New framework for achieving net positive hospitality can be implemented globally

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance has recently launched its Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, a framework created to help hospitality businesses around the globe move towards a net positive tourism industry.

© Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

With climate action failure considered one of the world’s preeminent threats, it has become even more determinant to move towards net positive tourism industry. Developed by the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) in collaboration with industry experts and environmental organisations, the Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality is new a tool designed to help businesses that want to embark on a sustainable journey.

In addition to being free, the SHA framework simplifies the complex process of achieving net positive in the hospitality industry in four steps:

• Simple environmental actions

• Robust environmental actions

• Net zero impacts for the planet

• Net positive impacts on the planet

Through this framework, SHA hopes that hospitality businesses can move up the sustainability ladder through the different pathway stages until becoming net positive. The tool was built to be accessible to all companies, independently of their starting point in the sustainability pathway. On this matter, the chair of Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Wolfgang M. Neuman has said:

“Our Pathway fills the current vacuum of a co-ordinated and focused strategic plan across the hospitality industry to tackle the urgently needed climate actions. It is a practical tool for any hotel, no matter their starting point, to obtain guidance on how to prioritise and sequence targeted and measurable climate actions. The Alliance wants to encourage all hotels to embrace the journey all the way to net positive. We are spearheading the dialogue beyond having ‘zero’ impact and setting a vision for what we can be putting back into the natural world with a lasting ‘positive’ impact on our planet and its people.”

The SHA has already released the two first stages of the pathway (Simple Environmental Actions and Robust Environmental Actions) and it is planning to launch the last two steps later in 2022. To learn more about the Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality visit the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance webpage.

Booking.com implements ‘Travel Sustainable Badge’ to aid identifying conscious establishments

Booking.com has released a new Travel Sustainable Badge that is accessible to all global partners to gain recognition through the programme, whilst making it simpler for travellers to find eco-conscious establishments.

Booking.com has introduced a sustainability recognition programme that is available for all global partners to utilise. It has been created to encourage the travel industry to act more sustainably and to make it easier for travellers to make sustainable booking choices. The online booking platform has stated that travel allows individuals to broaden their horizons and bring people together, though it is vital for travelling to be done properly, by treating the environment, biodiversity and the residents of the destination with respect.

The Booking.com Travel Sustainable badge shares their partners’ sustainability practices so that the public can understand the initiatives the establishments are taking before making their choice. Allowing those who are environmentally conscious an opportunity to make their reservation with confidence that their visit will have a low impact on the destination. There are 32 sustainability practices that establishments can choose from and the claims are verified through independent professionals in the sustainability sector. The initiatives are additionally shared in numerous languages for individuals to read on their property pages.

In addition, establishments that fulfil the criteria of a GSTC recognised standard such as Green Key have their eco-certification also added to their profile page in Booking.com.

Booking.com has stated that their research found that 73% of travellers are likely to reserve a room in an establishment that has sustainability practices in place. Though 41% are not aware of how to identify sustainable travel options. This problem is solved through the use of the new badge, showcasing establishments that are eligible for the badge as they have been verified and met the sustainability criteria model. Furthermore, the badge provides the establishments with additional recognition for their efforts.

Recent research recognises a change in consumers attitudes and desire for sustainable travel

Over the last 18 months, everything has changed, and that includes people's attitudes towards sustainability - both in their everyday lives and when it comes to how they travel. In this context, Skyscanner in cooperation with YouGov conducted research to better understand how the pandemic has impacted people's attitudes and behaviour around more responsible air travel.

Since the start of the pandemic, people are thinking differently about sustainability.  Alongside YouGov, Skyscanner surveyed over 6,000 people to discover what’s motivating travellers globally and how lifestyle choices have impacted the way they want to travel. 

The key takeaways as stated in Skyscanner’s original report are:

1. Awareness around sustainability is huge and it's seen as a key issue. Due to the pandemic, people are trying to be more sustainable in their lives, avoid products with excessive packaging and buy more local produce.

