The concept of sustainability has gained impetus in recent years with corresponding penetration of the environment thought in tourism and hotel industry. With research studies revealing its positive impacts for the organization as well the environment, not going green does not seem beneficial in any way.
Customers are the key to any business, and sustainability practices are likely to enhance customers' loyalty. A comprehensive research by Solomon et al.(2010) highlighted their willingness to pay for the sustainable business practices. As people have risen to the environmental concerns, a shift from 'consumerism' to 'environmentalism' is practical for brand management and long-term profitability. With increased awareness of customers towards sustainability, hotels can also use it as a strategic tool to boost up competitive advantage and customer loyalty.
Literature has further demonstrated several other motivators to 'go green.' While hotels have ample opportunities for cost-cutting in the areas of recycling and water consumption, several fiscal and economic incentives rolled by governments are boosting factors. Incentives by the governments and other regulatory agencies might range from outright grants to tax write-offs, and can include more novel concepts as grants to cover soft costs and insurance premium discounts. These incentives can be used to optimize the construction of green buildings.
Hotels that adhere to the sustainability ethics display an overall positive culture and values. As such, they can have an encouraging impact on overall employee motivation, performance, and retention. A survey conducted in 2007 highlighted that 80 percent of young employees are motivated to adopt a job that has a positive impact on the environment. Along with fulfilling employees' expectations, these hotels can also fetch investors' attention who look for quantifiable indicators to invest. These very factors have also lured big organizations as Marriott International, Starwood Hotels to grope for novel initiatives and change their policies and procedures accordingly. Simply put, green initiatives are desirable from all perspectives; be it customers, employees, investors, and stakeholders.
Nonetheless, opponents might highlight the trade-off between economic priority and corporate social responsibility, lack of infrastructure to support sustainability efforts, and other internal as well as external factors that act as barriers to sustainability practices. Scholars have identified primary barriers as cost, lack of information and the complexity of the concept.
Undoubtedly, these barriers might act as initial deterrents, but persistent efforts are likely to bear desirable fruits in the long run. As far as the cost is concerned, the installation of some systems might look burdensome, but the energy efficiency gained, in the long run, is likely to cut down cost substantially. Complexity is also supposed to give way to more novel initiatives as the researchers across the world are huddling together to explore feasible practices. Thus, initiatives to contribute positively to the environment should not die in the embryonic stage only. There are hassles initially, but also a clear and fruitful way ahead.
References
Bohdanowicz, P., & Martinac, J. Attitudes towards sustainability in chain hotels- results of a European Survey . International conference on smart and sustainable business environment. Brisbane.
Goldstein, K. A. (2012, Feb). Current trends and opportunities in hotel sustainability. Retrieved Jan 10, 2017, from hvs.com: https://www.hvs.com/Content/3218.pdf
Lee, J., Hsu, L.-T., & Han, H. (2010). Understanding how consumers view green hotels: how a hotel's green image can influence behavioral intentions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , 901-914.
Solomon, M., Barnossy, G., & Askegaard, S. (2010). Consumer behavior: A European perspective. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.
