Source: AxisRooms

The importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry has gained attention as awareness about environmental issues among travelers keeps increasing every year.

According to research, the hotel sector currently accounts for about 1% of the world's carbon emissions. It also states that the hotel industry must cut its carbon emissions per room by more than 90% by 2050.

Hotels will have to take drastic measures to limit the worst consequences of climate change.

In fact, some of the world’s leading hotel businesses have already incorporated sustainable practices into their operations to reduce their adverse environmental impacts.

Do you wish to reduce your hotel's carbon footprint and join other top hotels on the path to sustainability?

If yes, continue reading to learn why sustainability is not just a trend and what sustainable measures you can start implementing right away to make your hotel greener.

Importance of Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry

The global environmental crisis has been dramatically affected by the hotel industry. As a result, it is more crucial than ever for hospitality businesses to adopt sustainability.

Following are a few reasons why your hotel business should become more sustainable:

1. Reducing carbon footprint

For all environmental effects associated with tourism, the hotel sector bears a large share of the responsibility. Additionally, the ecosystem and biodiversity have suffered greatly as a result of pollution and poor hotel waste management.

The hotel industry not only produces large amounts of waste and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change but also consumes a lot of energy and water.

Therefore, hotels must implement long-term sustainable practices that lessen the effects of waste production and environmental pollution.

2. Saving money on operational expenses

Adopting sustainable practices in the hotel industry not only benefits the environment but also helps you save money on running your business.

Reduce using single-use plastic items like disposable plastic straws, cups, and cutlery. Instead, switch to recyclable or reusable alternatives like bamboo or metal straws.

This will help you promote sustainability in the hospitality industry among your business partners and clients. And after making your initial investment, you'll begin to save money on supplies and garbage disposal.

3. Protecting the environment

One of the primary objectives of traveling, as everyone would agree, is to explore the world and its beauty. Because of this, protecting the environment and biodiversity and increasing sustainability in the hospitality industry is in every hotelier's best interest.

The risk of natural calamities is rising as the number of environmental crises grows every year. This endangers popular tourist destinations as well as the overall tourism sector.

The hospitality industry should be at the forefront of implementing sustainable practices while encouraging customers to do the same.

This will help to prevent catastrophic environmental effects and guarantee that visitors will continue to have a reason to travel and explore.

Adopt 6 green practices in the hospitality industry

Below are some green practices that your business can implement to achieve and promote sustainability in the hospitality industry:

1. Minimize food waste

A certain amount of garbage is unavoidable when managing a hotel and providing services for huge gatherings of guests for occasions like weddings and festivities.

However, it's a good idea to be aware of where excessive garbage is accumulated within your hotel.

This might assist you in creating a long-term plan to minimize food waste. In the long run, this will lower costs and help your hotel become more cost-effective and sustainable.

Monitor the amount of food that your catering establishments discard each week or each month.

Consider collaborating with organizations that will collect extra food, empty bags, and other leftovers from your hotel for charitable and sustainable reasons to reduce food wastage.

2. Conserve water

The amount of water used in each guest's room is under their control. You can, however, encourage them to consider how they could use water in a more responsible and sustainable manner.

For instance, put small notes or signs reminding guests to be aware of their water usage in bathrooms or nearby washbasins.

Remind visitors that they can conserve water by taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet while washing their faces or hands and brushing their teeth.

3. Cut back on plastic usage

An efficient way for your hotel to reduce its carbon impact is through plastic waste management. As mentioned before, you can replace plastic straws and cups with glass or metal ones and also switch to reusable glass bottles.

You can also do away with disposable cutlery and little toiletry bottles. Use reusable cutlery or recyclable plastic products in place of disposable ones in your hotel rooms.

Start separating waste by placing colored segregation bins all around your hotel. The same facility can be provided in each hotel room as well. This will encourage your guests to segregate their trash.

4. Use non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning supplies

Green cleaning supplies are better for everyone's health as well as less harmful to the environment.

Natural ingredients and a lack of hazardous chemicals in non-toxic cleaning supplies make them safer for visitors with allergies or other problems.

Additionally, such products don't contain any components that worsen the issues with air and water pollution and produce a low carbon impact.

Look for products that are biodegradable, phosphate-, hypochlorite-, and chlorine-free when purchasing non-toxic, ecologically friendly cleaning supplies.

Read the label list to determine if any additional chemicals or dyes have been added.

Look for cleaning supplies that come in recyclable packaging to make sure your hotel's cleaning supplies are as environmentally friendly as possible and increase sustainability in the hospitality industry.

5. Embrace technological advancements and implement automation

You might be surprised to learn that adopting hotel technology and smart gadgets takes sustainability in the hotel industry to a new level in addition to helping you optimize your hotel operations.

For instance, using an electronic check-in procedure will allow you to reduce the use of paper and plastic check-in cards.

A passcode or pin and check-in instructions can be sent by email or an application instead of a plastic check-in card or key. Additionally, your visitors will value the convenience of arriving without having to stand in line and access their rooms right away.

The best energy-saving techniques also include adopting smart thermostats and LED light bulbs that can be installed in all hotel rooms. You can also stop visitors from leaving lights on by installing a one-switch lighting control system at your hotel.

Installing solar panels to supply hot water is another one of the best sustainable hotel practices. This is a one-time investment but requires a considerable budget.

6. Encourage your guests to participate in your sustainability journey

It's crucial to involve your visitors in your efforts because they are your hotel's primary consumers of water and energy. As a result, employ various communication methods to educate visitors about your hotel's policies.

You can, for instance, advise visitors to use water and electricity wisely. Install waste separation facilities all across your hotel to promote environmentally responsible behavior.

Final Words

From housekeeping to operations and managing the restaurant, hotel sustainability should be treated holistically across all sectors.

In order for them to play a part and be inspired to make sustainable decisions both inside the hotel and around the local neighborhood, guests should also be encouraged to participate in the campaign.

There are various sustainable practices in the hotel industry that can be implemented hotel-wide to help reduce carbon footprint, such as those listed in the blog's preceding section.

Understanding and implementing these strategies will help hotels stand out from competitors as well as help them save money by becoming more energy-efficient and producing less waste.

AxisRooms Editorial Desk

AxisRooms, a software suite provider for the hospitality industry, is committed to aiding your business growth, not just with our state-of-the-art products and services, but also with the latest updates from the travel and hospitality industry. Got something to say? Write to us at: [email protected]