Hospitality: Hotels, restaurants, and resorts - SUM: Sustainability Management Wiki

Authors: Nina Schänzel, Patrick Beƫtich, Sophia Kruse
Last updated: October 1st 2023

1. Definitions

1.1 The hospitality sector

The word “hospitality” has developed from the Proto-Indo-European word of ghos-ti which means stranger, guest, or host ¹. Its sector as such encompasses a wide range of business activities and establishments, including hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other related services. There are several definitions of what the hospitality sector contains. Some are broader, for example, Stafford (2020), who includes “restaurants, hotels, casinos, airlines, tourist attractions, and other services […]” (1) ². Most commonly however the sector is discussed in reference to hotels and restaurants, which is seen by the considerable body of research regarding lodging and food and beverage services ³. The hospitality sector plays a crucial part in the tourism industry and the other way around ⁴. Both industries are closely intertwined and affect each other ⁵. Hospitality plays a significant part in providing accommodation, food, and beverages as well as recreational services to tourists and thus also to the tourism industry.

1.2 Components of the sector

1.2.1 Hotels

Hotels are establishments that provide lodging facilities for tourists and travelers. They can offer several types of accommodations, ranging from budget to luxury, or categorized after the type of stay, for example, business hotels for shorter stays or hotels in touristic spots for vacationers ⁶. Hotels can also either be private operations or chain hotels of various sizes. These establishments typically include services such as housekeeping, room service, and amenities such as gyms, swimming pools, or conference rooms ⁷.

1.2.2 Resorts

Resorts are larger, often more luxurious, establishments that offer a wide range of amenities and recreational facilities ⁸. Resorts are often understood as a special type of hotel ⁹. They are usually located in attractive natural destinations and aim to provide a complete vacation experience, for example, beach resorts or winter sports resorts ¹⁰. Resorts include higher-quality accommodations and usually also several dining options in the form of restaurants, entertainment activities, spa and wellness facilities, golf courses, and other recreational services ¹¹. In contrast to traditional hotels, resorts imply that guests stay longer than a night or two and that they are mostly there for recreational purposes ¹².

1.2.3 Restaurants

Restaurants are businesses that provide meals and beverages to their customers ¹³. They appear in a wide variety of cuisines, price ranges, and dining experiences. Restaurants can range from small family-owned businesses to large chain restaurants, often in the fast-food sector.

2. Product and service offerings

2.1 General offerings

The products and services offerings included in the hospitality sector can vary depending on the specific business and its intended target market. However, here are some common products and services that can be found across segments.

Hotels¹⁴:
• Accommodation: Hotels usually offer various types of rooms for guests to stay in, ranging from standard rooms to luxury suites.
• Room Amenities: These typically include beds, furniture, en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, televisions, Wi-Fi, minibars, and much more.
• Food and Beverage Services: Many hotels have in-house bars, restaurants, cafes, or room service options to provide food and drinks to their overnight guests.
• Concierge Services: Hotels often provide a concierge desk or service that assists guests with their travels, and transportation.
• Meeting and Event Spaces: Larger hotels typically have meeting rooms and event spaces to cater to business meetings and other social events such as weddings.
• Recreation and Wellness Facilities: Hotels can offer other amenities such as swimming pools, gyms, saunas, and other recreational and wellness facilities.
• Guest Services: This includes services such as laundry, housekeeping, or a 24-hour reception.

Resorts¹⁵:
• Accommodation: Resorts provide various types of accommodations like hotel rooms but also other types such as suites, villas, or bungalows.
• Recreational facilities: Resorts often have extensive recreational facilities like swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, water sports, private beaches, and more.
• Dining: Resorts usually house multiple cafes, restaurants, or bars with diverse culinary offerings. They often provide an all-inclusive offering, where meals, beverages, and several activities such as evening programs are included in the booking price.
• Activities: Resorts may also organize entertainment programs such as live performances by bands or other performers, guided tours, and excursions to engage guests.
• Wellness: Many resorts have spas, wellness centers, and fitness centers that provide massages, spa treatments, sports classes, and other services.
• Kids’ clubs: Family-oriented resorts often provide kids’ clubs and childcare services with activities and separate playgrounds and spaces for children.
• Event venues: Resorts frequently offer event spaces for weddings, conferences, and other occasions.

