Weather extremes, tourist demand responses, climate change: the way forward

In his article, Stefan Gössling discusses the societal polarization regarding climate change action and advises hoteliers to invest in sustainable practices, citing a majority's support for climate action. Furthermore, it argues that decarbonizing business operations is economically viable and essential, with examples like solar power being cost-effective and energy-efficient. Providing further guidance the article concludes with a practical to do-list.

Climate change is no longer in the future. Wildfires, floods, heatwaves – hoteliers all over the world have fought with the implications of extreme weather situations in the summer of 2023. Many will have realized their vulnerability – infrastructure, after all, cannot be moved.

Demand, unfortunately, can. Tourists are the most flexible in the system. One major question for the future is thus how tourist responses will be affected by expectations of uncertainty: for decades, ‘climate’ has been one of the major determinants of destination choice. Long-term average conditions – the climate – may soon no longer be a good indicator of what to expect in a destination. Actual weather conditions will become far more relevant for travel decisions. This creates additional uncertainties for tourism that are not in the industry’s interest.

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HYB 2024 Hospitality ESG Edition

The global hospitality sector is at a crossroad when it comes to implementing sustainability. Consumers demand trustworthy information while regulators and investors expect transparent disclosure on sustainability performance. Owners, brands and managers aim to mitigate the sector’s footprint thus reaping the financial and reputational benefits. Industry players that fail to adopt a sustainability strategy or fall short in the implementation stage may struggle to remain competitive in the long term. Industry experts and researchers identify key areas where sustainable innovation can have the greatest impact, developing new technologies and solutions to address sustainability challenges, and creating policies and incentives that encourage the adoption of sustainable practices. The HYB 2024 Hospitality ESG Edition aims to unlock the sustainability innovation stack by highlighting the range and interconnectedness of sustainable technologies, systems, and practices that can be combined in a holistic way that creates a more sustainable hospitality ecosystem.
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