The juxtaposition of travel and sustainability is rooted in the contrasting nature of exploration and conservation. Traveling is often about experiencing new places, cultures and landscapes, which can be culturally enriching for travelers and economically beneficial for the local community. However, travel can also cause carbon emissions, strain natural resources and disrupt local ecosystems. The industry is estimated to be responsible for 8 to 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from transportation. Despite making up only a minority of the tourism market, luxury hospitality players are finding ways to bridge the gap between travel and sustainability.
Unlike mass tourism, the luxury segment strives for sustainability and a positive impact by going the extra mile to compete for this high-value market. The core trends in sustainable luxury travel are summarized below.
During the stay
Holistic practices: Hotels often make it a point to encourage guests to reuse towels and linens to “save water,” but many lack effective water-saving practices such as efficient laundry systems or water recycling. Even though some offer reusable water bottles, they still rely on plastic toiletries or individually plastic-wrapped toiletries. Even dishes that come straight from the farm to the table are often not local or seasonal. Beyond superficial gestures or cost-focused practices disguised as sustainability, the industry can become more aligned with what luxury travelers are truly looking for – a holistic approach that benefits the community and enhances the guest experience.
Positive environmental impact: Luxury travelers want to know that their trips are having a positive impact on the planet through programs like zero waste and carbon offset programs. In general, luxury hotels strive to use the highest quality ingredients, which can lead to food waste from leftover items. The trend is to innovate and process these less desirable parts or kitchen scraps into compost and eco-enzymes for the garden, decorations for the hotel or even to give to local farms as animal feed.
Hotels are adopting innovative strategies to measure their environmental impact and demonstrating their commitment to a net positive impact. Leading players use dashboards to track greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and carbon offsets, while some offer interactive maps illustrating their efforts in land conservation, forest management and tree planting. These initiatives promote sustainability and inspire guests and the community to adopt eco-friendly practices.
After the stay
Educational programs: Luxury hotels are taking a transformative approach to enhancing their guests' experiences with innovative educational programs, such as cooking classes focused on sustainable practices in the kitchen or workshops on reusing used coffee grounds in skin-care body scrubs. In addition, garden tours offer gardening tips for guests to take home with them. These initiatives foster a deeper connection to sustainability and empower guests to incorporate eco-friendly practices into their daily lives.
Philanthropic Opportunities: Engaging guests in social responsibility is a growing trend in luxury hotels. Guests donate to initiatives such as education, clean water and cultural preservation. While guests' awareness may wane after departure, others educate about the impact of the guest's involvement and offer other philanthropic opportunities. These activities allow guests to give back to the people who share so much of their culture and location and leave everything better than when they arrived. This makes the trip more memorable and creates a lasting relationship beyond the stay, which can even encourage repeat visits.
Invest in communities: Luxury hotels play an important role in the community by serving as landmarks, providing employment, sourcing local supplies and providing a platform to bring together wealthy people who are already receptive to the purpose of community projects. Wealthy travelers can fund conservation initiatives or invest in sustainable projects during their visits, creating a lasting positive impact. Collaborating with communities also creates local support, which is essential to the hotel's success and underlines its commitment to social responsibility.
Beyond the business
In order for luxury hotels to fully dedicate themselves to sustainability, initiatives should begin during the development process. Do private pools in guest rooms meet the sustainable values promoted by developers? Does the development process support conservation efforts such as replanting trees, preserving wetlands, or restoring historic sites? Does the development prioritize retaining local residents rather than disrupting the native ecosystem? Additionally, by using sustainable materials and energy-efficient designs, luxury hotels can blend seamlessly with nature while reducing their carbon footprint.
In today's environment, elite travelers are seeking true sustainability rather than greenwashed gestures. Luxury travelers have expressed through their actions their desire to engage in authentic sustainable initiatives that reflect a deep and sincere commitment with lasting impact. Additionally, the industry is responding and offering more opportunities to participate in sustainability in luxury travel.
This article was originally published in the November/December issue of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.