiatives and projects, and shares the stories of hoteliers and hosts. People should book directly with the respective partners.
And today?
The search has changed.
Our mission remains the same.
To this day, Green Pearls® remains dedicated to highlighting committed accommodation providers and businesses to travelers. What has changed, however, is the way people search for and engage with sustainability issues. It has long since ceased to be a niche topic. At the same time, greenwashing and difficult-to-verify environmental claims have brought the issue of credible communication into sharper focus. The EU has already tightened consumer protection with the EmpCo Directive, due to take effect at the end of September 2026.
Looking ahead
Development and future
As early as 2025, Green Pearls® developed a targeted strategy to enhance the digital visibility of its network partners’ information, with a focus on AI-based search and recommendation systems. In 2026, the “Green Pearls® Visibility System” was expanded to include targeted monitoring. All of this is aimed at making tourism a little better every day with the help of our partners.
What hasn’t changed:
We want to highlight specific initiatives and the people behind them right where travelers go today to find information and inspiration.
OUR APPROACH
PERSONALIZED & CLEAR
Sustainability in tourism has many facets, and for us, there is rarely a simple answer. That is why we don’t just look at individual measures; we examine underlying factors, consider different circumstances, and place initiatives within their respective contexts. We aim to understand before we communicate so that we can present relevant sustainability achievements as concretely and transparently as possible. This approach benefits our readers and complies with EU guidelines (EmpCo Directive).
THE GREEN PEARLS® TEAM
Stefany Seipp
Founder & CEO
Stefany Seipp is one of the pioneers of responsible travel. As early as 2012, the tourism expert founded Green Pearls®, an international platform dedicated to responsible accommodations, long before the issue reached the broader tourism industry. Her approach has been widely adopted and developed further.
With over 35 years of experience in tourism, Stefany remains dedicated to raising awareness and driving change within the industry. She currently shapes the strategic direction of Green Pearls® and continues to develop the company in line with its values.
“What if each of the 7.5 billion people on Earth realized that they make a difference? It’s up to each of us to bring about positive change. Let’s get started!”
stefany.seipp@greenpearls.com
Laura Farag
Green Travel Blog & Cooperations
Laura brings her journalistic expertise and many years of professional experience to Green Pearls®’ communications team. After completing her traineeship, she worked in various newsrooms for several years. Today, she researches, contextualizes, and explains complex topics for our blog in an accessible way.
In addition, she loves bringing different stakeholders (such as companies and suitable hotels) together. She manages brand partners, press contacts, and influencers.
“I’m always open to hearing cool ideas from people who want to make the world a better place.”
laura.farag@greenpearls.com
Mara Biebow
Newsletter, Social Media & Website
Mara combines communication skills with a trained eye for aesthetics. As a certified designer, she provides the creative expertise for Green Pearls®’ visual communication and ensures that content is conveyed in a way that is both clear and appealing.
In addition to creating social media content and managing our Pinterest account, she’s our go-to person when we need to create new pages on our website, when we urgently need an infographic for the blog, or when there’s a “crisis” in the site’s back end.
“Good design isn’t just pretty; it reinforces the message.”
mara.biebow@greenpearls.com
Ben Staudt
Translation & Research
Excellent grammar, modern punctuation, and the right choice of words to convey exactly what’s meant. That’s how Ben translates all of our web pages and content pieces into English. Thanks to his family ties to the U.S., his work goes beyond what translation programs can do, elevating our global communication to a professional level.
As a political science student, he’s also interested in the bigger picture, making him our “ace up our sleeve” for in-depth research.
“Somebody has to.”
info@greenpearls.com
ANY
QUESTIONS?
Who is behind Green Pearls®?
Green Pearls® was founded in 2012 by Stefany Seipp. Today, a small team of experienced professionals in tourism, communications, journalism, and design work to clearly and accessibly present the network partners’ commitment and make it visible.
How long has Green Pearls® be around?
Green Pearls® was founded in 2012 and launched as a platform the following year. The idea behind it has remained the same since then: to increase the visibility of individuals and businesses that are taking concrete steps to make tourism more responsible. Since 2025, the agency has also focused intensely on AI visibility and, since 2026, on sustainability communications that comply with the EU EmpCo standard.
Is Green Pearls® independent?
Yes, Green Pearls® is an independent company and is not a certification body, nor is it part of an association or hotel group. The team decides which companies will join the network based on its own criteria and through individual discussions.
How is Green Pearls® funded?
Green Pearls® is funded by membership fees from its network partners. This means payment covers communication services and integration onto the platform. Green Pearls® does not charge a commission. Bookings are made directly through accommodations’ booking systems or companies’ online stores.
However, paying the membership fee alone is not sufficient for acceptance. Accommodations and companies must provide transparent information about their sustainability measures, which we then evaluate against our internal requirements. After that, we decide in a personal interview whether the accommodation or company is a good fit for Green Pearls®.
Can any hotel/accommodation just list itself on Green Pearls®?
No, inclusion on www.greenpearls.com and www.green-travel-blog.com depends on acceptance into the network. To that end, we review an accommodation or business’s individual sustainability measures, ask questions, and verify that the requirements are met. We explain exactly how this process works in a transparent manner on our Commitment page.
