Right in the first trimester of 2019 there are already no doubts that factors such as global warming or climate change are having real effects all around the globe.
During the last years and due to the increasing “ eco friendly feeling” from travellers, have appeared several kinds of green certifications in order to make visible those hotels who are more concern about being sustainable.
In most of cases, making a hotel more sustainable it is in the same line of making it more profitable due to the improved way of managing the resources and also a great differentiating fact from the competence.
Based on a study from 2014 made by The Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Hotel Technological Institute (ITH), around the 90% of travellers are interested about the sustainability level of the hotels that they are willing to book and the 34% are willing to pay for this sustainability.
Then the question it comes fast to our minds...How do we make a hotel more sustainable?
The answer to this question isn’t the same for all hotels but we can basically list the main four points for all cases.
Maximum Integration in the environment. Specially for a “New Construction” hotels it is essential to integrate the construction in the environment in order to respect the biodiversity and the harmony of the landscape. During the construction or renovation of the hotel it is also important to perform a waste reduction by recycling and exploiting sustainably the natural resources of the area ( Golf fields at the desert it would be a great example of a unsustainable way to exploit the natural resources of the environment).
Maximum use of recycled and organic products. Starting from the raw materials used during the hotel’s construction going through the furnitures, lining or amenities provided in the room. Recyclable materials such as paper or wood are a great contribution in terms of sustainably specially for those items of single use such as toiletries.
Reduction of the energy expenditure. By introducing the use of more efficient options such as A+++ appliances or LED lighting systems and increasing the use of renewable energies such us Solar Panels for the energy self-sufficiency of the hotel.
Local sensitivity. Respecting the culture of the are and maximize the economic and social benefits of the local community it is also a great way of making our hotel more sustainable participating in the development of the autochthon trade and creating job positions for the local people with fair working conditions.
Sources: Global Sustainable Tourism Council,Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero & sostenibilidad.com
Congratulations for the post! it is great to see how some hotel suppliers are getting involved in the cause! At our company we do provide several sustainable services specially designed for the tourism sector. I strongly believe believe that having a chat together it would be positive for both parts. Please contact me at the provided email address.Regards.