What Makes a Hotel Sustainable?
As travelers become more aware of the environmental damage the travel and hospitality industries produce, there grows a larger demand for sustainable tourism options.
Right now, sustainability in hospitality is important to 79% of global tourists. With the travel and tourism industry accountable for 8% of global carbon emissions and hotels contributing 1% of all global carbon emissions, travelers want to find responsible ways to travel. From overuse of natural materials to the production of large amounts of waste, the environmental impact of hotels is damaging, making the adoption of eco-friendly initiatives imperative.
Environmental issues, however, are not the only sustainability concern for hotels to focus on, with the other two pillars of sustainability often forgotten – these being the economic and the social factors. By ignoring local business, hiring staff from outside the local community, and disengaging with community members, hotels can do just as much economic and societal damage as they can environmental. What makes a hotel sustainable is to focus on initiatives that encompass sustainability as a whole, supporting the local economy, participating in the community, and caring for the environment.
While many hotels have made efforts to become more sustainable and contribute to a healthier world, there is still a high amount of greenwashing in the hospitality industry. With fake certification and sustainable sounding language, these hotels trick guests into thinking they are doing the right thing by booking with them. We want to examine what makes a hotel truly sustainable, discussing the three elements that make up sustainability and how these can be incorporated into the hospitality industry.
Factors of a Sustainable Hotel
The foundation of sustainability lies on the three pillars of environment, economy, and society. Hotels can only be considered sustainable when they engage with each aspect. Hotels will interact with these pillars in different ways. From certification which can help authenticate a hotel’s dedication to going green to becoming carbon neutral to donating to conservation projects, below are ways in which sustainability is incorporated into hospitality.
Environmental
Green Infrastructure
“Investing in green infrastructure is one of the most important ways to make a hotel eco-friendly.”
The environmental aspect to sustainability is incredibly important, with hotels focusing on recycling, reducing, reusing, and conserving. Investing in green infrastructure is one of the most important ways to turn a hotel into eco-friendly. This includes energy and waste systems that are green and efficient. In terms of energy, on a smaller scale, hotels can use tools like motion sensors, smart rooms, and LEDs. On a larger scale, hotels can use renewable energy, installing solar panels or buying energy from green companies.
Waste Management
“Hotels can also repurpose their food waste by turning it into compost or donating it to local charities.”
Waste management is another way to introduce green infrastructure. Hotels can manage waste by getting rid of plastics and paper, and introducing reusable and technological tools as replacements. Hotels can also repurpose their food waste by turning it into compost or donating it to local charities. Proper recycling systems can also help manage waste sustainably. Water management is also extremely important with hotels using different water conservation methods to reuse and repurpose water. Initiatives like using rainwater or greywater can help reduce water waste.
Local & Natural
“Hotels should always prioritize using local, naturally made materials. This can minimize carbon footprints and ensure that materials support both the local community and the natural world.”
Local and natural are keywords for hotels that practice sustainability. Hotels should always prioritize using local, naturally made materials. This can minimize carbon footprints and ensure that materials support both the local community and the natural world. This is also important for food, which should not only be locally sourced to ensure a 0km food policy, but also to ensure that food is seasonal and authentic. Using natural products is critical for both environmental and human health.
Certification & Donation
“Certification is also important for hotels to undergo to ensure that they are being held to a certain sustainable standard.”
Hotels can also put their money where their mouth is by donating to local projects which help support nature conservation and the protection of biodiversity. Certification is also important for hotels to undergo to ensure that they are being held to a certain sustainable standard. While this process can be difficult, we’ve written a guide on how to understand sustainable certification better. Certification highlights how hotels have put in the effort to meet sustainable qualifications, and have introduced genuine initiatives to do better.
Economic
Supporting the local economy is essential in creating a sustainable economy. Firstly, hotels can create jobs by hiring local crafts(wo)men to design and build the hotel, local workers to run the hotel, and local chefs to bring authentic cultural flavors to the cuisine.
“Buying from local businesses funnels money into the economy, while ensuring that hotels are using authentic products.”
Supporting local business is integral to creating a thriving economy. Buying from local businesses funnels money into the economy, while ensuring that hotels are using authentic products. From decor, to food, to accessories, buying local immerses guests in the native culture. Giving shop space to local businesses within the hotel can ensure that guests will buy from the community, while spotlighting art or favorite brands from the destination can send tourists on a discovery of the cultural scene.
Recommending community-run businesses is a great way to support the local economy, while allowing tourists to recognize the authenticity of the hotel. It can also ensure that the hotel is a focal point within the community, attracting not only international business but creating a space for residents to enjoy as well.
Social
“Having local support is essential for a thriving hotel, but it goes both ways, hotels must also involve themselves in the community.”
