Establishing a sustainable and eco-friendly image on your hotel website is vital if you hope to attract travellers who prioritize environmental sustainability. But how can this be accomplished?
Your guests would surely appreciate knowing that the fruit and vegetables served at your onsite restaurant come from local sources; it will show authenticity while building customer loyalty.
Green color
The color green can have several associations that can be leveraged into various marketing strategies. For instance, it symbolizes nature and growth – both of which it represents – so its use in many products ranging from organic foods and cleaning supplies to political parties dedicated to environmentalism such as Alliance ’90/The Greens (German: Die Grusse) or Greenpeace is effective marketing.
Hotels can make a significant environmental impact through using eco-friendly materials and communicating their sustainability efforts to guests, which builds trust with customers while earning loyalty. But hotels must avoid greenwashing – which involves only implementing select programs while neglecting others – and avoid greenwashing altogether.
To attract eco-tourists, hotels must switch from plastic to linen bedding in its rooms and utilize cotton or bamboo sheets instead of plastic ones. Furthermore, non-organic food that contains GMOs and chemicals must no longer be served – sweet carbonated water could be replaced with homemade lemonade made with fresh ingredients instead of adding sweeteners; fresh vegetables instead of fast food would also attract eco-tourists more effectively than fast food would do so as would chemical-laden toiletries replaced by natural ones; greenhouses could even help grow greenery to serve in restaurants as greenery produced locally grown from within its walls!
Organic food
As global population has skyrocketed over time, food production must increase to meet people’s needs. Unfortunately, this led to overexploitation of soil and natural resources and led to degradation of ecosystems as well as drought and famine resulting in long spells of drought and famine. Therefore, novel environmentally sustainable agriculture practices were introduced such as organic farming as an answer – becoming popular today.
These days, travellers are becoming more conscious of their impact on the environment and seeking accommodation options that have minimal environmental repercussions – this includes staying at hotels which implement green practices such as reducing water usage or providing paperless check-in.
As part of your efforts to demonstrate sustainability to guests, consider becoming certified with an eco-label. This can help gain trust while improving image. In addition, publishing a sustainability report allows you to demonstrate commitment and measure progress over time. Guests can be made aware of efforts taken by you to reduce food waste through menu or signage that includes information on recycling or donating excess food waste.
No plastics
Implementing plastic-free products and practices into hotel operations helps minimize waste accumulation while saving money and increasing employee morale, not to mention drawing more environmentally conscious guests to your establishment. But beware: the temptation for greenwashing must be avoided to maximize sustainability initiatives without overstating them.
Many hotels are taking steps to reduce their plastic consumption, which is great news for the environment. From offering glass water bottles instead of disposable water bottles sold to guests to switching to glass water bottles altogether – small changes like these can add up quickly!
Recycling can also benefit guests of your hotel, so ensure clearly labeled bins for separate waste in guest rooms, common areas and back of house are easy to use and include pictograms for non-English speakers. Consider becoming certified by an established environmental authority to demonstrate that sustainability is an integral part of what your business stands for – this will show guests that you take this commitment seriously and can vouch for its long-term commitment.
Plastic pollution has quickly become an issue at the forefront of traveler minds. Social media feeds are filled with images of plastic bottles washing up on Thai beaches, toothbrushes in Galapagos Islands and garbage patches like Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Hotels can make an impactful contribution by adopting plastic reduction strategies and marketing them effectively.
Energy-saving bulbs
Installing energy-saving bulbs is one of the easiest and simplest ways to make your hotel eco-friendly. Switching them on will save energy, money and carbon emissions – while showing guests you care for our planet! It’s also an excellent opportunity for networking!
Incandescent lights are among the least efficient available. Only 10% of their energy goes towards light output – the rest is lost as heat. Because of this, you need to wait for it to cool before replacing it; also note that their lifespan doesn’t compare as well with LED and CFL options.
Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). First introduced in 1976 and lasting up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs with up to 80% lower energy use per lumen output.
Other ways hotels can become environmentally-friendly include reducing waste production, switching to solar power and using smart irrigation systems in their gardens. Some hotels even provide compost bins and encourage their guests to recycle – all initiatives which may help your hotel earn awards or attract new customers seeking social responsibility.
Eco-friendly cleaning products
Use eco-friendly cleaning products in your hotel can both benefit the environment and increase employee morale, according to studies. Companies using such cleaners have lower turnover rates and higher job satisfaction levels compared with companies who don’t. Furthermore, eco-friendly cleaners tend to be less toxic than their chemical counterparts that may cause allergic reactions in guests or workers. Furthermore, eco-friendly products tend to be more cost effective – made of natural ingredients with reduced harmful emissions, plus having fewer preservatives.
Environmentally friendly products and services are one of the easiest ways to make a hotel more sustainable. Hotels can save both water and energy through implementation of conservation measures, including offering guests options to reuse towels and sheets instead of daily linen changes; and reduce waste through comprehensive recycling programs, composting practices, or by restricting single-use plastic usage.
Hotels can significantly cut operating costs over time by cutting energy usage through efficient lighting and HVAC/AC systems, and by purchasing locally produced food as well as sustainable materials for new buildings or renovation projects. They can also minimize their environmental footprint by purchasing locally produced food items and purchasing eco-friendly building materials for new buildings or renovation projects.
Eco-friendly linens
Today’s travelers are environmentally-aware, seeking hotels that support green initiatives and use sustainable practices that won’t deplete natural resources or negatively affect people and wildlife.
Eco-friendly linens are constructed using natural materials free of toxic chemicals and biodegradable so as not to damage the environment when they’re disposed of. Breathable materials ensure cool comfort throughout the night.
Pact and Saatva are two highly acclaimed brands. Both companies use organic cotton and traceable linen from fair-trade factories, and emphasize fair-trade factories. Furthermore, they reduce packaging while offsetting their carbon footprint via partnerships with green energy providers – while providing a variety of sheet sets, pillowcases, duvet covers and blankets.
Sijo linen is another top pick, certified as both GOTS and OEKO-TEX standards compliant and made with organic cotton from small farms in Normandy, France. Their linen is breathable and becomes softer with each wash – as an added benefit, they donate one percent of revenue to non-profits while using renewable energy sources during production.
Recycling
Recycle is an integral component of hotel sustainability. This is particularly crucial in areas such as food and plastic waste management, where switching to refillable bottles can save tons of wasted materials – for instance replacing mini water bottles with larger ones mounted on the wall can cut waste by 10.3 million bottles annually (113,000 pounds).
Reducing or even eliminating single-use items is another effective strategy to lower hotel waste. Switching from plastic straws to paper ones would eliminate nearly two million pieces of disposable plastic each month! Also donating unwanted toiletries and amenities directly to charities may further decrease waste production.
One of the best ways to promote your hotel’s eco-friendly efforts is to highlight them prominently on its website, giving potential guests an opportunity to book rooms that help protect the planet while supporting local initiatives.
Sustainable practices have quickly become essential components of hotel operations and increasingly valued by guests, investors, board members and staff alike.