Being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions through massive energy consumption, transportation and waste generation, the hospitality industry impacts the environment considerably.

In response, the travel sector is increasingly adopting best practices in sustainability to harmonise guest experience with responsible tourism.

In an interview with TTN, Patrick O ‘Meara, Director of Partnerships and Engagement, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, highlights a central mission of the organisation: achieving Net Positive Hospitality.

Excerpts

What are the key trends and developments in sustainability in the travel and hospitality sector?

Sustainability has become a major focus in the travel and hospitality sector, driven by growing awareness of environmental issues, consumer demand for eco-friendly options, and regulatory pressures.

Net Positive Hospitality aims to put more back into society, the environment, and the global economy than they take out.

By working together as an industry, we have the collective power to ensure that our destinations and communities are protected and regenerated now and for future generations.

This is the Alliance’s key mission and we are currently implementing our Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, globally.

• Hospitality companies are increasingly reporting on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, providing transparency on their sustainability efforts and impact. Harmonisation of metrics across environmental and social impacts to have industry standards, including measurement methodologies is vital.

The management and curation of data and the drive to simplify and co-ordinate reporting methodologies in line with regulatory and stakeholder expectations will ensure that all hotels are working to one standard.  The ambition is to arrive at a set of standards that are relevant, relatable, consistent and comparable across the whole industry. 

• Many hotels are setting ambitious targets to achieve carbon neutrality or even net-zero emissions by specific dates. This includes reducing emissions through energy efficiency, investing in renewable energy, and purchasing carbon offsets.

• Hotels and resorts are seeking certifications like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Green Key, and EarthCheck to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

• The sector is moving towards zero-waste operations by reducing single-use plastics, implementing comprehensive recycling programmes, and promoting the reuse of materials.

• In hospitality, demonstrable awareness of the issues, performance, progress against the big-ticket items and evidence of a comprehensive sustainability strategy are increasingly the rivers of business, especially from business customers, and influence access to capital, risk ratings and asset value.

What do you see as the core focus when it comes to investment in sustainability/sustainable tourism in hospitality and travel in 2024 and beyond?

The core focus of investment in sustainability and sustainable tourism in the hospitality sector will include;

• Investment in technology-aided solutions to gain deeper insights on issues, performance and data-driven impacts, environmentally and socially.

• Investment in robust governance; harmonisation of measurement techniques and globally acceptable standards, in reporting and in data management is increasing at pace.  Sustainability strategies are increasingly becoming the business strategies of leading companies.

• Investment in Renewable Energy- organisations will increasingly invest in renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal, to power hotels, resorts, and other hospitality facilities.

• Water-Saving Technologies- investments will be made in water-efficient technologies, such as low-flow fixtures, greywater recycling systems, and rainwater harvesting. This is especially critical in areas facing water scarcity, you can view our latest Destination Water Risk Index here.

• Local Community Engagement and Regenerative Tourism- sustainable tourism investments will increasingly focus on benefiting local communities, including funding for community-owned tourism projects, supporting local artisans, and developing infrastructure that ensures the benefits of tourism are equitably distributed. The Alliance’s Net Positive Hospitality Impact Fund is a fund to support local Accelerator projects focusing on decarbonisation, human rights, and destination stewardship in the local community.

• ESG and Certification Programmes- businesses will invest in obtaining and maintaining sustainability certifications, as well as in robust ESG reporting tools that provide transparency to stakeholders and consumers. At the Alliance we are working to harmonise metrics, update the carbon measurement tool, and initiate a data management research effort to tell the compelling stories behind the numbers for our sector.

What role does technology play in driving innovation and pushing sustainability in the industry?

Technology is crucial in propelling our industry forward to drive innovation and sustainable practices. It enables companies to optimise operations, reduce environmental impact, enhance guest experiences, and create more sustainable business models.

This is true across all aspects of operations and strategies from water and energy management, food waste solutions, performance management and reporting, all of which inform longer-term business strategies.

From hotel reporting to predictive analytics, technology is a key driver in getting the sector to Net Positive Hospitality. Our World Academy for Sustainable Hospitality is an academy to educate and engage the hospitality workforce in collaboration with industry partners and technology is at the centre of this project.

This includes the Net Positive Hospitality Simulation which is a learning tool for hotels to use the educate employees on the connection between environmental, social, governance issues and test the outcomes if different solutions and strategic decisions. It has been developed to engage and upskill hospitality leaders and students, bringing Net Positive Hospitality to life and demonstrating how you can implement the Pathway. It helps users to understand the impacts of their decisions, test sustainability actions and create a tailored sustainability action plan.

Are there any pitfalls for hospitality and tourism leaders to avoid when it comes to investing / driving sustainability in their businesses/organisations?

Investing in sustainability is crucial for the long-term success of businesses in the hospitality and tourism sectors, but there are several pitfalls that leaders should be aware of to avoid setbacks and ensure their initiatives are both effective and credible.

• One of the biggest pitfalls is greenwashing — making exaggerated or false claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or business practice. This can lead to reputational damage and loss of trust among consumers.

• Failing to provide transparent and verifiable information about sustainability initiatives can backfire. Businesses should avoid vague claims and instead provide clear, evidence-based details on their environmental impact and progress.

• Sustainability is not just about the environment, it also includes social and economic dimensions. Leaders who focus solely on environmental issues may overlook the importance of fair labour practices, community engagement, and economic resilience.

• Sustainable tourism should benefit local communities, not just the business. Leaders must avoid implementing initiatives that ignore local stakeholders. Involving communities in decision-making processes and ensuring that tourism brings tangible benefits to them is crucial.

• Business leaders must give sustainability a central role in informing wider business strategies, therefore not including a CSO within business planning would be a pitfall. A focus on wider prosperity, long-term, over short- term profitability is key to finding commercial and ESG success, along with ensuring that analyses and strategies are data-driven. – TradeArabia News Service