The Sustainable Question

Since I joined HoteliersGuild and researching what truly sustainable means, I have been listening to dozens of podcasts and virtual conferences, read several articles and investigated for over 6 months about this relevant subject.

Not only because is one of the main objectives of HoteliersGuild, but also because it is becoming an obligation for us hoteliers and how we will help transform the future of travel & hospitality. Nowadays you hear and see it all, from ecolodges, to eco camps, to glamping, to biomimicry design. Every company is trying really hard to comply with what the future consumer is looking for. But have we really understood what sustainable is?

The Cambridge dictionary states the following : causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time.
The ability to continue for long time (this is a relative concept) and with little or no impact to the environment is basically impossible in hospitality.

Let’s examine a few examples. I am sure you will agree with me that in the past 10-15 years over 100 new hotel brands have been created to fulfil the needs of new market segments, and demand in travel. What is exactly the need to create new brands all the time when we already have so many out there and how long will they survive? Maybe the opportunity should be given to independent hoteliers to create new concepts rather than new brands. Looking at a building as such, how much is the impact on the environment? Some basic materials used in construction like reinforced concrete, glass, aluminium , plastic , insulating materials (which includes the highly toxic fibreglass, polystyrene and polyurethane) without mentioning all the logistics to move things and people around during the time of construction are not necessarily having a low impact on the environment. Less when mega hotels, like the ones in Las Vegas, with more than 1000 rooms are built with such materials and logistic.

My point here is basically on the fact that we have the resources and knowledge to make best decisions. For example, instead of building 544 hotels in Dubai running at an average of around 70% (statistics in 2019) why don’t we keep it to a lower number and enjoy higher occupancy? This may not be 100% sustainable but certainly helps.

Dubai is only an example but we all know very well that in many other destinations over-tourism has destroyed the environment, for example Phi Phi island in Thailand, Boracay in Philippines, Venice in Italy, so much so that they had to be temporarily closed or limit the influx of tourists to avoid further or even irreversible damages.

Governments need to begin to scrutinise and provide permission for building with stricter regulations and controls, and not just doing it for the sake of boosting the economy and providing jobs. That’s not the solution.

While it is clear that a better economy is providing livelihood to hundreds of direct employees and thousands of indirect jobs, tourism projects needs to be more thoughtful in how they believe to create value to a “Dubai and many other destinations over-tourism has destroyed the environment, for example Phi Phi island in Thailand, Boracay in Philippines, Venice in Italy, so much so that they had to be temporarily closed or limit the influx of tourists to avoid further or even irreversible damages “ destination and return on the investment to owners, beside providing its guests with a truly authentic experience.
With the advances in technology, research for new materials and construction techniques we can certainly lower the impact on the environment to say the least.

Look at for example prefabricated or modular construction like the AC Hotel by Marriott in Manhattan, not only shrinks the time of construction but also allows a lower impact on the neighbourhood with trucks and the number of people involved in the building site.

Or better some architects and designers like Luca Franco of Luxury Frontiers, Louis Thompson of Nomadic Escapes and Bill Bensley of Bensley Design, who design their projects with nature first in mind and using materials which are more sustainable, lighter that blends well in low density constructions. Or maybe we just need go altogether for smaller hotels or those which are necessary after studying demand and offer in the destination.

I am even thinking to say (I know that hoteliers will hate me) that Airbnb’s business model after all was not a bad idea, just like Uber and its car sharing app. I guess only time will tell if the sharing economy really is better than the traditional one but thinking in cold blood, this is what make me feel reconsidering everything I know.

I am of the opinion that we definitely need a reset button, a new start where we can assess the past 50 years of hospitality and re-evaluate what we need to do moving forward. Maybe this pandemic is the right time to do so. Maybe it is a sign. This is something we need to consider if we want to see future generations enjoying nature and be a traveller not just a tourist.