The hospitality sector is one of the most active sectors that believes in keeping a clean and scenic environment. Therefore, adopting green technology is crucial for hoteliers because it helps them to preserve natural resources in areas with a large impact on hospitality facilities.
We share a few tips with hotels on how various departments can all work to go green:
Rooms
Keep recycle-bins for paper, plastic bottles and cans. Get rid of toiletries in plastic bottles.
Kitchen
Use organic food and probe your guests to follow the hotel’s adherence to not wasting food. Also, replace disposable cups with ceramic cups or glasses.
Housekeeping
Replace all the chemical cleaners with natural ingredients such as citrus oil.
Grey water recycling program
Water from your bathroom sinks, showers, tubs and washing machines can be recycled after proper treatment which can be further re-used for different purposes.
Thermostats
Since half of the energy is used for heating and air-conditioning, use thermostats as they save energy, provide comfort and save costs.
Laundry
Replace plastic laundry bags with cloth bags.
Key card system
Switch to a key card system that activates lights and air-conditioning.
Grow trees
Convert two thirds of your property into a garden by planting trees. Encourage your guests to adopt environmentally-friendly programs.
Use a cloud-based property management tool
Cut down on the usage of papers or multiple servers for hotel operations by using a cloud based property management software, which requires only a system and internet connection.
Industry pioneers vouch for green technology
By going green, hotels can considerably reduce costs, gain recognition and attract more guests. According to survey by popular online travel portal TripAdvisor, “62% of U.S. travelers prefer green hotels and give a thought to the environment when choosing hotels, meals or transportation. 17% of travelers are even willing to pay more for eco-friendly features.”
Online travel sites are also backing this technology by promoting green hotels across the globe. For instance, Expedia helps consumers find green hotels online, TripAdvisor showcases GreenLeaders that displays all the green hotels and Orbitz was the first OTA to provide customers with green travel options.
Green technology: The color of money for hoteliers in 2014
In a recently-held webinar, industry experts, Naomi L. Stark (Current Former Chair, AH&LA Technology & E-Business Committee) and Daniel J. Connolly (Associate Dean, University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business) spoke about how green technology spells good business sense for hotels. Apart from big hotels, small and mid-sized hotels are also warming up to adopting green technology to attract more guests and increase profitability. This webinar elaborated on why it is the right time for hotels to implement green practices that will reap profits for the business.
About the author
Manisha Pathak is a Content Writer at Hotelogix. She creates helpful articles, eBooks and other content resources for hoteliers. With a passion for writing, she loves creating topics that helps hoteliers, especially small and mid-sized, to keep up with the latest news and current trends in the hospitality industry. Connect with her at manisha.pathak@hotelogix.com.
