For the second 12 months in a row, sustainability will likely be a defining think about hospitality in 2024. Venues that prioritize sustainable initiatives will deliver in additional enterprise, each from leisure vacationers and group enterprise. Even enterprise journey managers are in search of methods to cut back the carbon footprint of their company journey applications, together with selecting extra eco-friendly lodging.
Going inexperienced doesn’t have to incorporate main renovations or modifications to a venue’s primary construction—small modifications can collectively make a huge impact. Sustainability can be achieved even when budgets are tight. The most effective place to begin is with analysis and schooling. Cvent collaborated with inside knowledge, insights gathered instantly from occasion planners, and interviews with hoteliers to compile greatest practices for hospitality sustainability.
It might probably assist to deal with the area people when constructing an eco-friendly program. Occasion planners trying to make greener selections will usually go for a venue that can make an impression on the speedy financial system and neighborhood. Donating toiletries, meals, and supplies and reusing décor and signage can go a good distance when bettering sustainability—and attracting extra occasion planners.
Planners are sometimes in search of methods to be extra sustainable, however with occasions at many various venues, they usually want their venue companions to assist in the method. When inns can come armed with sustainable applications of their very own, it’s an awesome added worth for planners. Easy initiatives like recycling and donating meals may be sufficient to ascertain a baseline of inexperienced day-to-day applications. Power effectivity is one other low-barrier-to-entry eco-friendly program that may make a distinction in resort operations.
Whereas easy and simple applications are a begin, venues that may afford to make larger-scale modifications ought to benefit from that. On the subsequent stage of funding, each by way of price and work required, are issues like making menu modifications, specializing in carbon offsetting, investing in new tech, and upcycling. F&B is an space the place environmentally pleasant tweaks could make fairly an impression. Put money into reusable dishware for occasions, making the necessity to eliminate single-use plates and cups out of date. Have the restaurant chef design menus that use native substances and don’t require many props, like syringes or plastic garnishes.
Carbon offsetting applications look to measure the carbon output for any given occasion—suppose air and floor journey, meals, and power use—and discover methods to cut back carbon emissions to offset the occasion’s output. Usually that is performed by planting new timber or vegetation (there are corporations that may facilitate the planting) that can take away carbon dioxide from the air, nevertheless it can be performed by investments in wind power or agricultural initiatives.
Know-how is consistently growing, particularly within the eco-friendly space. Because the know-how improves, it turns into extra obtainable and cheaper for inns and venues trying to make investments. Photo voltaic panels are one widespread sustainable tech possibility. Preserve an eye fixed out for brand new and rising know-how, together with automation and AI. Cvent eBooks and webinars are an awesome place to find out about what’s new in hospitality tech, in addition to hospitality trade publications.
Upcycling is the apply of turning outdated items into one thing new. It’s much like recycling, therefore the identify, however requires the piece to be remodeled indirectly. If the resort is swapping in new curtains, upcycling would possibly see the outdated curtains repurposed as throw pillows for the foyer seating.
It doesn’t matter what different measures a resort or venue is taking to develop into extra eco-friendly, it’s essential to recollect the golden rule of sustainability. Lowering consumption is the perfect and only possibility, whether or not for hospitality, different industries, or people. For venues, this would possibly appear like providing room upkeep on a much less frequent schedule (a apply that has grown in recognition for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic). For occasions, this could possibly be decreasing swag choices—maybe by offering company an possibility of which, if any, swag they’d wish to obtain once they arrive.
For extra data on these sustainable initiatives, case research of profitable inexperienced inns and venues, interviews with sustainability consultants, and extra methods to run a venue with the setting in thoughts, look to Cvent’s latest eBook, The Final Information to Sustainable Conferences for Venues.
Sponsored by Cvent.