2. People are willing to accept a level of personal accountability towards making more sustainable travel choices but believe the responsibility lies chiefly with governments and the travel industry.

3. In general, people feel there's very little information regarding sustainability. And what is available is very confusing.

4. Many don't believe carbon offsetting helps to reduce the effect of global travel. Instead, they believe more fuel-efficient aircrafts and sustainable aviation fuel could be the answer. Overall, they feel there's too little or confusing information on the benefits of carbon offsetting when deciding which flights to book.

5. Across all countries surveyed, cost remains a key factor and remains the deciding factor when it comes to booking plane tickets.

The ongoing pandemic has held an intense impact on societies' lives and lifestyle decisions. In the survey, it was identified that 'caring for the environment’ plus 'increasing sustainability to tackle climate change' are now of similar importance than ‘improving access to healthcare’.

Though, it was also stated in the report that few individuals may argue that it is of higher importance to improve tourism figures before focusing on other areas. In the article in Travel Weekly, YouGov’s head of travel and tourism, Eva Satkute Stewart disagrees as she argues that sustainability and recovery are not mutually exclusive. Customers are prepared to spend higher amounts for sustainable travel as individuals desire to take part in advocating to preserve the environment.

Due to the ongoing threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, travellers needed to make adaptions. It can be suggested that the additional time with limited possibilities to travel has allowed tourists to become more conscious of the negative impact on the environment that they may have whilst travelling. Being aware of what consumers are looking for allows organisations to make responsible decisions that will aid both the tourists and the organisation to achieve improved sustainable travel results.

The research from YouGov reports that customers around the world desire to be more sustainable in their daily lives as well as strengthen that passion through travel. It was stated that there are a few important limitations to adopting sustainable travel, such as cost, access to information and convenience.

Source: YouGov and Skyscanner’s Sustainability in Air Travel report 2021

Green Hotels in Qatar share their challenges, recommendations and pathways for a greener sector

Qatar Green Building Council aims to engage the community in a wide range of sustainability-oriented activities, and Green Key is suggested as a useful mechanism for developing a sustainable sector.

A range of workshops with the attendance of numerous hospitality staff, speakers and stockholders has been held, surveys were distributed and a report has been produced which noted current difficulties, recommendations and best practices advice. The report urges Qatar decision-makers to take solid actions for green change.

Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) is the Green Key national operator for Qatar, QGBC evaluates the dedication of tourism and hospitality organisations to their environmental and sustainable standards and actions. Green Key has been suggested as a useful mechanism for developing a sustainable sector.

“Hotels are encouraged to use industry-recognised certifications, tools, and resources, such as Green Key, to create and further this framework” - (QGBC)

The benefits of the Green Key Certificate include a step-by-step approach towards sustainability. The Certificate elevates the sustainability standards of an establishment and assures its customers of its commitment to green practices. The Certificate also acts as a motivating reward for the team involved in achieving the ecolabel.

Green Key certified Alwadi Hotel Doha - MGallery inspires visitors to reuse bed sheets and towels through their ‘Plant for the Planet’ scheme which reinvests the proceeds into planting trees. The staff at the hotel are also enabled to acquire ownership of the program, as they determine visitors which engage in the towel reuse is seen as a manageable yet impactful approach to helping the local community. To read the report click the following link: https://www.qatargbc.org/app/media/5435 

Furthermore, a Focus Day was held as part of Qatar Sustainability Week 2021 and the findings were published as ‘Resilience and adaptation to climate change-Green Hotels, Challenges and Pathways.’ This can be found at: https://www.qatargbc.org/outreach/qsw 

New report on single-use plastics aims to advance sustainability in the tourism industry

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), launched a major new report, addressing the complex issue of single-use plastic products within the tourism and hospitality industry and providing guidelines to avoid single-use plastics altogether.

