The document discusses the environmental impacts of the hotel industry. It notes that hotels collectively consume huge amounts of resources and contribute to global CO2 emissions. The three main areas of environmental impact from hotels are energy use, water consumption, and waste generation. The document also outlines some best practices for hotels to reduce their environmental footprint, such as improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainable operations. It concludes that both governments and the hotel industry need to further invest in low-carbon initiatives and green technologies.

1. HOTEL INDUSTRY AND
ENVIORNMENTAL IMPACTS
Submitted by
MUHAMED ALI PARAMBIL
School of Tourism Studies
MGU
Submitted to
SUDISH PEARSON
Faculty of tourism
School of Tourism Studies
MGU

2. INTRODUCTION
 The hotel industry forms a large part of the
tourism industry.
 One of the fastest growing sectors of the
economy of our time is the hotel industry.
 The hotel industry alone is a multi-billion
dollar and growing enterprise.
 The hotel industry is diverse enough for
people to work in different areas of interest
and still to be employed within the hotel
industry.
 Modern hotels provide refined services to
their guests.

3.  The need to address environmental
problems has become an important point of
interest for hoteliers and their managers
throughout the world.
 Individually, hotels do not have a
significant negative impact on the
environment. Collectively however, they
consume huge amount of resources.
 Hotels and other types of accommodation
contribute 2% of the 5% global CO2 emission
by the tourism sector.
 It has been estimated that 75% of
hotels' environmental impacts can be directly
related to excessive consumption of resources
and it creates unnecessary operational costs.

4.  The three key areas of environmental impact
are energy, water, and waste.
 In destinations that do not have the necessary
infrastructure and systems to manage these
impacts, severe degradation of the
environment can occur.
 Making a contribution to solving these
problems is often referred to as greening.
 Becoming more sustainable or
environmentally responsible are also often
used to describe achievements in this field.

5.  Larger companies have been criticized as being
the main culprit in releasing excess greenhouse
emissions, climate change, environmental
devastation, and unfair treatment of employees.
 Due to such criticisms and negative publicity,
many hotel businesses have increased the focus
on corporate social responsibility.
 In a world looking for new models of economic
growth and development, fighting climate
change and adopting sustainable management
practices is no longer an option, but a condition
for survival and success.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
 Positive impact
 It sometimes educates the public about the local environment
and the importance of protecting the environment, e.g. the
Great Barrier Reef.
 The tourism and hospitality industries often create
employment and business opportunities in an area,
contributing to the local economy.
 Hospitality and tourism buildings and venues are being
designed and/or redesigned so that their impact on the
environment is reduced and they merge in with the local
environment better.
 Many enterprises are now employing more sustainable
practices in order to promote a green image that appeals to
consumers, e.g. using organic products, recycling, using less
toxic chemicals and using more energy and water efficient
fittings.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The three key areas of negative environmental impact
of hotel industry are energy, water, and waste.
 Energy - According to Gössling et. al. (2005), "the
average energy consumption per bed per night in
hotels might be in the order of 130 Mega joules.
Hotels generally use more energy per visitor than local
residents, as they have energy intense facilities, such
as bars, restaurants, and pools, and have more
spacious rooms". Studies have determined that a hotel
emits an average 20.6 kg of carbon dioxide per night
(Gössling et al., 2005). Excessive energy use is
extremely costly and with minor adjustments, it can
lead to massive cost savings.

8.  Waste - A study conducted by Bohdanowicz
(2005) also identified that hotels are not only
resource intensive and that waste generation is
one of the most visible effects on the
environment. One estimate identified "that an
average hotel produces in excess of one
kilogram of waste per guest per day". Hotel and
restaurant waste contributes to around 25-30 %
of the total waste generated.
 Water - Tourists and residents alike require a
clean and dependable supply of water for
survival including drinking, cooking and
cleansing. However, water is integral to the
amenities usually expected by tourists, such as
swimming pools, landscaped gardens, and golf
courses. Water also supports industries such as
agriculture that support the tourism industry
(Pigram, 1995

9. HOTELS IMPACT ON BIODIVERSITY
A hotel impacts biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle,
from planning through to closure:
 At the planning stage: Even the most sustainably
operated hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a
biodiversity-sensitive area. Choices of construction
materials, source of those materials and the total physical
footprint of the hotel will also influence the magnitude of
impact in the operational stage.
 At the construction stage: Impact is determined by the
size and location of the area cleared for development, the
choice of construction methods, the sources and amount
and type of materials, water and energy used to build the
hotel, the location of temporary camps for construction
workers, inadequate storage facilities for construction
materials, the amount of construction waste that has to be
disposed of, and other types of damage such as surface soil
erosion or compaction caused by construction activities or
disruption of natural water flows and drainage patterns.

10.  In the operational stage: A hotel’s impact comes mainly
from the energy, water, food and other resources that are
consumed in running the hotel, by the solid and liquid
wastes it produces, by the way its grounds are managed,
and by the direct impacts of its guests. In addition, regular
renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances and
facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices
and increased waste generation.
 At the closure stage: A hotel’s impacts come from the
disposal of materials removed from the hotel to refurbish it,
convert it for other uses, or demolish it, and from the work
involved in these activities. There may also be some toxic
materials, which will require careful handling and
management.

11. BEST GREEN PRACTICES
 In addition to the social and environmental advantages to
reducing energy consumption, there are financial and
customer service benefits for the hoteliers.
 Increasing awareness about the environmental issues has
seen hotel guests becoming more discerning about the
environmental credentials of the hotels.
 Being sustainable can enhance hotel business's reputation
and help to attract more customers.
 The investment community is increasingly regarding
excellence in environmental management and performance
as an indication of the quality and aptitude of management
in general.
 Some insurance companies and lenders are beginning to
selectively adjust their rates based on environmental
criteria.

12. HOTEL ENERGY SOLUTIONS PROJECT
 In 2008, UNWTO launched the Hotel Energy project.
 The aim of this project is to provide energy efficiency solutions
and increased use of energy efficiency and renewable energy
technologies for the tourism accommodation sector across 27
European Union Countries.
 This is seen as a significant way to reduce the impact of the
sector on climate change by mitigating emissions. The Hotel
Energy Solutions project will do three things:
• Develop a range of tools and materials to assist small and
medium enterprises hotels to plan for and invest in
energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
• Test the tools in hotels and use the lessons learned to
improve them.
• Tell people about these tools- disseminate and promote
the most suitable practical

17. The info graphic
shows that hotels
contribute 60
million tons of
CO2 emissions
annually due to
wasteful practices
and oblivious
guests. Yet, if all
the hotels in the
US were to go
green, reducing
their emissions by
just 10%, it would
be the same as
planting 1.1
million acres of
pine trees.

22. CONCLUSION
 The hotel industry is starting to change their practices, led
strongly by demand from consumers. People are asking more
about green credentials, what practices are in place and what
hotels are doing to minimize their impact on the environment
 It is clear that an investment in green hotels for sustainable
global development and investing in environmentally-friendly
tourism can drive economic growth, lead to poverty reduction
and job creation, while improving resource efficiency and
minimizing environmental degradation.
 The time is right for governments to invest in greenhouse gas
mitigation and climate change adaptation approaches.
 The time is right for hotel sector to forge ahead with innovative
low carbon initiatives that would contribute to the economy.