Sustainablity in Hotels

Sustainability in Hotels the hospitality sector are relatively straightforward to record and interpret (e.g. occupancy percentages, capitalization rates, RevPAR, etc.), sustainability has remained intrinsically difficult to quantify. Sustainability issues touch on nearly all aspects of hotel ownership and management, necessitating the alignment of environmental, social, and financial factors to promote responsible business operations over time. Despite the lack of clear, universally accepted metrics, there is a noticeable shift toward sustainability that is well underway, with momentum demonstrated by a growing number of sustainability programs and initiatives which have arisen both internally in the hospitality industry (via hotel owners, managers and operators) and externally in the environmental community.
The roots of environmental thought in the hospitality sector became evident over half a century ago, when a few enterprising hoteliers realized they could provide an enhanced guest experience by integrating natural elements into the resort experience. This concept, which evolved from earlier land conservation efforts, was pioneered in such locations as Caneel Bay and the Maho Bay Camps in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The movement to improve the environmental performance and image of the travel and tourism industry in the last decade and a half has taken root and built the foundation of long term sustainability. Hotels of all sizes and customer class, and in all locations, have joined the “green revolution”
Sustainability indicators in Hospitality industry
Sustainability indicators in Hospitality industry can be characterized by a number of mutually reinforcing approaches and are typically combined to meet a hotel company’s “sustainability” objectives. These include: * environmentally sensitive design * environmental management operations * reducing carbon footprint * nature conservation * environmental reporting * guest loyalty