In recent years, the reduction of single-use plastics has been one of the main concerns of the hospitality industry. Leading hotel chains started to ban the use of plastic straws or replaced travel-sized toiletries with dispensers. Since July 2021, the EU no longer allows certain single-use plastic items to be placed on the Member States market, a policy that supports the growing trend of switching to reusable or more eco-friendly alternatives.

However, there is still a lot of work ahead of the industry to become plastic-free. Water bottles, plastic bags, bin liners, food packaging and cups are among the biggest plastic polluters for which solutions need to be found. Rethinking the way we consume is an enormous task that requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic was a set-back for the efforts of many businesses to reduce the amount of plastic waste as the safety and hygiene concerns required to reintroduce some items that were already banned, and take-away becoming a major income for those businesses offering food.

However, the pandemic also had some positive impacts on the demand for sustainable solutions, not only in tourism but in general. We were confronted with the negative impacts of the way we treat our planet and realised that we need to change our consumption patterns to keep it viable. Being confronted with all the additional plastic waste that we produced due to the pandemic catalysed the demand for change.

The report of the WTTC and UNEP recognises the need for global solutions to the ‘plastic problem’ and aims to support informed decision making in the tourism industry. It explains the challenges in detail and provides recommendations for tourism businesses and policy-makers.

You can download the report here: ‘Rethinking Single-Use Plastic Products in Travel & Tourism’

76% of travellers pledging to seek out accommodation that has sustainability accreditation

Booking.com’s latest Sustainable Travel Report affirms a growing demand for sustainable travel and reveals how the ‘pandemic effect’ could translate the travellers’ intend to travel more sustainably into impactful action.

For the sixth consecutive year, Booking.com released its Sustainable Travel Report which gives some very interesting insights into the demand for sustainable travel. The results prove that sustainable tourism is not a niche market anymore, but that travellers demand that the accommodation they choose take actions to protect the environment and support the local community.

Some interesting results from the report at a glimpse:

• 61 % of travellers state that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future

• 81% of travellers intend to stay in a sustainable accommodation, at least once in the upcoming year, compared to 73% in 2019 and 65% in 2017

• 76% of travellers pledge to seek out accommodation that has reputable third-party sustainability accreditation

• 73% of travellers would be more likely to choose an accommodation if it has implemented sustainability practices

Travellers are furthermore willing to change their behaviour while staying in a tourist accommodation to reduce their environmental footprint:

• 83% want to reduce their energy consumption (e.g. by turning off air conditioning and lights in their room when they are not in it, for example)

• 79% want to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport (i.e. walking, cycling or public transport over taxis or rental cars)

• 76% are keen to reduce water usage (e.g. by reusing towels or opting out of daily room cleaning)

• 69% are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their trip or pay to offset this whenever possible

Fortunately, these are not only good intentions. The report also reveals that many travellers already take action to reduce their environmental footprint when travelling. In the past 12 months:

• 45% made a conscious decision to turn off their air conditioning/heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there in the past

• 43% took their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water while on vacation

• 40% reused the same towel to reduce water usage

• 42% shopped at small, independent stores to support the local economy during their travels.

In addition, travellers place clear demand on the accommodation sector to help them lower their environmental footprint and make responsible choices in the destination:

• 35% believe that having electricity controlled by keycards and/or sensors to reduce energy use for air conditioning or heating should be provided

• 32% consider offering guests information about local ecosystems, heritage, culture, as well as visitor etiquette as a step in the right direction

• 27% believe that accommodations should offer guests the option to opt out of daily room cleaning to reduce water usage

• 27%of travellers would prefer only being offered reusable plates and cutlery for all meals, including room service

However, the survey also reveals that travellers struggle with turning their intentions into actions:

• 72% think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices

• 48% say they find it harder to make sustainable choices while on vacation than in their everyday life

• 41% of travellers indicate that they don’t know how to find sustainable travel options

Eco-certifications like Green Key can help to close this gap and answer the travellers’ demand for sustainable tourism. They provide a framework for making a business more sustainable and help travellers find those businesses and providers that really make a difference.

