A recent survey conducted by Clean the World, a global leader in sustainable environmental and social impact solutions for the hospitality industry, highlights a major discrepancy between guest expectations and guest assumptions of hotel practices.

The data shows that an overwhelming 88% of travellers factor sustainability into their hotel booking decisions. However, the results also indicate a significant gap between guests' desires for sustainable travel and their confidence in hotels' environmental commitments. The majority of people surveyed (58.7%) believe that most hotels do little, if anything, to recycle their bathroom amenities; the consensus being that their hotel simply bins all recyclable items after their stay.

Interestingly, due to this lack of trust in their hotel’s environmental commitments, some respondents seem to take matters into their own hands. Just over half (51%) of people are inclined to take leftover bathroom amenities home with them at the end of a stay, out of which 57% believed their hotels would not responsibly dispose of them if left in the bathroom.

The survey therefore highlights the need for hotels not only to implement impactful and sustainable initiatives to divert their amenities from landfills, but also to offer clear and consistent messaging reassuring their guests that they genuinely care about the environment and follow environmentally friendly waste diversion practices.

When it comes to the best way to deliver this information, the surveyed hotel guests showed a slight preference for it to be included in their hotel room info pack, with 41% of respondents choosing this method, while 23% said they would want to access this information on the hotel website prior to booking. Meanwhile, over half of the respondents expressed interest in receiving information about the environmental impact of their stay after checkout.

It’s clear from the responses we have received that hotels which embrace and transparently communicate robust sustainability practices stand to gain a competitive edge. It's also clear that hotels must engage with guests at multiple touchpoints throughout their stay —from the initial booking phase to post-checkout, ensuring that sustainability practices are clearly communicated and easily accessible.

By adopting and showcasing effective zero-waste practices, hotels can meet guest expectations while contributing to global environmental efforts. It’s time to turn awareness into action, and to transform the guest experience through tangible sustainability initiatives. Tommie Eaton, Director of Clean the World Europe and UK

*The data in this survey was collected between April and June 2024, and is based on over 200 responses.