News

Is the EU About to Make Green Claims a Luxury for Hotels?

Imagine this: you run a 30-room independent hotel in Spain. You’ve invested in solar panels, eliminated single-use plastics, and source food from local suppliers. Guests praise your efforts. Yet when travellers search on Booking.com, your property doesn’t show up under “sustainable stays.” Why? Because you don’t have a third-party sustainability certification. Under new EU rules, you’re not even allowed to call yourself “eco-friendly” without one.

From Sustainability to Regeneration: A Forgotten Paradise Reborn

When I first arrived in Kep, Cambodia, in 2003, it felt like a town lost in time. Once known as the “Côte d’Azur of Cambodia,” Kep had been a glamorous seaside escape filled with beautiful villas and vibrant life. But after years of war and hardship, the beaches were deserted, the roads crumbling, and the elegant homes reduced to ruins. What remained was only a faded memory of a golden era.

Ibiti: A Living Proof That Regenerative Hospitality Works

In the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, that question has already been answered. Ibiti Projeto stands as living proof that regenerative hospitality is not a far-off dream but a reality. Over 40 years, it has transformed once-degraded land into a thriving biodiversity refuge, while creating opportunities for local people to become entrepreneurs and stewards of their own future.My recent immersion there was a reminder that regeneration is not an abstract ideal - it’s a tangible force that can transform landscapes, economies and mindsets all at once.

Business Insights: Are green getaways motivating holiday parks to be more sustainable?

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.

All Child and RIU collaborate in the United Kingdom

RIU Hotels & Resorts goes one step further in its commitment to its communities, announcing its first social collaboration in the United Kingdom together with the charity All-Child. The hotel chain will support their Impact Programme, which is designed and delivered by specialised professionals known as Link Workers. These professionals play a vital role building a trusted relationship with vulnerable children and young people, and being the link with their families, schools and the community, guaranteeing personalised and ongoing support. This initiative is part of the Impact Programme's delivered in South Westminster, London, which has also been home to the Riu Plaza London Victoria hotel since 2023.

Beyond Green Welcomes Ten New and Returning Member Properties

Beyond Green, a global portfolio of some of planet Earth’s most sustainable accommodations, is pleased to announce the addition of ten new and returning member properties to its global portfolio between April 1 and June 30, 2025. This considered and strategic expansion demonstrates the brand’s continued growth, including its inaugural properties in Sweden and Mozambique.

Hidden Tech, Visible Impact: Hotel Landscapes Reimagined

Hotel outdoor spaces are no longer an afterthought; they are now central to the guest experience. These sophisticated extensions of the hotel brand must deliver on aesthetics, efficiency, and sustainability. The key is fusing landscape architecture with smart technology to create memorable, resilient environments. This involves creating living systems that adapt to seasons, guest flows, and environmental conditions. To delve deeper, Shiji Insights spoke with landscape architect Victoria Cobeña. Her forward-thinking work blends natural beauty with hidden tech, revealing how hotels can transform outdoor assets into powerful drivers of value.

Reimagining the Guest Experience Through Sustainability in the UAE

In the world of hospitality, sustainability is frequently discussed in terms of technology and operations such as LED lighting, water-saving systems, and local produce. These are meaningful steps, and many hotels across the Emirates have successfully adopted them. However, sustainability isn’t just a feature or a checklist; It is a mindset, and one that should be experienced by guests, not just practiced behind the scenes.

GCSTIMES eco-amenity kit

The definition of luxury has evolved. For today’s discerning travellers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, it’s no longer about just impeccable service. It's about an experience that resonates with their values. And one of their core values? Sustainability. A striking 81% of global travellers (according to Booking.com) say sustainable travel is important to them, and many are willing to pay a premium for it.

Ojai Valley Inn Achieves Audubon International Green Hospitality Certification

Audubon International – the environmentally focused non-profit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play – announces that Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, Calif., has achieved Green Hospitality Platinum-level Certification, reflecting its commitment to the highest standards of environmental best practices for lodging destinations, restaurants, and spas worldwide.

Hotel Group Essendi Strengthens ESG Efforts with Collaboration with Workplace Pride

Essendi, a leading hotel owner and operator in Europe, announced a strategic partnership with Workplace Pride, a global nonprofit organization committed to greater LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace, during Pride Amsterdam 2025. The partnership will be officially formalized during the tenth annual INK goes PINK party at INK Hotel Amsterdam, one of Essendi's hotels. With this, Essendi underscores its continued commitment to inclusion and diversity within the hospitality sector in Western Europe.

Palladium Cares Introduces First European Training Centres and New Biodiversity Projects on Second Anniversary

Palladium Cares, the identity that encompasses all of Palladium Hotel Group's Corporate Social Responsibility projects, is celebrating its second anniversary. The company is consolidating its commitment through four pillars of action: Our People, Our Community, Our Planet and Our Company. The final pillar has always been at the centre of everything, but now takes on its own identity, highlighting the integration of sustainability into the corporate structure.