Restaurants:
• Meal and drink services: Restaurants provide food and beverages to customers, coming in a variety of cuisines and experiences.
• Menu options: Restaurants offer a range of options, including appetizers, main courses, desserts, drinks, and sometimes special menus for dietary preferences such as vegan restaurants.
• Takeaway and delivery: Plenty of restaurants offer takeaway or even delivery services, allowing customers to order food for pick-up or have it delivered to their homes. This service has increased considerably since the COVID-19 pandemic ¹⁶.

These are some general examples, it is however important to note, that specific establishments within the hospitality sector may offer additional or specialized products and services based on their unique offerings or service bundles and market positioning. This for example can include the so-called green hotels, resorts, and restaurants, which target a segment of environmentally conscious consumers.

2.2 Unique offerings, for example: Green Hospitality

A green often called eco-hotel or resort is a business within the hospitality industry that prioritizes sustainable practices in its operations. This is not only limited to environmental-friendly activities but also includes being respectful and inclusive towards the local culture ¹⁷. Sustainable hotels have emerged to varying degrees across all continents at the beginning of the 21st century ¹⁸. These hotels usually place a strong emphasis on electricity consumption, water usage, and waste generation in their day-to-day business ¹⁹. In their pursuit of sustainability, green hotels often participate in certification programs or are members of green hotel associations ²⁰. Moreover, green hotels also might aim to use sustainable materials in their construction and design, for example by incorporating specialized building practices, they endeavor to minimize their carbon footprint, working towards being carbon neutral ²¹.

By focusing on sustainability, these hotels contribute to the overall goal of promoting environmentally and culturally responsible tourism and reducing the hospitality industry’s ecological footprint. They also provide environmentally conscious travelers with accommodation options that align with their morals ²². There exists a considerable body of literature that focuses on the sustainability of the accommodation part of hospitality, as described above. Sustainable or green restaurants however are rarely the focus of that discussion ²³.

3. Relevance

3.1 Economic impact

The hospitality sector’s economic importance is substantial, contributing to a country’s employment and overall economic growth. Tourism, which by nature includes hospitality, is an essential economic sector, not only in emerging but also in advanced economies ²⁴.

The sector in general has a considerable economic significance, which shows itself in various dimensions. The most obvious one is hospitality as an employer. The sector creates jobs worldwide, across various skill levels. According to the WTTC, the broader sector of travel and tourism, which includes hospitality, employed approximately 330 million people globally in 2019, accounting for around 10% of total global employment and translating to one in five new jobs created in the world being in the travel and tourism sector ²⁵. Most businesses located in the tourism and adjacent hospitality sector include small and medium-sized enterprises, which show a high employment rate for women and young people according to the UNWTO ²⁶.

The hospitality sector also generates revenue for many businesses and as such contributes to a country’s GDP’s, making it an important part of many national economies. The hospitality sector is closely linked to tourism and travel, which are major contributors to economic growth. According to the WTTC, travel and tourism’s contribution to the global GDP was approximately 7.9% in 2022 with 22 million new jobs created in the sector. In addition to the GDP the sector also attracts international travelers, leading to foreign exchange earnings for countries. In 2019, international tourism generated $1.5 trillion in export earnings globally ²⁷.

3.2 Environmental Impact

The overall tourism sector is dependent and reliant on the environment and climate, especially in cases where their services are closely linked to natural attractions, such as scenic beaches or snow-covered mountains ²⁸. One example of this is ski resorts in the Alps.

The hospitality sector’s environmental impact arises from its extensive energy consumption, water usage as well as waste generation ²⁹. Hotels, resorts, and restaurants are especially known for their high resource usage, especially regarding energy, including space conditioning such as heating, cooling, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, hot water consumption, electricity, laundry, and much more ³⁰.

These activities have a considerable impact on climate change, with hotels and other accommodation types, such as resorts, accounting for 2% of the 5% of global CO2 emissions caused by the sector ³¹. The average carbon emissions of staying at a hotel for one night depend on the specific country. Based on the DEFRA Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors, the average hotel stay’s carbon impact can be measured. Here the Maldives stand out with the highest carbon impact, emitting 152.2 kg CO2e per hotel room per night. In contrast, Costa Rica demonstrates the lowest carbon impact, with only 4.7 kg CO2e per hotel room per night. This substantial difference of 147.5 kg CO2e between the two countries showcases the significant variations in carbon emissions within the hospitality sector ³².

