The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently introduced its Hotel Sustainability Basics, a set of criteria that, if implemented, are now considered to be the minimum benchmark to drive the hospitality industry toward responsible and sustainable tourism. These guidelines apply to properties irrespective of their size or resources. They include 12 key points (grouped into three areas: Efficiency, Planet and People), and six major hotel groups have already signed onto the project.
Our Analysis: Hotel Sustainability Benchmarks Are Long Overdue
Research shows that most business owners are aware of their responsibility to meet sustainability needs, but they are in dire need of a starting point. Up until now, there has been no standardization or set of benchmarks for accommodations to follow in regard to sustainability. But with this new framework, hotels will have clear guidelines to follow — and the more companies that join the project, the better the industry will fare overall. Because sustainability is top-of-mind for most travelers, travel agents would do well to look for the WTTC’s verification when researching properties for their clients.
How Were These Sustainability Basics Created?
- WTTC carried out an extensive international benchmarking exercise through the Green Lodgings Trends Report, learning from 27,000 accommodation providers on how they are currently faring against the 12 criteria.
- WTTC partnered with representatives from Greenview, WTTC’s hotel members, Expedia, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Trip.com Group, as well as the certification bodies SGS and Green Key.
- The full list of Hotel Sustainability Basics can be found on WTTC’s website.
- Hotels will be officially verified by WTTC if they meet eight of the 12 criteria in the first year of implementation.
What are the 12 Criteria That Hotels Should Be Following?
The Efficiency criteria are:
1. Measure and reduce energy use
2. Measure and reduce water use
3. Identify and reduce waste
4. Measure and reduce carbon emissions
The Planet criteria are:
5. Linen reuse program
6. Green cleaning products
7. Vegetarian options
8. No plastic straws or stirrers
9. No single-use plastic water bottles
10. Bulk amenity dispensers
The People criteria are:
11. Community benefit
12. Reduce inequalities
What They Are Saying: These Basics Give Hotels a Starting Point
“We are incredibly proud to work alongside the World Travel & Tourism Council to launch the Hotel Sustainability Basics,” said Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. “Basics is a key part of the Alliance’s Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, which sets ambitious targets to create a prosperous and responsible global hospitality sector that gives back to the destination more than it takes.”
The initiative is a response to the sector’s need for a baseline for hotels and other tourist lodgings to introduce exacting sustainability standards.
"We are incredibly proud to launch our Hotel Sustainability Basics and its verification scheme,” said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC. “The initiative is a response to the sector’s need for a baseline for hotels and other tourist lodgings to introduce exacting sustainability standards. Our research shows that most business owners are aware of their responsibility to the environment, but need a step-by-step guide that is scientifically verifiable. It is testament to the need for such a scheme that already thousands of hotel properties from around the world have committed to implement Basics, and from today can begin the verification process.”
“Hotel Sustainability Basics is filling a new and unanswered demand in the hotel industry: to provide a solid, trusted and clear label for essential hotel sustainability,” said Inge Huijbrechts, global senior vice president of sustainability, security and corporate communications at Radisson Hotel Group. “It’s important we define responsible travel to preserve the planet and protect communities.”
