I rented a pure electronic vehicle (PEV) or battery electric vehicle (BEV) for a road trip to Palm Springs in January. That was the first time I took a trip with an EV, and I discovered that a PEV was only good for short or daily commutes. I will need a hybrid EV or a gas-powered car for longer road trips.
The hospitality industry could be one of the most beautiful and united working environments on the planet. So why, in 2024, are we seeing such global discrepancy across international tourism efforts to become single use plastic free? Tourists are the single biggest culprit of single-use-plastic waste and it is down to the hotels to motivate each other to take immediate action.
Since 2020, an interdisciplinary research team from EHL Hospitality Business School, the Catholic University in Quito, and the Charles Darwin Research Station at the Galapagos in Ecuador have been studying the challenges associated with tourism dynamics at the world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands. This article summarizes the main findings of this collaboration: the carrying capacity of the islands, the sustainability transition of tourism, and the political challenges that have been affecting sustainability efforts in the archipelago.
Before the application of AI and ML in hospitality facilities, operations could only be controlled manually, utilizing control mechanisms and pre-set schedules, which only promoted wastage. Waste management has become less efficient due to challenges in segregating waste and monitoring the waste stream, hence more landfills and less recycling. In addition, concepts related to sustainability and providing attentive and personalized guest care were less efficient. The hospitality industry is adopting a technological innovation that will transform sustainability for hotels and resorts.
Organizational structures and job titles grow and evolve the same as every other facet of running a business and adapting to the times. Two decades ago, we may have written about the dawn of online room sales and how hotels would be wise to carve out a ‘social media manager’ role which was quite novel at the time. Today it’s all but anathema to not have a team member solely devoted to this area or specific responsibilities assigned to the marketing director, depending on the size of the company.
There's a prevalent misconception that SMEs must comply with the Corporate Social Responsibility Directive (CSRD); in other words, they must prepare long and “complicated” standardised ESG and/or sustainability reports. However, this is far from the truth (Table 1). So, what is the actual scope of the CSRD?
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges society is facing, but we are currently trapped in what feels like a phony war. We know we should act, but there is limited international guidance as to how and little immediate legislation to respond to.
The term "sustainability" has continued to evolve and is a crucial factor in the hospitality experience. Starting, of course, with the guest, who's environmental concerns are typically part of all of their buying decisions; this is a massive growing segment of opportunity for environmentally conscious travelers.
Cushman & Wakefield's Hotel Investor Compass survey canvasses the views of 60 major investors active across the region, who collectively invested €18 billion between 2019 and 2023 in hotels and have an average fund size of €233 million available for hotel investment in 2024.
The hospitality industry accounts for about 1% of carbon emissions across the globe. With rapid growth in the industry, this adverse impact will only grow without sustainable intervention. Many hotels are now looking toward a different future, one that prioritizes green initiatives. Though shifting business practices can require a large investment, sustainability can potentially be a profitable solution that offers a notable ROI. We’ll review the benefits and challenges of hotel sustainability, along with some key ways hotels can make this change.
The hospitality industry has a significant impact on the environment, from extensive water and energy usage to waste production. However, the growing awareness of environmental issues has led many consumers to prefer businesses that commit to sustainable practices. This shift presents a golden opportunity for hotels to appeal to eco-conscious guests by integrating eco-friendly practices into their operations. There are many ways your hotel can become a leader in sustainability and climate-friendly practices. This article will show you ways you can implement some good practices that not only will be good for the earth, but great for bringing in more guests.
"Where are you from?" A seemingly simple question that I constantly grapple with. Does it refer to my place of birth, my current residence, or the roots of my culture? These days, I often say: "I was born in London, my heart is Brazilian, and I live in Amsterdam." Yet, simplifying it to just "Amsterdam" frequently prompts an odd look and a follow-up question: "Where are you from originally?" – which gets me struggling again...
Smart hospitality companies today are prioritizing sustainability, leaning in on optimizing resources and eliminating waste to building a better future. A sustainable hotel takes care of the planet by consuming fewer resources and avoiding toxic waste.
I've been teaching sustainable tourism and sustainable hotel operations at our local college for the past three years. The students are highly engaged, as the younger generation fully aligns with sustainable initiatives and business practices, ensuring they live a sustainable lifestyle. When I teach these classes, there is a relevance to each lecture, and there is a high level of engagement from the students. This is a topic that is at the top of everyone's mind. They understand the impact that they have on the world, and they want to strive to make it a better place in which to learn, work, and live.
As the European Union gets set to introduce new regulatory frameworks governing environmental, social governance (ESG) and sustainability reporting, many hotels operating in the region face a similar problem: the efficient management and availability of trustworthy data about their environmental footprint that they can easily share with stakeholders in a standardized format.
While World Wildlife Day – which took place at the beginning of this month – should be a day to celebrate our rich and thriving ecosystems across the world, the current state of biodiversity makes for a more sombre occasion. Wildlife populations have declined by 69% since 1970, and up to one million species are facing extinction due to human activity.
The hospitality industry is facing growing pressure to address its environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. However, while sustainability is often viewed as an opportunity for businesses to improve their reputation and attract environmentally conscious customers, the potential risk of climate change and non-compliance with the growing sustainability agenda is not yet seen as critical.
Did you know that 39% of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet come from buildings? And over half of the materials that go into landfills in the U.S. come from construction? These are just a few of the insights shared by Jon Buerge, Chief Development Officer at Urban Villages, on The NINE dot ARTS Podcast. And Jon isn’t the only leader I’ve spoken with who is increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of real estate development.
In an era where environmental consciousness intersects with the evolving preferences of travelers, the hospitality industry stands at a pivotal juncture. The traditional markers of luxury—laden with an abundance of gadgets, amenities, and conveniences—are being reevaluated through the lens of sustainability and essentialism. This shift towards minimalism [sometimes referred to as doing a Marie Kondo] is not just a trend but a response to a deeper understanding of luxury, one that prioritizes experiences and values over material excess.
In 2020 the Sustainability Hotel Alliance found the hospitality sector to be responsible for 1% of global carbon emissions, of which hotels account for around 21%.