Hotels can repurpose unsold rooms for social causes like supporting unpaid carers, creating community value at minimal cost while strengthening ESG credentials.
Visiting a holiday park, ranging from lodge parks to caravan parks or glamping yurts, is a favoured holiday choice for the UK domestic market. Estimating the market size for UK holiday parks is complex due to overlapping categories. However, Mintel estimates the holiday centres and parks segment revenue to be valued at £3.5bn in 2024 – a 20% growth from pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, there were 4,754 holiday parks and campsites operating in the UK, accounting for 320,901 pitches, with the highest number in South West England. The sector further supports c. 230,000 full time jobs across the UK.
As the longtime General Manager of TUI Magic Life Candia Maris Resort in Crete and the recently appointed General Manager of Santo Collection on Santorini – both under Metaxa Hospitality Group, I’ve seen firsthand that no matter a hotelier’s reason for embracing sustainability, the rewards – for the property, our guests, and the broader community and culture – are well worth the effort.
Tracy Wilkins, operations director at BWH Hotels, Great Britain’s largest group of independent hotels, on how UK Sustainability Reporting Standards will impact hoteliers
Sustainable consumer behavior in hospitality encompasses actions that help preserve the environment, such as green purchasing, recycling and conserving natural resources. In the tourism context, this includes actions such as buying local products, saving water, reusing towels, conserving energy and reducing food waste. However, these behaviors and their motivations can vary significantly among different consumer groups. This makes it very difficult for hospitality actors to create sustainable offers – as what “sustainable” means varies between tourists and whether they will buy it or pay more for it is another under-researched question.
Commitment to a policy of corporate social responsibility no longer makes a company special. Especially when the entire world has become aware that we cannot simply act without taking heed of the impact of our actions on the planet and its inhabitants. In terms of CSR, the law that is already imposed on large companies will eventually come to bear on all economic players.
With 2023 almost upon us, perhaps the tourism industry can finally expect to rebound in the coming months to its happy and healthy state. But the word "perhaps" cannot be overlooked, as nobody can predict the future and we will certainly live future crises. The travel sector cannot experience another collapse and should not rest on the status quo when recovering from downfalls. Therefore, rethinking tourism and building resilience in the coming years is exactly what is needed to prepare and minimize future challenges. In a joint effort to stay ahead with trends, the Swiss tourism and travel sector has chosen to bet on data and technology to undertake its national resilience journey, thanks to a national Innosuisse-funded project: The Flagship Resilient Tourism Project.
Like other destination marketing organizations (DMOs) impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitScotland has launched marketing efforts to keep Scotland front of mind as potential visitors make future travel plans. At the same time, the organization wants to be sure that Scottish tourism builds back sustainably, in a way that supports the destination in the long term. In this post, we discuss how VisitScotland partnered with us at Expedia Group Media Solutions to deliver a series of marketing campaigns that promote both recovery and responsibility, and committed itself to these ideals by signing the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been ruthless and unwavering in its destruction over the past two years. In the UK, many lives have unfortunately been taken; pressure on the NHS reached new heights and the economy has suffered considerably. Businesses across the country were forced to close or operate at limited capacity with significant losses, and the health of businesses in the hospitality sector have been in jeopardy ever since. However, as we look ahead to a post-pandemic world, we have an opportunity to rebuild our economy in a greener, fairer and more resilient way; the key to doing so, is through innovation.
The pandemic, Brexit and ongoing supply issues have prompted key changes in the UK’s hotel sector, many of which are long-term, if not permanent.
Malcolm Kerr, Managing Director of Horwath HTL UK has been talking to prominent executives and advisors to get their perspective on the major challenges facing owners and how they are preparing for an uncertain future.
Swissness is a synonym for precision, serenity, cleanliness, reliability and fairness, - and is marketed as being typically "Swiss", (Swiss Confederation). What steps can be taken to preserve this country's reputation for being a hub of natural beauty and civic efficiency when it comes to sustainable hospitality?
Global warming is an issue that the world has been facing for years, and time is running out. Every action we take has an impact on the environment and it is our responsibility to implement sustainable practices into our lives and into our campus.
Back in 2000, EHL launched its Student Business Project (SBP) module as an integral part of the final Bachelor year program. Its aim: to give students real-life, hands-on, practical experience of what it means to set up and run a business from every possible angle, in conjunction with the requirements of a business partner who has enlisted their help, insights and know-how.
Dr. Nikos Igoumenidis is a Heraklion, Crete native elected to the Hellenic Parliament to represent his region, home city, and Crete back in 2015. A cardiologist by profession, he's a former Director of Cardiology at the clinic of the University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), and currently responsible for tourism on behalf of SYRIZA parliamentary group. We had the privilege recently of discussing with Dr. Igoumenidis the character of Crete hospitality and tourism to come including emerging alternative tourism trends such as; wellness/medical tourism, cultural tourism, and the underdeveloped rural tourism niche. Here is what one of Crete's most respected and informed officials had to say on these subjects.
Olive Green Hotel had a silent opening at the beginning of the fall, but it's already a hit with its first guests. "We only stayed one night but had we discovered it sooner, we would have stayed longer and explored Heraklion. The rooms are absolutely lovely. Modern, efficient, well appointed," writes Lee T. from Sydney, Australia, in his TripAdvisor review.
This Case Study shows the successfulness of a sustainable strategy. A truly committed sustainability path can provide hotels with wider economical results. Ultimately, this is what sustainability should aim for balancing the triple bottom line: environmental results, social results and economic results. The decision about whether going or not going green, in the case of Michaela Reitterer, owner of the hotel Stadthalle wasn't just a strategic debate but a firm decision based on her own personal values.
As we move firmly into the second decade of the 21st century, the issue of sustainability is no longer just for university campuses and futurologists. It has become a core driver in determining how we manage our hotel businesses. As every country and company is taking a different approach, in this article I'd like to share where the UK is now in terms of encouraging sustainability.