To read the full report, visit Booking.com

The impacts of the pandemic on the travel industry

In an interview with Green Key International, Jens Zimmer Christensen, the chairman of HOTREC and HORESTA (Danish Hotel & Restaurant Association), has been sharing his thoughts on the impacts of the pandemic on the third-largest industry in Europe, the travel industry, and the hospitality sector in particular.

Jens Zimmer Christensen

Copyright: HOTREC/HORESTA

Besides being the chairman of HOTREC and HORESTA, Jens Zimmermann Christensen is also the hotel manager and owner of the Hotel Maritime in Copenhagen, Denmark and has therefore been directly impacted by the consequences of COVID-19. As HOTREC is the voice of the European hospitality industry, Green Key International has been interested in learning how the association is working together with its members to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and how the COVID-19 pandemic will change the work with sustainability in the European tourism sector.

The HOTREC (European Hotel & Restaurant Association), is the umbrella association of Hotels, Restaurants, Bars and Cafes and similar establishments in Europe, bringing together 45 National associations in 33 countries, and representing the hospitality industry at the European level.

Tourism is a key contributor to Europe's economic, social and cultural way of life. According to you, what are the biggest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall tourism industry?

Most hotels closed down (either because of governmental measures or because they did not have any clients). Hotels that remained open had very few clients (such as nurses, doctors, the army, homeless people or a few business travellers). Most of the restaurants, cafés and bars were closed or only providing take-away or home-delivery services. As a result, there was an estimated loss of 80-90% in the turn-over for the hospitality sector. Some companies reported losses of 100%. Many companies could not survive, even with the State Aid measures applied and needed to close down their business for good. Estimates are still to be seen, but at the moment the European Commission Communication points out a possible loss of six million jobs for the sector in the EU.

For the moment, the sector is slowly starting to welcome back primarily national customers. In general, the hospitality sector hopes that the opening will be done in a coordinated way, whilst of course respecting the epidemiological situation and ability to apply containment and reciprocity measures, based on the principle of non-discrimination.

How do you foresee the situation post-COVID-19 for the hospitality industry?

For the moment it is difficult to predict the future, as we don’t know when a vaccine will be found. Therefore, our message to the EU is to have a coordinated approach, when reopening borders and businesses. Moreover, all companies need to strictly follow the health and safety protocols developed at a national level, for employees and guests to be safe. Nevertheless, we think that the level of consumer trust is now damaged and it will take a long time before it comes back to normal or rather a new normal.

What is the strategy of HOTREC after the pandemic?

In the long run, HOTREC advocates that digitalisation and sustainability should be part of the solution. But for this to happen, the tourism industry must be a priority of the Recovery Package to be approved by the Member States. Moreover, a dedicated budget line on tourism should be included in the Multiannual Financial Framework. The main aim would be to develop products in terms of quality and sustainability; develop a skilled workforce; decrease the carbon footprint, etc.

In your opinion, what will be the place of sustainability in the hospitality industry post-COVID-19?

As mentioned before, in my opinion, sustainability should develop into a fundamental role post-COVID-19. The sector should be established and rebuilt taking into account the principles set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the EU Green Deal. Within these programs, the actions of the hospitality sector will focus on the support and promotion of sustainable practices; the promotion of the use of energy-efficient products and renewable energy sources; the promotion of actions to reduce food waste in the hospitality sector and the promotion of skilled labour through training and career development.

What do you think about the future of environmental/sustainability labels and what role should they play in the aftermath? What would you expect from a label like Green Key?

Ecolabels play a significant role in the European tourism market. Concerning environmental labels in the hospitality sector, HOTREC considers that the Green Key and EU ecolabel are two examples of robust and well-run schemes that should be further promoted by the EU and the sector itself. The EU should find efficient ways to incentivise a positive market reaction from consumers upon the use of such labels by hotels. At the moment, consumers do not yet change their consumption behaviours/choices in favour of hotel services bearing these labels.