As the demand for travel and dining experiences continues to rise, it has become imperative to address these issues and adopt more sustainable practices to minimize environmental harm ³³. The impact of the sector on climate change has become a global concern, especially as the hospitality sector is affected but also is reliant on climate conditions and the intact environmental surroundings that attract tourists in the first place ³⁴. Through the adoption of energy-efficient technologies, water conservation measures, and waste reduction strategies the hospitality industry can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for its industry.

3.3 Social Impact

Different sources define different key social impacts in the hospitality industry, overall among these are impacts on the local community, staff, suppliers, customers, human rights along the supply chain, and effects on cultural capital & and heritage sites ³⁵. It is important to note that the hospitality industry uses public goods & and services as well as natural resources, from this one can derive a societal responsibility ³⁶.

The hospitality industry is a labor-intensive industry ³⁷, thus social impacts along the labor supply chain are crucial in this industry. The United Nations places responsibility for compliance with the law, as well as respecting human rights upon hospitality companies ³⁸. Migrant workers are especially at risk for exploitation ³⁹. But also the local communities are heavily affected by the hospitality industry ⁴⁰. Helgadóttir (2019) defined building public trust as an important challenge, that hospitality firms need to integrate into their management strategy ⁴¹. Still, hospitality can provide income and opportunities for development. But local communities are not always equipped to deal with (over-)tourism, this can lead to a decrease in quality of life. Tourism needs to be at an adequate level in order not to disrupt the local socio-ecological systems. Hospitality firms need to consider the quality of life of local communities in their management choices ⁴² ⁴³.

4. Historic Background

The historic roots of hospitality can be found in several ancient civilizations across the world, where travelers were offered food and shelter in exchange for money. Some prominent cases include the caravanserais along the Silk Road, the inns of ancient Rom e as well as monastic hospitality in medieval Europe ⁴⁴. In ancient Rome, there were first mentions of commercial hospitality, with four distinguished categories of establishments, some providing beds for an overnight stay and some simply offering a place to eat and drink ⁴⁵. Mainly travelers and merchants used the establishments in their trading routes for an overnight stay. These early forms of hospitality mostly emerged from a necessity of supporting trade routes as well as pilgrimage and various military activities, such as in the case of wars.

The hospitality sector has continued to develop over time, shaped by societal, economic, and even technological changes. Some key milestones across the centuries include:
• 18th century: The concept of modern hotels began to emerge in the 18th century mostly in the United States of America, with the opening of prominent hotels such as the Tremont House in Boston, Massachusetts. These early modern hotels offered private rooms, dining facilities, and shared amenities. The hotels were established “by groups of wealthy, urban”⁴⁶ entrepreneurs and were meant for such, excluding much of the general population. The first resorts emerged soon after in the form of spa resorts in Europe and then in the United States of America, which were located near mineral springs and focused on health aspects ⁴⁷.
• 19th century: With the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, many technical advancements, such as in transportation, made traveling more common and popular. This led to the growth of hotels, especially in urban areas and popular tourist destinations as a result of economic growth ⁴⁸.
• 20th century: In the 20th century, the development of international hotel chains like the Hilton and Marriott expanded the hospitality sector’s reach and standardized services across multiple locations, across countries ⁴⁹.
• 21st century: The development of resorts and the rise of its subsequent industry was fueled by the rise of tourism at the beginning of the 21st century. Although this type of hotel has been around since the late 18th century, modern travel options such as flying and an increasing appreciation for natural landscapes propelled this rise of the resort hotel ⁵⁰.

5. Practical Implementation

Sustainability management has become more and more important in the hospitality industry. The tourism industry was fast growing until 2019 ⁵¹. The coronavirus pandemic affected the tourism industry heavily but also opened up the opportunity to rebuild the sector more sustainably ⁵² ⁵³. Thus, more hotels are developing strategies and measures to implement sustainability into their activities. In this section, different sustainability management strategies will be explored.

