NATIONAL REPORT—The impact human beings have in their own homes is amplified when they head to hotels. The disproportionate impact that hotels have on the environment is clearly laid out by EHL Insights’ hospitality report, which shows hospitality industry emissions must drop by a gigantic 90 percent to meet Paris-compliant levels. Hotels are increasingly looking to go off-the-grid entirely, both to help their business prospects and the long-term health of the planet they rely on.
The Off-the-Grid Concept
There’s a degree of reclamation to be had when it comes to the term “off the grid”. As CN Traveller highlights, many hotels currently working under this title are less fully sustainable and more tended towards the human idea of being isolated from society—in other words, retreats. There is some good news for these hotels; they often already tick many sustainability boxes through trying to strike out on their own. Off-grid water solutions are one of the most challenging boxes to tick, but hotels in trailblazing Costa Rica have shown how this is possible with independent water well drilling and extensive renewable usage. As a result, the first generation of truly off-the-grid hotels are being created, and to great benefit.
Green Credentials
The latest generation of consumers are willing to pay more for green-certified properties. Pew Research shows that younger generations are firmly on the side of sustainability measures, and are more than willing to reflect that in their spending habits. Hotels will benefit from being sustainable and will be able to snag a larger share of a market that will continue to grow in relevance. As a result, some hotels are going fully off-grid.
Under a Rock
In 2020, Fox highlighted one hotel literally located under a rock that boasted fully off-grid capability. Elsewhere, The New York Times revealed one set of Mexico-based hotels that are shimmering greenhouses on desert flats in the south of the country. Using natural resources like the heat of the sun or the cooling of sand formations has given these hotels the opportunity to provide a truly off-the-grid experience that can provide inspiration to hoteliers.
Hopefully there will be a drive in sustainability pushes from other larger hotel chains. Ultimately, every business needs to get involved. By providing evidence of the benefits, hotels across North America are showing the way for a sustainable future.
