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Sustainability

Opinion Article

The $1 Trillion Question: Can the Middle East Afford a 7-Month Tourism Year?

The Middle East is building the world’s boldest tourism dreams—but will rising heat rewrite the rules of ROI, resilience, and reputation? From 50 °C “death zone” summers to exploding cooling costs and stranded giga-assets, the risks are no longer theoretical.

Dr. Aradhana Khowala
By Dr. Aradhana Khowala, CEO & Regenerative Tourism Expert | Global Thought Leader | Chair and Non-Executive Director | Innovator in Luxury Hospitality and Wellness | Public Speaker, Aptamind Partners
Press Release

Holiday to help out this September as IHG Hotels & Resorts brings back ‘Stay for Good’ in support of OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest

As new data reveals food insecurity is at an unprecedented high, travellers in Australia and New Zealand can give back to those in need and help reduce food waste by staying at participating IHG Hotels & Resorts this month. For the fourth year running, IHG’s annual ‘Stay for Good’ campaign supports Australia’s leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest, and its New Zealand-based sister organisation, KiwiHarvest, throughout September.

IHG
Opinion Article

Regenerative Hospitality Canva: A Transformative Playbook

The hospitality industry stands at a crossroads between a series of choices that will shape its future. Traditionally, sustainability efforts have centred on minimising environmental impact. However, an innovative approach is required for hotels to become agents of positive change. This extends from the improvement and restoration of destinations to the protection of their natural and social ecosystems. Regenerative Hospitality represents a fundamental shift in mindsets. Instead of simply reducing harm, forward-thinking hospitality businesses are now creating net-positive impacts, leaving places better than they found them. This isn't just environmental stewardship; it's a complete reimagining of business purpose within the interconnected living systems.

Roland ScheggRonald SoneAmélie KellerAlessandro Inversini
By Roland Schegg, Ronald Sone, Amélie Keller, and Alessandro Inversini
Opinion Article

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.

Xavier Font
By Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing, University of Surrey
Opinion Article

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.

Jef Moons
By Jef Moons, Founder and CEO of Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West, Kep West
Kep, Cambodia
Opinion Article

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.

Nicola Gryczka Kirsch
By Nicola Gryczka Kirsch, EHL Entrepreneur in Residence and Founder of The Regen Studio, EHL
Brazil
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The next-gen metrics that move hotel P&L

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Mews
Opinion Article

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.

Lily ClarkToby Radcliffe
By Lily Clark and Toby Radcliffe
United Kingdom
Press Release

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.

RIU
United Kingdom
Press Release

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.

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From Strategy to Standards: A New Era of Accountability in Tourism Sustainability

We are seeing a clear and growing commitment from major hotel groups, such as Ascott, Mandarin Oriental, Best Western Hotels, Barcelo, and others, that are continuing to advance their sustainability agendas, regardless of regulatory pressure. These companies understand that sustainability is no longer a trend or a nice-to-have; it's a business imperative.

Randy Durband
View by Randy Durband, CEO, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
Supplier News

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.

Shiji
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From Compliance to Commitment: Why Hospitality Must Lead with Regeneration, Not Regulation

The delay to the CSRD may offer temporary regulatory breathing space, but it also exposes a deeper truth: sustainability in hospitality and tourism cannot and must not be contingent on government stipulations. If our industry's environmental strategy remains reactive, led only by legal obligation, we risk falling behind both planetary urgency, public expectation and YES, opportunities for regenerative profitability that impact not only our businesses but the local society and environment.

Ioannis S. Pantelidis
View by Ioannis S. Pantelidis, PhD, FIH, CMBE, SFHEA, Head of Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ulster University
Opinion Article

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.

Nicolas Chammaa
By Nicolas Chammaa, General Manager, Rotana
United Arab Emirates
Maribel Esparcia Pérez
By Maribel Esparcia Pérez
Expert Views (10)
Willy Legrand
Willy Legrand, Professor, IU International University of Applied Sciences Germany, IU International University of Applied Sciences

“Facing sustainability deprioritization?” I think the concern is justified since a large section of the hospitality sector has traditionally operated on a ‘compliance-first’ approach when it comes down to sustainability commitments.

Ioannis S. Pantelidis
Ioannis S. Pantelidis, PhD, FIH, CMBE, SFHEA, Head of Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ulster University

The delay to the CSRD may offer temporary regulatory breathing space, but it highlights a deeper truth: sustainability in hospitality and tourism must not depend solely on government mandates. If our industry remains reactive, driven only by compliance, we risk falling environmentally, socially, and economically behind.

Melinda Ratkai
Melinda Ratkai, Dr. Professor of Hospitality Business, Hotelschool The Hague

Indeed, there is a real risk that goals driven by political ambition, political agenda in the best sense of the word, may be deprioritised. I recently wrote a piece titled "Where Do We Stand Now?" to better understand the current state of play.

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