For decades, linen rental services have been the quiet workhorse of hospitality—offering hotels operational efficiency, cost savings, and consistency across properties. What began as a smart solution has become a global standard. As the industry faces growing pressure to cut carbon, manage risk, and stay agile, one question is worth asking:
While attending the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we met with Sarah Marquis, National Geographic Explorer, to talk about the future of travel and what makes it truly meaningful. In our conversation, she reflected on the importance of emotional connection, the irreplaceable value of walking, and how real travel is never about technology but about presence, feeling, and being part of the natural world.
Recently, I began noticing through my social and professional connections that the term “sustainability” often triggers unexpected resistance. I observed that when conversations touch on environmental issues, even simple everyday topics like avoiding food waste or using public transportation, some people react unfavorably. What struck me was that the pushback was not necessarily about the actions themselves, which are often practical and beneficial, but rather about the language and framing around sustainability.
UN Tourism was once seen as the guiding force in global tourism, a beacon for sustainable development, cultural preservation and international cooperation. Established to promote responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, the agency was meant to shape the future of travel and tourism, offering solutions to the most pressing challenges in the industry.
We live in extraordinary times. Never before has humanity had such seamless access to the world. Today, 80% of global youth (ages 15–24) own a smartphone and are more globally connected than any previous generation. With one click, they can board a virtual flight to another continent – or a real one.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia 2025 taking place in Riyadh next week, we asked several industry partners about the opportunities they see for the hospitaliy industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025 and beyond.
Tracy Wilkins, operations director at BWH Hotels, Great Britain’s largest group of independent hotels, on how UK Sustainability Reporting Standards will impact hoteliers
Hospitality accounts for 10% of global GDP, while providing jobs to more than 348 million citizens worldwide. Besides, hospitality is a nexus sector deeply interconnected with agriculture and food systems, construction and real estate, energy and utilities, mobility and transport, waste and circular economy, culture and creative industries, health and well-being, education and capacity building. Hospitality also has the unique capacity to transform people and catalyse behavioral change by making regenerative principles tangible, offering rare sanctuaries for reconnection, and allowing individuals to focus on the essential. At a time of converging social, environmental and economic instability, how could the industry operate its metamorphosis to regenerate relationships with fellow individuals and the living environment? How can we harness this unique power of hospitality to lead the way towards a regenerative world?
The current system is failing us. Today’s sustainability practices are not enough to meet the scale of our planetary and social crises. Since the Industrial Revolution, our relationship with nature has shifted dramatically - from interdependence and interconnectedness to extraction. Human activity has pushed the planet beyond safe operating limits. As Rockström and colleagues revealed in their 2024 study, six of nine planetary boundaries have now been breached, threatening the delicate balance that sustains life.
In June 2024, on World Refugee Day, over 120 million people and counting have been forcibly displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This number is higher than ever before, as global conflicts and humanitarian crises–including the climate crisis–continue to force people around the world to flee their homes. As families who have had their lives upended resettle in new communities across the US, finding employment is one of the most pivotal, challenging, and rewarding steps in being able to provide for their families and reestablish roots.
Half-finished plates of food, vegetables that spoiled in the walk-in, and a few stale pieces of toast from the breakfast buffet don’t sound all that shocking. After each service, restaurant and hotel food waste isn’t very dramatic, but over time all the wasted food really adds up.
Food has always played a central role in hospitality—but its meaning and impact are rapidly expanding. As outlined in our newly released Food & Wellbeing Trend Report 2025, developed at EHL with a diverse group of global experts, food is no longer just about nourishment or indulgence. It’s about connection, regeneration, and the pursuit of personal and planetary health.
Sustainable travel is not a trend that will fade. It is shaping how people choose where to stay, how they get there, and what they do once they arrive. More travelers, especially younger generations, want their trips to have a positive impact. They are paying attention to how destinations manage resources, support local communities, and minimize environmental harm. If your hotel or resort is not making sustainability a priority, you are losing more than bookings. You are losing trust.
This article is part of my ongoing project, Sustainability Transitions in the Swiss Foodservice Industry: Reimagining Foodservice for a World Never Imagined. In our increasingly complex global food system, narrow sustainability approaches tend to emphasize conventional value functions that focus on limiting waste or destruction and maximizing the share of value captured by a single organization.
Here is a summary on what to expect from the Hotel Yearbook 2025 Sustainability Tech Edition.
The hospitality industry has always been synonymous with luxury, comfort, and convenience. However, as the global community becomes increasingly aware of environmental challenges, the sector faces the pressing need to balance guest satisfaction with sustainability. Green practices in hospitality not only address environmental concerns but also appeal to the growing number of eco-conscious travelers who prioritize sustainable choices. Let’s delve into the significance of green initiatives in hospitality, the strategies being employed, and the long-term benefits for businesses, communities, and the planet.
The tourism and hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable to climate change, energy transitions, and environmental degradation—existential threats to Europe and the world. To tackle these challenges, the European Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, ensuring:
Sustainability, eco-friendly, green, and other descriptors are marking what appears to be a sustained business trend. The headlines are continually using the term sustainability. However, my perception is that the term needs to be explained if not defined.
At the end of last year, Highgate Hotels reached our goal to have 150 third-party eco-certified hotels by 2024. We also published our latest environmental and social governance (ESG) report, which details forward-thinking initiatives involving green concrete, reforestation and regenerative agriculture, and using leftover cooking oil for sustainable aviation fuel production.
In this second half of the interview with Dalené Claassens, Hotel General Manager at Babylonstoren, a rural resort located near Paarl, South Africa within the Cape Winelands vinicultural region, we take a closer look at some of the key onsite features that make this property both a one-of-a-kind destination for any traveler and a world leader in regenerative tourism. Indeed, delivering a truly unforgettable guest experience at this caliber is wholly dependent on all the various agricultural, immersive culinary and wellness programs that are on offer for visitors.