Sustainable Hospitality Benefits for Guests

Sustainability is relevant to hotels for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the current regulatory developments. What matters most for customers, at the end of the day, and what drives their booking decisions is the concrete benefits and advantages they receive, whether it's making their lives easier through simple and transparent communication, or improving the quality of their stay. 

This, and many other lessons were highlighted in the webinar we co-organized for HRS Green Stay Program, "Sustainability Reporting and Standards: Trends and Opportunities for Hotels" (delivered live on March 17th, 2025), with Fabio Fornari, Product Manager for Sustainability, HRS Group, Ayako Ezaki, Director of Training Strategies & Development, TrainingAid; Professor Xavier Font, Professor, Surrey University; and Ben Förtsch (Managing Director, Hotel Luise).

Here are some key lessons and takeaways from the discussion.

Sustainability remains a business imperative, and it's relevant now.

Sustainability is relevant and it's relevant now - don't delay action even if you think you are not directly affected by the ever-changing landscape of regulations (because you are part of the larger tourism value chain that is being affected).

Regardless of the specific policy requirements and their scopes, customers (especially and importantly large business travel buyers such as those driving demand using solutions like Green Stay) will continue to demand reliable sustainability data, to make their jobs easier. Not actively engaging in sustainability at this point, therefore, can mean disadvantages.

Booking decisions are and will continue to be influenced by benefits.

At the end of the day, those who make buying decisions need to clearly see the the concrete and tangible benefits of booking with you. Rather than preaching the virtue of making sustainable choices, make those choices concretely a part of the benefits you offer, whether it’s about better taste, more fun, or more special feelings.

Certifications are great for streamlining your management practices and backing up your claims. But the labels alone will not be enough to convince your customers of the benefits of staying with you, or to engage them in positive behavior change.

Communicating about and promoting the concrete benefits you offer to guests means accurately and transparently describing the specific sustainability actions you have in place (NOT talking about your ambitions for being more sustainable). While this presents a challenge and requires a long-term commitment, it also creates new opportunities.  

Sustainability actions can offer concrete opportunities for engagement, getting more people to want to learn more, to become more curious, and to feel more engaged. Such engagement helps customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. The more engaged your guests are during their stay, the more memorable their experience will be for them. 

In summary... not just why sustainability, but why NOW

It’s a great time start now, if you haven’t already started investing in sustainability actions, because there are many opportunities for learning from others who have learned by trial and error, and there are a lot of technical solutions to support your efforts.

Watch the webinar recording below: