NATIONAL REPORT—In this article, CBRE’s Alan Jutte provides insights on a study of hotel operating statements from CBRE’s Trends in the Hotel Industry which showed that new properties with energy-efficient features resulted in substantial energy savings compared to older or less efficient properties. The study concluded that while sustainability efforts can lead to reduced costs, the extent of these savings may depend on various factors such as room size, building size, amenities, building materials, etc. Sustainability is an increasingly crucial component across almost all industries. Embracing new and more efficient business models and technologies is expensive, and often developers and operators...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Dubai, U.A.E.-based Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has launched its Green Collection, bringing under one umbrella nearly 200 hotels, resorts and palaces operated by GHA hotel brands that are demonstrating their commitment to protecting people and the planet. Every Green Collection property has attained at least one certification from a globally recognized environmental organization, with EarthCheck, Green Growth 2050, Green Key and Green Globe among the 15 leading certification bodies represented, and each requiring hotels to meet the highest international standards for sustainability initiatives and performance, with regular third-party audits conducted to...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance), which brings together the industry to create a prosperous and responsible global hospitality sector that gives back to the destination more than it takes out, has released its latest Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality v2.0 at ITB Berlin. First launched in March 2022, this updated version of the Pathway provides a more holistic and practical four-stage roadmap to accelerate hospitality towards a sustainable and contributory future. It harnesses the power of the four pillars of people, planet, place, and prosperity combined with the industry’s transformative power, innovation, and resources. It aligns with leading...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Center have unveiled groundbreaking new data detailing the total water usage of the global Travel & Tourism sector. In one of the largest research projects of its kind, WTTC can for the first time ever, accurately report and track the impact the sector has on the environment. The findings were launched at the United Nations in New York at the UN 2023 Water Conference. Direct Water Use Speaking at the UN Headquarters, Chris Imbsen, Director of Sustainability at WTTC, revealed that Travel & Tourism’s entire water footprint is just 0.6...

SINGAPORE—Marina Bay Sands has been certified to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels and Accommodations, becoming the largest hotel in Singapore to earn the accolade. It also sees Marina Bay Sands join a leading group of hotels globally to achieve this certification. The conferment of the certification bears testament to the integrated resort’s continued efforts in implementing innovative sustainable solutions that effectively marry world-class hospitality with sustainability. The GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels aims to promote the best sustainable tourism practices around four main themes: effective sustainability management, minimizing environmental impact, maximizing social and economic benefits for the local...

DUBUQUE, IOWA—Innovative Ink Publishing, an imprint of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, has released Sustainable Hospitality, written by green hospitality industry expert Dan Ruben. The textbook provides hospitality professionals and students with the knowledge and resources to make their properties environmentally sustainable. “The target audience is hospitality professionals who work for hotels, cruise ships, and other hospitality sectors, as well as hospitality students,” Ruben says. “Managers of senior living facilities, dormitories, and other lodging facilities will benefit from this book, too. Sustainable Hospitality offers a roadmap to a leaner operation—one where less energy and water are consumed, and where less waste is generated....

MADRID, SPAIN—UNWTO has released a new report highlighting the progress that global tourism has made in measuring greenhouse gas emissions as well as the challenges the sector still faces. Measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is key for climate action. However, the tourism sector as the value chain is complex, diverse, and overlapping, making sure measurement challenging. The new report “Climate Action in the Tourism Sector: An Overview of Methodologies and Tools to Measure Greenhouse Gas Emissions” was developed by UNWTO with support from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany (BMUV) and...

HOLLYWOOD, FLA.—Hard Rock International is once again teaming up with global conservation leader World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its annual Earth Hour movement, bringing the world-renowned brand’s “Save the Planet” motto to life. Hard Rock Hotels, Cafes and Casinos around the globe will participate on March 25, 2023, by “going dark” for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. local property time. Guests at participating properties’ restaurants, bars, Rock Shops, hotel rooms, lobbies and outdoor spaces will partake in the movement by engaging in fun, entertaining activities, without the use of electricity: from candle-lit dinners and acoustic musical performances to flame shows, cocktail promotions,...

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA—Australia and New Zealand’s largest hotel operator, Accor, has entered into a strategic partnership with Ecotourism Australia to certify all Accor hotels, apartments and resorts across Australia and the Pacific as Sustainable Tourism certified businesses. Ecotourism Australia’s Sustainable Tourism Certification program was introduced in 2022 and the standard is recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Sustainable Tourism Certification is designed for all tourism operators and businesses in the tourism supply chain to meet and gain recognition for best practice sustainability initiatives. Ecotourism Australia assesses businesses across the four pillars of sustainability: sustainable management, environmental impacts, cultural impacts, and...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—A major UN “report of reports” from the authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), outlines the many options that can be taken now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change. The study, “Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report”, released yesterday following a week-long IPCC session in Interlaken, brings into sharp focus the losses and damages experienced now, and expected to continue into the future, which are hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard. Temperatures have already risen to 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a consequence of more than a century of burning fossil fuels, as...