The limited nature of natural resources and the picture painted by climate change show that sustainability must urgently be adopted and put into action by everyone, from individuals to society. The tourism sector, which accounts for 8-10% of the world’s carbon footprint, has important responsibilities in this regard. Especially hotels, the biggest stakeholders in the sector, can play a critical role in achieving sustainable tourism goals by implementing innovative solutions in energy saving, waste management, and better utilizing local resources for the economy.
Where to start?
It is necessary to identify the departments in the hotel that produce carbon emissions and to calculate and analyze the carbon emissions caused by each business process. Free applications like the “Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI)” can be used for carbon footprint calculation, or certification can be pursued according to the ISO 14064-18 standard. This allows monitoring and improving the targeted carbon footprint and energy consumption figures per guest, per room, or per square meter. Preference can be given to renewable energy sources to increase their share in total energy consumption. Integration of heating and cooling systems with front desk management software can enable starting heating/cooling just before the guest enters the room and automatically turning it off when they leave. Tracking of pool, garden and cleaning chemicals, toiletries, food and food waste management, textile waste, and reuse of gray and black water can be done in a target and process-oriented way, benefiting from certifications such as Green Key designed for hotels.
What benefits does technology provide?
Sustainability is not only about protecting nature but also about creating efficient businesses with competitive advantage. Here, technology and especially artificial intelligence come into play. AI helps define multiple parameters that create carbon footprints, their interrelations, detect anomalies, and model interdepartmental parameter relations to make data meaningful. Big data analysis allows forecasting and optimizing future consumption. Thus, hotels can make environmentally sensitive purchases based on predicted consumption. Result: less consumption and less waste. For waste textile, food, and water management, classification of waste quantities and recycling processes can be tracked via software. Digital sensors, smart trash bins, and electric vehicle charging stations are becoming increasingly common technologies in our lives.
Awareness comes first in every job
According to a 2022 sustainability report by Booking.com, the majority of travelers associate sustainable tourism either with giving up luxury or being forced to visit less attractive destinations. Nevertheless, 54% of travelers say they would choose sustainable travel options if the information about these options was more accessible. In summary, the tourism sector stakeholders have a responsibility to raise awareness and educate guests.
