A can’t-miss report this week is the 2024 Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR). Produced by Greenview, the report is the leading global benchmarking study on sustainability practices in hotels. Be sure to download and read this report. Our industry’s leading companies contributed data. In fact, the report is based on data from 20,000 hotels across 50 countries. A total of 80 best practices are assessed in the report. Of the 80 best practices, 17 align with the WTTC’s The Basics.
Nine trend areas are covered in the report. They include: Management System, Staff and Guest Engagement, Social Impact, Pollution and Biodiversity, Responsible Consumption, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Energy Management, and Climate Action. When data is presented, it is broken down by STR segment (limited service, upscale, resort, etc.).
Callouts highlight best practices at individual hotels around the world. For example, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand, team members can join a voluntary committee called Culture Club, which comprises passionate, fun-loving, creative and dedicated members. The Team Member Recognition Program serves to recognize team members who go the extra mile. Those who plan and implement activities that support environmental sustainability are awarded the Save The Planet Recognition Pin for their effort.
Examples of Industry Progress
GLTR certainly highlights the progress our industry is making. For example, 94.7 percent of all hotels give staff recognition for outstanding contributions to sustainability, and 95.2 percent of all hotels report that they communicate their sustainability efforts via their website.
Here are just some examples of report results that caught my eye:
- 96.5 percent of all hotels provide staff training to address modern slavery risks.
- 79.6 percent of all hotels use green cleaning products.
- 89.9 percent of all hotels offer sustainable meetings and events.
- Luxury (43.8 percent) and Resort (32.8 percent) hotels are leading the adoption of cage-free eggs, likely driven by guest expectations and brand positioning.
- 91.7 percent of all hotels have replaced plastic mini toiletry bottles with alternatives like refillable amenity dispensers for shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion.
- 83.1 percent of all hotels donate leftover usable bathroom amenities.
66.1 percent of all hotels divert the majority of their food waste. - Almost one-third (30.1 percent) of all hotels have eliminated guest-facing single-use plastic items.
- Luxury hotels are leaders in eliminating plastic water bottles – two in five have removed them from guestrooms, F&B outlets and meetings and events.
- 95.0 percent of all hotels offer guests the choice to opt out of daily housekeeping.
- Over half of all hotels use energy-efficient LEDs in more than 75 percent of their light bulbs.
- 18.3 percent of all hotels equip guestrooms with sensors or key card switches to optimize energy efficiency when they are not occupied.
- 26.8 percent of all hotels offer EV charging stations.
- 90.9 percent of all hotels have implemented an action plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Where Improvement is Needed
In many cases, the industry’s shortcomings are pointed out. For example, despite the long-standing practice, nearly 3 in 10 hotels still report 0 percent LED lighting, highlighting opportunities for further improvement. Also, only 6.1 percent of all hotels use renewable sources for their energy needs.
In many cases, results are presented by country. For example, five countries report that they have replaced 100 percent of plastic mini toiletry bottles (Canada, Colombia, Maldives, Mexico, Taiwan).
The report touches on emerging trends. For example, only 3.7 percent of all hotels have achieved full electrification of their facilities, indicating this is still a nascent trend in the industry.
I strongly encourage your company/property to participate in the report. By participating in the GLTR, hotels receive a confidential, bespoke benchmarking report that includes a comparison of performance against peers based on the data available per hotel profile.
The full report can be downloaded here.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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