Sustainability

For me, it is not a case of which, it is about marrying the two. When it comes to radical changes or incremental shifts, action was required decades ago, the greatest risk of all is not doing anything. Therefore, the pathway to sustainability requires a thoughtful blend of continuous improvement and radical change.

In the hospitality industry - just like in the business world in general - a paradigm shift is necessary , which calls for radical changes. I see 3 priorities that are implementable by key hospitality stakeholders if they decide to work together (which can be a radical change for some of them already…): Hotel operators and their suppliers: Zero plastic Hotel investors and franchisors: Zero land take All: choose and aim for new KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for the industry, before and above financial results, which would inspire hospitality leaders in their mission.

The challenges facing decoupling and green growth in the hospitality industry are evident, with current mainstream practices yielding insufficient progress. However, a departure from the prevalent notion that decoupling and tourism growth can happen simultaneously, coupled with a redirection towards an alternative paradigm of value creation in the form of regenerative hospitality, shows a more promising futureproof path for our industry.

Prohibiting development will not necessarily achieve the desired results. Tourism is a force for good and can change lives through job creation and other benefits to the destination. The mitigation strategy that is missing is education.

The good news is that hotels can achieve decarbonisation more easily if compared with airline or shipping industry. At least looking at Scopes 1 and 2 of the GHG protocol, changes in energy sources can be achieved in relatively short time by making investments, as the technology, i.e.

Like many other sectors of the economy, the hospitality sector assumes that forecasts and strategies for the future can be derived from a look at past developments. In view of the transgression of planetary boundaries (including climate change and the loss of biodiversity), our world will undergo massive change.

Sustainability is critical in crafting meaningful guest experiences that go beyond comfort and convenience. It is about engaging guests in a journey of learning and contributing to sustainability, making them feel part of a larger purpose.

The way we look at sustainability is mostly driven by doing less harm than contributing positively to a better world. But we need to move on from a footprint approach to a handprint logic, which focuses more on how tourism can change attitudes and values if we really want to create change.

For me an experience is meaningful when it touches my essence as a human being and helps me to understand myself, others, and nature more profoundly. This summer I was a guest at the TCI Marina di Camerota Village (Italy). I went reluctantly to accompain my ageing parents.

The most effective strategy - start with talking to your financier.....they are the experts and will know the options that are available and how your business aligns with requirements. They will also be able to unpack and present the best solutions for how green financing options suit your needs, strategies and sustainability journey.

"There is sufficient global capital to close the global investment gaps but there are barriers to redirect capital to climate action." (IPCC Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023, p. 80). The hospitality industry is increasingly turning to green finance to fund projects that seek to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability.

Our role as an alliance is to unify the hospitality industry and propel it towards a state of Net Positive, where the industry thrives and enriches destinations. Today I am confident the sustainability movement is underway and we are seeing a subtle shift to a "pre-competitive" mindset where hotels share best practice, including information about financing sustainable initiatives.