for more eco-friendly hotels

tourism & culture

Henrique Martins

Communications Consultant

Lisbon Sustainability Agency

Friday, 27th of September 2019, at 16:31

Hotels are usually a very amusing place to stay at during a holiday away from home. They have everything one can need: a bedroom, a pool, a garden, a gym, a restaurant, Wi-Fi, TV, to name a few. However, are these facilities and their day-to-day activities environmentally-friendly?

Tourists are nowadays seeking more and more to spend their holidays at eco-hotels or just hotels that are showing their concerns with the environment and the community. From the smallest ethical practices to important sustainability certifications, every move is crucial for both smaller and bigger hotels to stay competitive in the industry.

The best way for a hotel to start its journey for sustainability is to assess both the supply chain and the internal practices, regarding every aspect from water and energy consumption to waste treatment and food preparation, the amenities offered to the guests, among others. It is also possible to calculate the carbon footprint, and we are actually starting to see carbon-neutral hotels in Portugal.

Furthermore, there are several certifications for this sector, such as the "Less Footprint, More Future", created by Sociedade Ponto Verde, the famous ISO14001, which shows that the hotel is investing in important eco-friendly practices, and also the "We Care" and "We Share", for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental sustainability, respectively, created by the Portuguese Hotel Association.

At LSA, we assess hotels' supply chain and internal practices, while planning PR strategies, for an integrated sustainability campaign that aims to leverage the Client's business and increase exposure across all media channels. We also prepare our Clients for the mentioned sustainability certifications, as their importance in thriving in the market is rising rapidly.