Up your environmental credentials for eco-conscious guests Skip to content
admin – 4 Jul, 2019
According to a study published by Nature Climate Change magazine, the tourism industry is now responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Hotels, restaurants, and transport all have a significant impact on the environment. As a result, some hoteliers have decided to turn to planet-friendly practices to improve their establishment’s management. Faced with today’s ecological problems, hoteliers must commit to a sustainable approach.
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The new generation of environmentally conscious travellers
The Millennials very quickly became aware of their impact on the environment. Through demonstrations, including the climate march last May, young people show their mobilisation for a more environmentally friendly world. They have already implemented a certain number of practices in their daily lives: selective sorting, purchase of organic products, carpooling… The aim is to contribute through small actions to reduce their environmental impact.
This awareness is found in all sectors, including tourism. In Sweden, air transport, considered the most polluting form of transport, is beginning to be boycotted by many young travellers. It must be said that sustainability is an important criterion for this generation when planning their holidays. According to a booking study, nearly 68% of travellers prefer to stay in an eco-friendly hotel. Even when travelling, Millennials are sensitive to their impact on the planet and want to maintain the habits established in their daily lives.
The environmental practices to be implemented in his hotel
By committing to a sustainable approach, the hotelier contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it is also an excellent way to attract the new generation of travellers. To do so, it can draw inspiration from these few practices already in place in the hotel industry:
- Eliminate plastic = By 2021, single-use plastic items will be banned. Hoteliers must, therefore, find new alternatives. Geneva Green offers hospitality products made of recycled plastic, while Comatec provides a catalogue of objects created with natural materials.
- Reducing food waste = The hotelier can implement simple actions: measuring food losses, raising customer awareness, reusing food surpluses, etc. In addition, a study shows that 70% of establishments that have set up a waste reduction programme have recovered their investment after one year.
- Building green buildings = The principle is to build hotels with ecological and natural materials to limit the environmental impact of construction. The Eklo hotel chain is based on this approach, which is to build eco-responsible, low-energy hotels with a recyclable wooden frame.
- Involving the traveller = Travellers are also responsible for the pollution generated by the hotel industry. This is why the hotelier must make travellers aware of their consumption during their stay. This involves installing sorting bins in the hotel. Instead of cleaning the bed linen/towels daily, the hotelier can offer this service at the guest’s request.
The accreditations to be obtained
Labels have been created to distinguish the establishments for travellers wishing to stay in eco-responsible hotels. Each eco-label establishes its criteria to be met by hotels wanting to obtain this distinction. Today, the best known are the European eco-label, Green Globe or the Green Key. The World Council for Sustainable Tourism has created standards to harmonise the certification of green hotels to provide maximum transparency to the traveller when selecting a hotel.
Creating these labels is an excellent way to guarantee the traveller that the hotel is committed to a sustainable approach by implementing various actions. However, a traveller who wishes to book a room in an eco-responsible hotel must consider other criteria. He can find out about the hotel’s commitments if it supports projects related to the environment. The hotel’s location is also essential, especially the proximity to activities to limit car travel.
Whether it is a small village gite or a large town centre hotel, all structures can invest in a sustainable approach by implementing simple but effective actions. Indeed, each action will have an impact on the environment and on citizen awareness. More than a trend, sustainable tourism is increasingly appealing to the new generation of travellers. Through the implementation of an environmentally friendly policy, hoteliers will save money in the long term.
