Case Study: Sustainability in Hotels - How and why hotels are increasing their sustainability initiatives

Case Study: Sustainability in Hotels - How and why hotels are increasing their sustainability initiatives

Summary

The Tourism Case Study looks at the growing importance of sustainability in the hotel industry, looking at why it is important, what hotels can do and are doing to react, and what potential pitfalls may lie ahead. It assesses a number of company-specific initiatives and aanlyzes what can be learned from them.

The hotel sector historically creates a negative environmental impact through energy and water consumption, use of consumable and durable goods, and solid and hazardous waste creation. Over time, major and established hotels have realized that creating sustainability initiatives, visions and strategies assists in relieving public pressure to act responsibly whilst also providing an array of other internal and external benefits. This case study looks at what hotels can do to improve their environmental impact, how much progress they are making, and what pitfalls may lie ahead.

Scope

• The hotel sector historically creates a negative environmental impact through energy and water consumption, use of consumable and durable goods, and solid and hazardous waste creation


• Over time, major and established hotels have realized that creating sustainability initiatives, visions and strategies assists in relieving public pressure to act responsibly whilst also providing an array of other internal and external benefits.


• Hotels can use a multi-faceted approach, utilizing environmental, economic and social initiatives simultaneously. Alternatively, hotels can focus on one specific type of sustainability. All of the strategies used by hotels have a common denominator, which is that they are ultimately deployed to increase profit margins.


• The future may be for more, smaller-sized and independently-owned hotels to create long-term sustainability strategies, or visions like major and established hotels have done.

Reasons to buy

• Understand the consumer behaviours driving the importance of sustainability in the hotel industry.


• Obtain an understanding of what hotel companies are doing to lessen their environmental impact.


• Assess how successful these company strategies are.


• Learn about the sustainability issues that persist in teh hotel industry.