As the industry keeps moving toward the end of this pandemic, it's time to think more about what guests want aside from clean and safe hotels, and one of those wants is eco-friendly experiences.
With data from the World Tourism Organization and the International Transport Forum showing that emissions relating to tourism transport are expected to account for 5.3% of all man-made CO2 emissions by 2030, some guests are passing on flights and traveling by train, or traveling closer to home.
They are also doing their research and staying in green hotels, which is why more hoteliers need to get the word out about their sustainability efforts.
I recently spoke with several hotel designers about how they are designing sustainable hotels from the ground up. One example is the Hyatt Place National Harbor in Forest Heights, Maryland, designed by //3877 and built from sustainable materials, while taking into account the overall impact the project would have on the local landscape.
Hotel designers are even considering off-site manufacturing over traditional construction to be more environmentally conscious.
Mohammed Adib, chief design officer at Dewan, said via email that moving materials from a facility to a building site could increase the carbon footprint due to increased transport, but "this is more than offset by the savings and improvement that a factory controlled production can offer, as well as the more limited impact on the actual construction site."
The Pad in Silverthorne, Colorado, is another hotel that focuses on sustainability. The hotel is slated to open later this summer, and owners Lynne and Rob Baer said the hotel is working toward being B Corp.-certified, "which provides an extra layer of accountability for your business," Lynne Baer said in an April 9 article.
"It gives us as business owners the right and the legal obligation to factor in people and planet, as well as profit, when we make decisions," she said. "Traditionally [with] businesses, profit usually dictates almost everything. It was important for us to not only build The Pad and have it be a cool place, but also a place where we're making a positive impact."
While hotels can showcase their LEED-certification plaque in the lobby and serve up farm-to-table food, it's important to also let guests know the specifics of environmental efforts in the construction and design of a hotel, which all of the above examples do.
It will also be crucial for hotel companies to be transparent about sustainability efforts they had to roll back because of pandemic restrictions and protocols, but are now bringing back into focus. Did you have to go back to single-use plastics for water bottles and cutlery to keep your guests safe? Tell guests about that. Tell them about your plans to once again phase those out.
A press release is one thing, but use your social media channels to physically show your teams on-property making these changes. Many of you probably have an on-property beekeeper. Let them take over your Instagram feed for a few hours to show guests the bees and explain the benefits they have to your hotel and the environment.
What do you think? Email me or find me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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