Going Green

"Tradition is the democracy of dead!" said Hitler. This would be highly appropriate for the present day scenario of the hotel industry which has not only to adopt itself to suit the needs of the international traveler in terms of opulence and service but also becoming eco-friendly. The awareness of preservation of ecological balance has led to the concept of Eco Hotels or Green Hotels. Over the last couple of decades going green has been amplified in India. Several hotels are adopting new techniques like installation of renewable sources, insulated facades, waste management systems, etc. Ashok Malkani examines various aspects of going green.

- Ashok Malkani

Over the last few years there has been an increasing awareness about sustainability and eco-friendliness. Though the cost of living crisis has, to some extent, tightened the purse strings of tourists, the desire in helping environment and expecting brands to be eco-friendly still persists not only among the millenials and gen Z but with almost all age groups.

The rise in awareness among consumers about environmental and social issues has led to a growing demand for sustainable tourism practices. As a result, many travelers are opting for eco-friendly accommodations and activities that promote sustainable tourism.

The sustainability issue has become an important issue and even the theme for World Earth Day this year was "Invest in Our Planet". The year 2023 is expected to witness more industries taking strategic action towards embracing circular economy and innovation in recycling technology.

Technology can be used by hospitality industry to help reduce power consumption and reduce pollution and waste. This would help hotels in maintaining economy. Centralized monitoring and control of consumption points can reduce power consumption and increase efficient utilization of resources.

People are becoming more aware of maintaining eco-friendliness in all aspects of life. An eco-friendly hotel is beneficial not only for the environment but sustainability which, in turn, helps in hotel economy. No wonder more and more hotels are embracing eco-friendly trends.

According to a study by Barclays 87% of hospitality businesses say that environmental sustainability is important to their customers and 91% important to their employees. Chalet Hotels Limited claims that it is the first Hospitality Company, globally, to join Climate Group's RE100, EP100 and EV100 initiatives linked to renewable electricity.