Radisson Hotels, Others Launch Hotel Sustainability Basics

Together with top brands, associations and destinations in the industry representing over 50,000 hotels, Radisson Hotel Group has launched the Hotel Sustainability Basics, a common and inclusive definition of hotel sustainability to drive responsible travel & tourism. Criteria include twelve actions which are fundamental to hotel sustainability

At this year’s prestigious Global Summit held in Manila, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its Hotel Sustainability Basics, a globally recognized and coordinated set of minimum indicators that all hotels should implement to drive responsible travel and tourism and to help every hotel address and improve their environmental impact.

In response to the overwhelming evidence of climate change, environmental damage and social need, and the increasing requirements of travelers to book sustainable stays, the hospitality industry has come together to launch Hotel Sustainability Basics.

Developed by the industry for the industry, the Hotel Sustainability Basics establishes a globally recognized set of minimum indicators that all hotels should implement and sets a common definition of hotel sustainability to drive responsible travel and tourism, which will help raise the base level of sustainability across the entire hospitality industry by providing every hotel a starting point on their sustainability journey.

The Basics’ twelve criteria focus on actions which are fundamental to hotel sustainability and address tourism’s impact on the planet across a spectrum of critical issues such as water usage, waste production, and resource procurement. These criteria include actions to measure and reduce energy use, measure and reduce water use, identify and reduce waste, and measure and reduce carbon emissions.

The criteria also include a linen reuse program, use of green cleaning products, the elimination of plastic straws, stirrers, and single-use plastic water bottles, the implementation of bulk amenity dispensers, as well as measures to benefit local communities.

The Hotel Sustainability Basics features different stages to support hotels that are just getting started as well as those who are more advanced in their sustainability performance. For example, eight of the twelve criteria are mandatory, whilst others can be committed to and implemented within the first three years.

The WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics have been developed in collaboration with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance industry, technical experts, and academics. The initiative has already gained support from major groups and hotel associations around the world representing over 50,000 hotels.

The WTTC, together with the above-mentioned group of initial supporters, is calling upon hotel operators, owners, associations, and investors around the world to endorse the initiative officially and implement its criteria.