According to a recently released report, an increasing number of business travellers are opting for green-certified hotels in an effort to curb the impact of their frequent travelling.
Business travellers are increasingly prioritising green-certified hotels, according to the survey by UK based market research firm Timetric. According to its Global Business Traveler Survey 2013 report, 47% of respondents confirmed that it is ‘important’ for them to stay in green-certified hotels during business trips. 7% of the respondents consider green certifications to be an ‘extremely important’ factor in their choice of hotel.
How hotels are going green
Survey results show that for a hotel to be considered green, respondents consider ‘low-energy light bulbs’ and ‘reduced use of plastic materials’ to be the main sustainability facilities that hotels should adopt. ‘Solar-energy water heating’ was another important factor, particularly for respondents in the Asia-Pacific region. Respondents from companies operating in North America and Europe consider ‘timer lighting systems’ and ‘post-consumer recycled paper products’ as important actions to be undertaken by hotels. Hotel chains are also implementing measures to curtail plastic waste generation.
Bali’s hotels set an example
According to the Timetric research, the Bali Hotels Association (BHA) was successful in reducing the use of plastic in 2012 with the introduction of its ‘Say No to Disposable Plastics’ campaign. A total of 30 participating hotels within the Island were successful in attaining average reduction in plastic use by 23%. A senior executive from the association said: “When we launched this program in April 2011, our aim was to see an overall reduction of 20%. The fact that we have exceeded this is testament to our members’ commitment to preserving Bali’s natural heritage, both as a tourism destination and for its inhabitants.”
Realising the increasing customer preference for green hotels, several hotel chains have started to invest in obtaining green certification and in reducing their carbon footprint.
Eco Friendly accomodations are popular with leisure travellers as well
It’s worth noting that a preference towards eco-friendly accomodations is becoming increasingly popular with leisure and vacation travellers as well. This shift is being noticed by those in the industry and resort operators are making concerted efforts to meet this demand. Envirodad.com has previously profiled the eco initiatives of family resort operator Great Wolf Lodge as well as Hockley Valley Resort and will continue to search for similar initiatives being undertaken by hoteliers and resort operators wherever possible.
The Timetric report; ‘Global Business Traveler Survey 2013: Hotel Accommodation, Selection Criteria and Customer Expectations of New Technology, Promotions and Services’ was published on the 26th July 2013. The report is based on primary survey research of more than 1,000 industry professionals who travelled at least once in the last three months.
Leave a Reply