Source: Shiji

Hotels today face increasing pressures from environmentally conscious consumers, particularly among younger generations. Integrating sustainability with guest satisfaction is an ongoing challenge that hoteliers are directly impacted by. With a significant portion of its clientele being digital natives, the industry is poised to transform its operations by enhancing energy efficiency, reducing waste, and promoting eco-friendly accommodations.

More than a third of hotel guests are represented by next-generation travellers. These are Digital Natives who’ve integrated technology deep into their lives, with everything managed through the screen of their mobile devices.

Hotels must start consciously rethinking and reshaping their services and products to satisfy and fulfil the expectations of Millennials, Generation Y, and the digital natives born between 1982 and 2000.

As travellers become more aware of environmental issues, hotels have started implementing “greener” practices to meet guests’ expectations and show their environmental commitment. Perhaps now is the time to do more and give sustainability an even greater priority.

This is not only for the environment’s benefit but also for the hotel’s bottom line and operating costs. Energy costs are soaring worldwide, impacting hotels more than ever, so looking at greener and more cost-effective ways can only be a positive step forward.

The case for sustainability

Tourism contributes to carbon footprints. Hotel guests use various methods to get to their destination, including trains, planes, buses, and taxis, which create pollution levels. Transportation alone represents almost a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the leading cause of air pollution.

In 2019, Booking.com prepared a Sustainability Travel Report, which identified that 72% of travellers believe that action is needed now and that everyone needs to make sustainable travel choices. 73% said they intended to stay in an eco-friendly or green accommodation for future stays.

It’s not all about the most cost-effective option, either. A 2019 Skift report found that 53% of guests are willing to pay more for environmentally responsible providers, and 76% of Millennials and Gen Z are willing to pay more for an eco-friendly stay.

How can technology help sustainability?

Hotels with smart room technology can bring several benefits: reducing energy and water consumption, comfort, improving staff efficiency, and developing environmental awareness on both sides: guests and the hotel’s operational staff.

Using smart room technology, hotels can save energy while being more sustainable and providing a personalised guest experience. Technology that supports climate control and lighting, when needed, goes a long way to being more green.

Here are some examples of ways hotels can reduce the energy and water consumption they impact, directly or indirectly.

  • Key cards that activate energy-using items like lights and the TV. The benefits of having such key cards are that if the guest forgets to turn the lights or TV off, they’ll automatically switch off once they’ve taken their keys to leave the room, saving considerable energy costs.
  • Changing light bulbs and signs to more energy-efficient LED lighting can save energy.
  • Motion sensors in public areas such as hallways and staff areas ensure lighting is only activated when needed.
  • Smart climate control systems that optimise the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems depending on occupancy and demand are also excellent ways to reduce unnecessary energy use.

Sustainable Hotel Initiatives

Technology is the foundation for building and identifying viable solutions to improve efficiencies, energy consumption, resources, and communication. Implementing digital technologies can be a step forward in sustainability, meeting the traveler’s needs, and improving the environment.

Accor Properties have established a program where they ask their customers to reuse towels, with the savings passed on to fund the planting of trees. This simple action equates to one tree planted every minute. It is a good example of how hotels can implement these programs.

In Accor’s case, with Planet 21, this runs across the entire Accor group and sets out mandatory benchmark actions for hotels to meet. Through this program, 1,882 Accor hotels have rolled out food waste reduction programs, 1,218 have created their own urban vegetable gardens, and 7.2 million trees have been planted.

The success of schemes like this depends on buy-in from your team and clear, actionable goals. If you set a target to reduce the energy spent on laundry by 20%, your housekeeping team needs to be advised. If they aren’t, they may end up cleaning rooms and replacing towels anyway – so ensure your policies are clear internally and externally.

Sustainable hotel practices and solutions are necessary for efficiency, energy savings by using renewable energy, reduced water consumption, tap water savings, and waste recycling. Hotels recognised as being and operating eco-friendly generate more trust, making travellers loyal.

The Fine Line in Sustainable Practices

While the drive towards sustainability in the hospitality sector is commendable, a balance must be struck in its implementation. Hotels, in their zeal to embrace eco-friendliness, must be careful not to alienate guests through overzealous practices that can sometimes detract from the comfort and convenience expected during a stay.

An illustrative example comes from experiences where hotels, to reduce plastic usage, replace traditional amenities with sustainable alternatives that may not always align with guest expectations.

A friend recently shared their experience at a luxury hotel where all the usual conveniences were swapped for ‘green’ alternatives in a bid to be environmentally friendly. Notably, a large paper laundry bag was provided, which, while sustainable, proved impractical as it occupied significant space in their suitcase and was less durable.

This example highlights that hotels should balance sustainability with practicality to ensure guest satisfaction is not compromised. Sustainability should enhance the guest experience rather than become an inconvenience.

Incorporating guest feedback into sustainability initiatives can provide valuable insights into what works and what might be considered excessive. By finding this balance, hotels can fulfil the dual goals of environmental responsibility and guest satisfaction, ensuring their sustainability practices are practical and appreciated.

Key Takeaways

Growing Demand for Eco-Friendly Options: Most travellers, especially Millennials and Generation Z, prefer accommodations that prioritise environmental responsibility and are willing to pay more for such features.

Technological Integration in Sustainability: Smart room technologies, such as key cards controlling energy use and smart climate control systems, can reduce a hotel’s energy and water consumption.

Economic and Environmental Benefits: Adopting sustainable practices helps conserve resources and reduces operational costs, making it a financially beneficial strategy for hotels.

Employee Involvement in Sustainability: Engaging hotel staff in the sustainability process is crucial; their insights can lead to innovative practices that further enhance the hotel’s environmental efforts.

Sustainability as a Marketing Advantage: Hotels recognised for their eco-friendly operations tend to generate more guest trust, leading to increased customer loyalty and a stronger brand reputation.

In closing

The future of the hotel industry lies in its ability to blend technology with sustainability seamlessly. Hotels that adopt green technologies cater to modern travellers’ environmental and digital preferences and enjoy operational efficiencies and cost savings.

The push towards sustainability in hotels, exemplified by programs like Accor’s Planet 21, demonstrates the industry’s commitment to meeting and exceeding today’s guests’ eco-conscious expectations. Integrating these practices will be crucial for long-term success and environmental stewardship as the industry evolves.

Sources: 2019 Booking.com Sustainability Travel Report, Skift, Accor Hotels.

About Shiji Group

Shiji is a multi-national technology company that provides software solutions and services for enterprise companies in the hospitality, food service, retail and entertainment industries, ranging from hospitality technology platform, hotel property management solutions, food and beverage and retail systems, payment gateways, data management, online distribution and more. Founded in 1998 as a network solutions provider for hotels, Shiji Group today comprises over 5,000 employees in 80+ subsidiaries and brands in over 31 countries, serving more than 91,000 hotels, 200,000 restaurants and 600,000 retail outlets. For more information, visit www.shijigroup.com.

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