Eco-Friendly Hotel Ideas for Sustainable Properties

What does ‘eco-friendly’ mean when it comes to hotels and how can you make your hotel more sustainable by implementing eco-friendly hotel ideas? Keep reading to find out!

What is Meant by an ‘Eco-Friendly’ Hotel?

An eco-friendly hotel seeks to reduce its carbon footprint by using various sustainable methods such as installing solar panels, ensuring waste reduction, adopting non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning agents and reducing power use.

They do this by buying locally made goods so as not to emit too much carbon dioxide; they retrofit their buildings for the use of alternative energy sources; they treat effluent water for use in watering plants. There are countless ways through which a hotel can become eco-friendly. Some of these will be discussed below.

The ‘Sustainability Revolution’ and the Hotel Industry

Hotels across the globe are rethinking sustainability in light of the increasing eco-friendly focus by consumers. Consequently, it is important to be able to identify which concepts and products can help in practical terms and meaningful outcomes for your sustainable properties among this wide range of sustainability ideas.

For several reasons, it makes sense to include green technology and sustainable practices in your hotel. Consumers are striving towards a holistic approach in all areas of their lives, and as this green wave gains momentum, so will the priority of hotels with an environmentally friendly certification like LEED or BREEAM.

Apart from being consumer-oriented, sustainability also accrues numerous benefits for hotels over time. The main thrust behind most corporate sustainability initiatives is enhancing efficiency which often means energy and resource conservation; using free renewable resources as much as possible - thus minimizing waste.

Thus, when effectively implemented on a long-term basis, cost-cutting measures for a hotel such as reduction in operational costs or wastage can have substantial savings.

The next step in making your business more sustainable is through some of the best sustainable hotel ideas that you should be looking to adopt. These will allow you to begin planning for budgets, and projections on ROI from savings and also transmit your green commitment credentials to your target market.

Let us examine some eco-friendly hotel ideas that can achieve a high Return on Investment (ROI) while improving your footprint:

• Form Green Teams - Concerning greener living, it only makes sense that everyone in the group should have a big say in what they do which includes having your entire staff embrace the concept right from an environmental point of view which commences with a ‘green team’ made up of employees representing different areas of operations within a hotel. Collect people interested in this initiative from all sections and come up with measures for going green.
• Focus on Green Infrastructure – There may be some initial costs associated with sustainable hotel architecture, but a more resilient infrastructure could also provide the best return on investment, sometimes even paying for itself.
• Stick to the Basics with Easy Eco-Friendly Ideas - You may already have several eco-friendly hotel ideas in place at your hotel, so the fastest way to begin this journey is to improve these policies and introduce quick wins into your operations.
• Invest in Green Landscaping – Do not limit your area of interest to your building only. Green landscaping is a good approach toward achieving objectives such as minimization of flood risks, decreased water utilization and minimized damage due to poor water management.
• Source Food Locally - Seek organic, locally grown food sources for your restaurant. The trends among customers have already shifted towards exploring new types of local dishes while buying ecologically safe products which will consequently cut down the huge amounts of carbon dioxide produced by food transportation. Besides, if you have a restaurant catering to excellent fresh products nearby, it is likely to be an advantage for you.
• Host Green Activities - Visitors to sustainable properties want to continue with their green lifestyle while on vacation; hence some activities should meet this criteria. Some of these activities include a walk around town, hiking trips in the mountains, nature expeditions, cultural heritage site visitations and conservatories where yoga and meditation classes take place.

Why is ‘Eco-Tourism’ the Future of the Hospitality Sector?

Innovation and creativity are driven by consumer demand for a more sustainable lifestyle, thus allowing them to explore numerous options for sustainability in hotels. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here; instead, the point is to put your unique touch on what sustainability means to your company.

From hotel amenities which are eco-friendly to supporting local organic producers and artisans or even local cultural and natural heritage, sustainability and green initiatives not only help save money for your business, but they become part of your culture that enriches where you are located and create interest in who you sell to.

We have looked at what an eco-friendly hotel is as well as some eco-friendly hotel ideas on how we can make our hotel more eco-friendly. These ideas, if incorporated into your hotel’s modus operandi will save you money, contribute towards saving the environment, and make you different from competitors while creating unmatched guest experience through the use of more sustainable energy alternatives that reflect your commitment towards the environment.

With each passing day, more and more clients are choosing where to stay based on their value proposition which is very unique and also on commitment to the environment. It’s good for the brand, it’s good for the world; moreover, customer loyalty is contingent upon driving engagement. For this reason, why not go eco?

Get in touch with an experienced hospitality professional today!

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