The tourism and hospitality industries will be among the fastest and most affected in a changing climate. In other words, all sub-sectors of tourism (i.e., mountain and snow tourism, forest and lake, agricultural, urban, beach and sea life tourism) will be severely impacted. Rising temperatures, fires, drought, floods, higher sea levels, beach erosion, and ocean acidification are some of the climate change symptoms. Hence, it is imperative that sustainable hospitality becomes a priority for hotel businesses. Meanwhile, here’s why and how hotels should actively adopt green practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The focus areas of green hotels

Before labeling a hotel green, sustainable or eco-friendly, business owners and travelers should consider the hotel’s achievements in:

• Waste management
• Energy efficiency
• Water usage
• Elimination of single-use plastic

A hotel that grows food on-site and sources produce locally makes efforts to cut down on food waste. Similarly, premises free from plastic water bottles are a good sign of environmentally conscious business. No coffee machine or mini-fridge in your room? Awesome! Give them extra stars on energy conservation.

Minimum expectations sustainable hospitality should meet

Small scale hotels with a small environmental footprint have limited resources to implement sustainable criteria. However, due to the severity of climate change, every accommodation owner should aspire to reduce negative environmental impacts. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council has published a table of sustainable criteria for hotels. The guide establishes a shared understanding and eases communication within the hospitality sector. Here are some of the requirements:

• A transparent sustainability policy
• An efficient system of customer feedback
• Compliance with local land laws
• Protection of cultural heritage and ecosystems
• Preservation of wildlife and its habitats
• Environmentally sound disposal of waste
• Good-natured relationships with local communities
• Adoption of appropriate behavior in natural and cultural heritage sites
• Increased use of renewable energy
• Water consumption management
• Availability of eco-friendly transport for guests and staff
• Recycling food waste

Low-cost steps towards sustainable hospitality

We all have to start somewhere. Accommodation owners! Don’t get discouraged if your budget isn’t enough to put you on top of the most eco-friendly hotels. Be aware of the environmental footprint your business has, and work towards making it smaller. Here are some affordable solutions if you wish to do something about the environment but have limited resources.

• Add a water bottle filling station in the communal area to discourage guests from buying single-use plastic water bottles
• Go paper-free in your day to day operations
• Make recycling bins accessible and visible
• Buy local produce to reduce carbon emissions as a result of transport
• When it comes to your restaurant menu, include vegan and vegetarian options
• Have a food waste management plan, such as donations to food banks and composting
• Plant trees and partner with environmental organizations

Ambitious eco-friendly investments

Luxury resorts and big hotels can afford solar panels and energy star HVAC to reduce greenhouse gas reductions. Thus, they have no reason to put off a complete sustainability plan. Even though the instalment of water recovery and recycling systems is costly, it has long-term benefits for the business. Also, it reduces water-related costs and helps build trust among eco-influential travelers. Water recovery is the extraction of clean water from wastewater. The procedure makes the company less reliant on freshwater supplies and saves energy from pumping water for irrigation. Water recycling removes contaminants from wastewater, and safely reuses it for practical uses and consumption. 

The value of technology in sustainable hospitality 

Technology can contribute towards sustainable hospitality and help hotels reduce their environmental footprint. For example, hotel owners can install digital or smart showers to manage water consumption. Smart showers allow you to set the water temperature, eliminate the heating up time, and control the pressure of flow and duration. Additionally, room sensors are brilliant installations that detect light and increase or reduce bulb brightness accordingly. Thermostats adjust heating and AC temperatures upon detecting occupancy in the room while settings can be changed remotely.

The risk of greenwashing

Greenwashing or corporate greenwash is misinformation spread by an organization to present itself as environmentally responsible. Creating a fake eco-friendly business profile to deceive customers is totally unethical. Even though this practice may attract unsuspected guests into a hotel, facts will eventually come on the surface. Guests will fight back with bad reviews, negative blogs, and social media rants.

Hotel owners should evaluate their performance on several aspects before they make sustainable promises to their guests. Some examples are energy and waste management, water conservation, staff training and engagement in sustainable practices, climate change awareness, community involvement, certification for organic products. Travelers should keep in mind that a hotel isn’t eco-friendly simply because they have recycling bins or source mint and basil from their garden.

Why hospitality must go green

It’s been a year since climate activist Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic on a symbolic carbon-neutral journey. Ever since, influential travelers aspire to journeys that are harmless for the environment. In fact, millennials and Gen Z prioritize ecological consciousness over costs. Consequently, they are willing to pay more for products and services that are dealing with environmental and social issues. For the hospitality industry to respond to the needs of the more knowledgeable, demanding, and outspoken customers, it must follow the green way.