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Sustainability

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From data management to net positive impact

Looking ahead to 2026, the hospitality industry stands at a pivotal crossroads, facing mounting pressure to address its environmental and social responsibilities more transparently and effectively. The first priority should be the establishment of comprehensive data platform in collaboration with industry membership organizations. These platforms must not only aggregate sustainability KPIs and attributes for internal benchmarking and B2B purposes but also translate this data into educational content for end consumers, fostering wider public engagement and understanding.

Sven Wiltink
View by Sven Wiltink, Global Senior Director Sustainability, Radisson Hotel Group
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Five priorities for sustainable hospitality for 2026

In some ways, 2025 has been a challenging year for sustainability in the hospitality industry, particularly in the US, where the policy changes of the new administration are less supportive of programs addressing environmental and social initiatives. Nevertheless – I am heartened that the work goes on and progress is still being made across hospitality and tourism.

Jonathon Day
View by Jonathon Day, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Purdue
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Optimize the Trivial While Ignoring the Existential in Hospitality? A Leverage Points Analysis

The starting point of my short feedback here is Donella Meadows" twelve leverage points. I am looking at current hospitality practices and what could be "transformative" (for lack of better word) along those leverage points (LP).

Willy Legrand
View by Willy Legrand, Professor, IU International University of Applied Sciences Germany, IU International University of Applied Sciences
Willy Legrand
By Willy Legrand
Expert Views (20)
Melinda Ratkai
Melinda Ratkai, Dr. Professor of Hospitality Business, Hotelschool The Hague

Understanding Opting-In and Opting-Out Strategies Knowing the difference between opting-in and opting-out is essential when aiming to influence behaviour and drive change effectively. The "default option" principle can be applied to almost any business or operational process, allowing organisations to guide decisions without lengthy explanations or losing control over outcomes.

Randy Durband
Randy Durband, CEO, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

I would prioritize two things amid the myriad issues of opportunity and concern: 1) Improve measurement, data collection, data analysis, and reporting at the property level on sustainability performance, at least with energy, waste, and water, but then move on to other elements.

Sarah Habsburg-Lothringen
Sarah Habsburg-Lothringen, Responsible Hospitality | Marketing & Training | sarahhabsburg.com, sarahhabsburg

In 2026 hospitality should prioritise shifting from surface-level sustainability actions to systemic change through investment in leadership training. While technical improvements remain important, the primary focus must be on transforming internal mindsets.

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Supplier News

Insights and Practical Steps for Hoteliers from the Sustainable EU Tourism Programme

As 2025 draws to a close, the Sustainable EU Tourism – Shaping the Tourism of Tomorrow programme is nearing its end. Over the past two years, the initiative has helped European destinations test new approaches to managing tourism sustainably: improving resource efficiency, engaging local communities, and strengthening resilience to climate and market pressures. While designed for destinations, many of its findings are directly relevant to hotels and other accommodation providers.

GCSTIMES
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Opinion Article

Responsible Investing: Progress, Pitfalls and the Path Ahead

EHL Hospitality Business School held the third edition of the Sustainable Investment Forum in June 2025, focusing on shareholder engagement as an essential driver of sustainable strategies. This article shares insights on what responsible investing is, exploring today's challenges, potential solutions, as well as what the future could hold. Parts of the findings of this article were presented during the Forum.

Adam Aoun
By Adam Aoun, Assistant Professor, EHL
Supplier News

Stepping into Sustainable Comfort with GCSTIMES Eco-Luxury Slippers

From the sun-drenched shores of the South to the refined tranquility of the North, a new wave of sustainable comfort is transforming the hospitality experience. Our eco-conscious slippers, crafted with soft, breathable cotton velour or pearl cotton uppers, and paired with naturally derived linen or sugarcane soles, are designed to make every guest feel perfectly at home, wherever they stay.

GCSTIMES
Press Release

Hilton Reaffirms Commitment to Sustainable Stays Across South East Asia

As World Sustainability Day approaches on 29 October, Hilton is reaffirming its commitment to redefining sustainable travel with impactful initiatives across South East Asia. From hosting carbon-neutral events to donating surplus food to local communities, Hilton hotels in the region are taking meaningful steps to reduce environmental impact while creating positive guest experiences.

Hilton
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Hospitality Net
Opinion Article

Is Your Smart Thermostat Doing Too Much? Move Intelligence to the Cloud to Unlock AI and Predictive Capabilities

The hospitality industry has long embraced new energy management solutions (EMS) to improve efficiency while maintaining guest comfort. Smart thermostats, initially designed to monitor only for occupancy, have since evolved to provide even greater savings by integrating with check-in/check-out signals from the PMS.

Jeff Johns
By Jeff Johns, Global VP of EMS Business Development, Nomadix, Inc.
Opinion Article

Creative Cities of Tomorrow: Redefining Why Hospitality Must Become a Platform for Culture, Community, and Connection to Create Change

The future of hospitality is not about beds and breakfasts. It is about building ecosystems where culture, creativity, and community flourish through in person connection. Increasingly, the world’s most compelling destinations are not defined by their beaches or their skyline, but by the way they bring people together to learn, to create, and to belong and to connect.

Daisy Angus
By Daisy Angus, Visionary Founder & Creator, Oshom Bali
Bali, Nuanu City, Indonesia