NH Hotel Group, Radisson Hotel Group and other leading groups with 25,000 hotels in total, are launching an initiative to set common definition of hotel sustainability to drive responsible travel and tourism.
In a unique cooperation between the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) and leading hotel companies, in consultation with distribution partners and key tourism and travel stakeholders, the hotel industry celebrates a responsible return to business with an initiative to raise the global basic level of hotel sustainability in a clear and transparent manner for all travellers and stakeholders.
The Basic Sustainability framework will critically deliver on a common starting point for hotel sustainability that is accessible to all hotel actors worldwide– whether they are part of large international group or independent hotels. Providing this common understanding for all hotels worldwide with actions that have a positive impact on planet and people will drive real change by stimulating the demand for responsible travel.
The Basic Sustainability framework reinforces and works in complement to SHA’s Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, which aims to enable every hotel to improve their impact, whatever their starting point on their sustainability journey, and will encompass four clear stages and practical tools that guide the industry towards a regenerative impact on our planet.
In the coming months, the hotel groups having joined in this initiative, will work in close alignment with the WTTC, SHA and key stakeholders, on finalizing the essential sustainability actions demonstrating positive impact, and collaborate to share tools and best practices with each other and the wider industry to ensure all hotels start on a pathway towards the targets of the COP 21 Paris Accord.
The sustainability basic framework is aligned with main aspirations such as the UNWTO Glasgow Declaration and the UN SDG’s.
Current partner groups include leading hotel companies such as Accor, Barceló Hotel Group, Huazhu including their affiliate Deutsche Hospitality, Indian Hotels Company Limited; Jin Jiang International (Holdings) Co., Ltd. including their affiliates Jin Jiang Hotels, Louvre Hotels Group and Radisson Hotel Group; Meliá Hotels International, and Minor Hotels including NH Hotel Group.
The Basic Sustainability framework has now entered the development phase and will be launched in March 2022.