Having local support is essential for a thriving hotel, but it goes both ways, hotels must also involve themselves in the community. Whether this is sponsoring events, supporting charities, or developing relationships with local suppliers, hotels must invest time, energy, and money into their community. Hotels should advertise experiences to guests by highlighting locally owned restaurants, offering unique cultural activities, or recommending tour guides from the region. Hosting community events is also a great way to interact with locals.
“Explaining sustainable choices can show guests how much hotels care, but also allows guests to understand the importance of sustainability…”
The other aspect of social sustainability is education. Hotels not only have a responsibility to educate their staff on sustainable practices and initiatives, but they also have a duty to educate their guests by involving them in sustainability. Explaining sustainable choices can show guests how much hotels care, but also allows guests to understand the importance of sustainability and how to lead more sustainable lives - both when traveling and back home. Social education is also important to create unique, meaningful, and authentic experiences for guests, immersing them in local culture and ensuring that their experience benefits both themselves and the destination.
Hotels That are Doing Sustainability Right
There are many hotels incorporating sustainable policy into their brand values. While it’s important to implement the normal sustainable practices, sustainability is also not a set structure and there are many unique and creative ways hotels can better the world around them.
Here are some of our favorite sustainable initiatives by hotels around the world.
Community Outreach at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape | Bali, Indonesia
Located in the heart of the Balinese jungle, Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape is a sustainable paradise. Built into the landscape instead of on top of the landscape and using natural, local materials, this island escape fully engages with all three pillars of sustainability. From zero-waste policies, to seasonal, locally grown ingredients, to their firefly conservation project, Buahan is dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint, protecting biodiversity, and supporting their local community.
It is their community outreach that really makes Buahan standout. The hotel invests their profits into the local economy, and works closely with local farmers and suppliers for produce, materials, and products. Their Stay for Good program develops connections between guests and the community, enabling travelers to learn about local culture. They collaborate with the Ibu Workshop which empowers local women, while supporting local events, activities, and projects. The upcoming Ubud Readers and Writers Festival in Autumn is the perfect example of Buahan engaging with and supporting local events. The hotel upholds their social sustainable responsibility through their Green Imperative Fund, which educates guests on sustainability and encourages them to support their sustainability programs.
Organic Farming with Hanswirt | South Tyrol, Italy
Founded in 1357 and run by the same family since, Hotel & Restaurant Hanswirt has strong roots in the South Tyrolean countryside. Its use of local materials, culture, and traditions, makes it a strong force in fostering authentic tourism and community immersion.
Hanswirt’s truly unique factor is its 16th century organic farm. Hanswirt’s farm uses traditional, natural methods and is tended by the family. Its sprawling fields, orchards, and herb garden result in organic produce harvested for the restaurant and spa. This ensures that the restaurant always serves cuisine made from seasonal and local ingredients. The spa also uses the same organic produce to create relaxing and healing products. From seasonal produce to regional and sustainable cultivation, Hanswirt cares for its natural environment.
Natural Energy and Conservation in Cempedak & Nikoi | Singapore
Settled off the coast of Singapore are sister islands Cempedak and Nikoi. These private island resorts were built through sustainable methods with local materials. Sourcing everything from local businesses, the islands hire most of their staff from their community while working with charities to provide education and opportunities. Both islands have access to the farm, where they grow their own produce and anything they can’t grow, they source from local suppliers. Cempedak collects and purifies rainwater and uses wastewater to water their garden. The resorts have ensured that they have not disturbed the natural landscape, attempting to have minimal impact on the local environment by using natural materials that complement the landscape. The islands are also focused on conservation, working with local charities to protect marine life, removing plastic from coastal areas, and working on initiatives to reduce plastic waste.
A unique sustainable angle to these resorts is their lack of air conditioning, instead harnessing the natural sea breeze to cool guests in their rooms and saving more than 3000 watts per hour by not having AC. Cempedak does not have TVs or refrigerators in the rooms either, ensuring that guests use minimal energy. Currently, they have a 53kWp solar PV array and battery bank which can power the resort for 10 hours per day. Their long term goal is to get their energy from 100% renewable sources.
Sustainability in Hospitality
What makes a hotel truly sustainable is not checking off projects from a list of sustainable initiatives, it’s authentically and meaningfully engaging in the topic in a way that reflects its brand values and unique personality.
By supporting and booking hotels that uphold the principles of sustainability, travelers can help fuel change in the travel industry. At the same time, hotels should take inspiration from those who have implemented sustainable initiatives, enabling change within the hospitality industry. What makes a hotel sustainable is its dedication to authentic and meaningful initiatives that benefit both the planet and its people.
Photo credits: Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, Cempedak and Nikoi Island, and Hotel Hanswirt