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Hear insights from CEO Lauren Hall of iVvy on how sustainable hotel practices can differentiate you from competitors.
The pandemic has shone a light on the importance of sustainability. Customers are now more aware of the need to protect the environment and are looking for venues and events that share their values. Sustainable hotels that can meet this demand will be more successful in the future.
Sustainable Hotel Practices to Set Your Venue Apart
Achieving hotel sustainability while maintaining profitability is a delicate balancing act. This requires careful planning and a high degree of transparency, which can be achieved through:
Planning
The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to reassess their operations and eliminate unnecessary practices. This period of introspection revealed the unsustainable practices many businesses had. It was not uncommon for people to travel by plane just to attend a meeting, but the shift in technology and consumer expectations has changed this norm. For a sustainable hotel, this is an important pivot point, enabling venue managers to provide alternatives for event attendance or offer extended discounted stays for event clients and attendees.
Crisis can serve as a catalyst. In the last two years, smart venues had the chance to reinvent themselves and lead the industry. Research by IBTM Events indicates that 77% of survey respondents rated "Ensuring Sustainability" as their top priority. Sustainable hotels must consider sustainability from both environmental and business practice perspectives.
Transparency
“Providing sustainable and environmentally sensitive events (both sports and conferencing) is becoming a key decision factor for fans and delegates alike. Venues will need to tackle this head-on while being extremely transparent and avoiding misleading customers by greenwashing."
Nills Braude - Managing Director, Twickenham Experiences Ltd.
Providing sustainable and environmentally sensitive events is becoming a key decision factor for fans and delegates alike. A sustainable hotel needs to tackle this head-on while being extremely transparent and avoiding misleading customers by greenwashing.
While becoming a sustainable hotel is also a great marketing opportunity, it's important not to overstate your achievements. Sustainable practices can attract new event clients, but these clients can quickly turn away if they find out that you’ve exaggerated your efforts. Be realistic and honest about what you can achieve.
Benefits of Sustainable Hotel Practices
Sustainable practices not only benefit the environment but also positively impact your community and business. Higher-ups may be concerned about the financial impact, but sustainable practices often involve using fewer resources. Many regions also offer incentives for sustainable changes, making it more affordable than anticipated for a sustainable hotel.
Once you’ve made your plans, communicate them with potential customers. Highlight simple yet impactful changes such as:
- Going paperless using venue management software
- Using digital runsheets and BEOs
- Removing single-use plastics (room keys, shampoo and soap bottles, straws, etc.)
- Reducing water and energy consumption
- Sourcing ingredients from local suppliers
- Reporting on environmental impact
These straightforward changes can significantly impact your sustainability efforts and should be reported on transparently. Publishing environmental impact reports can serve as excellent marketing material and establish you as a leader in sustainable hotel practices. When competitors see your achievements, they may start to implement similar changes. While this might seem like a loss of uniqueness, it establishes your business as a trailblazer.
Paving the Way for Sustainable Hotels
Engaging in sustainable hotel practices will set you well above your competition. Environmentally conscious customers seek out businesses that prioritise sustainability. By staying at the forefront of sustainable practices, you maintain a strong competitive edge as a sustainable hotel. By balancing sustainable practices with profitability, planning effectively, being transparent, and highlighting the benefits, your hotel will thrive.