5.1 Measurement

An industry standard for measuring sustainability is yet to be introduced ⁵⁴, but there are different ways of measuring sustainability impacts for hotels, restaurants, and resorts. Methods used include, but are not limited to water & carbon footprint, (social) life cycle assessments, social accounting ⁵⁵, or the balanced scorecard ⁵⁶. The Sustainable Hospitality Association (SHA) launched the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) to provide a free tool to hotels for measuring carbon emissions ⁵⁷. On an international level the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which is part of the United Nations is making an effort to measure sustainability in the tourism industry ⁵⁸.

5.2 Sustainability strategies, processes & measures

As mentioned before, restaurants, hotels, and resorts present three similar but different types of establishments in the hospitality industry, thus different measures are needed to address differing sustainability concerns. Some of these measures apply to multiple or all of the abovementioned, others will be rather specific to one of them. It is also worth mentioning that restaurants, hotels, and resorts have been studied to different extents, as shown by different authors ⁵⁹ ⁶⁰. Sustainability can be considered a competitive advantage ⁶¹. But still, there seems to be a lack of “coherent environmental strategy” ⁶².

5.2.1 Energy efficienc

Energy use in the hospitality industry includes the use of electricity, as well as the usage of other sources of energy, e.g. gas for heating. Energy impacts include heating and air-conditioning, lighting, computers, refrigerators, freezers, and other appliances ⁶³. Saving energy is not only worth doing for the environmental impact but at the same time reduces energy costs ⁶⁴.
A reduction in energy consumption is a measure taken up in all three types of hospitality endeavors. Other measures include energy recovery ⁶⁵. A popular strategy is optimizing buildings into near-zero energy buildings, as outlined by Tsoutos et al ⁶⁶.
Tourism Australia compiled a list of measures to save energy, a lot of these include which appliances to buy and how to handle them day-to-day, e.g. turning off appliances when not used, using the eco mode on washing machines, buying energy-efficient appliances, such as more efficient air-conditioners ⁶⁷ ⁶⁸. Another suggestion includes installing solar systems when appropriate, e.g. for swimming pools ⁶⁹. Other measures include replacing light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones ⁷⁰. To save energy it is crucial to train staff accordingly so that they can implement sustainability strategies daily ⁷¹.
A prominent example is “The Marcel”, a hotel in New Haven, US. “The Marcel” is a passive building, meaning it already needs a lot less energy than regular buildings. With the combination of solar panels and batteries, this hotel can completely cover its own energy consumption with its own production ⁷².

5.2.2 Water use

Water use presents an environmental challenge to companies in the hospitality sector, especially as water scarcity is predicted to increase with climate change ⁷³. At the same time, hotels and resorts consume large amounts of water for maintaining water parks and swimming pools or simply washing towels and linens ⁷⁴. Per capita water consumption for tourists on average is higher than for non-tourists ⁷⁵. In order to manage water sustainably, firms need to address decreasing water usage and increasing efficiency, treating wastewater and relieving pressure on freshwater resources, as well as reusing water when possible ⁷⁶.
In order to reduce water usage, hospitality establishments can establish towel reuse strategies. Towel-reuse strategies present a well-known strategy for hotels and resorts to save water. It also presents one of the most extensively researched strategies in hospitality research ⁷⁷. The United Nations also suggests various strategies for the reduction of water use, for example installing water-saving technology for taps, showers, and similar appliances or charging for the water that was actually consumed by the guests, instead of charging lump-sum, thus incentivizing more environmentally friendly behavior ⁷⁸. Also, rethinking swimming pools and water parks to reduce evaporation surfaces could be a management option ⁷⁹. Bux & Amicarelli suggest that sustainable washing practices, such as using eco-friendly detergent could also present a sustainability strategy by reducing water consumption and wastewater, yet not a lot of research has been conducted on “green” washing practices in the hospitality industry ⁸⁰.
Hospitality firms also need to take care of wastewater; a possible strategy is the purification or reuse of water. Wastewater management can also be part of a circular economy or farm-to-fork strategy ⁸¹.
A well-known example of a company that introduced a water management strategy is the Radisson Blu Capetown Waterfront Hotel, which managed to reduce its environmental impact through water use by building its own desalination plant, which is able to produce 7000 liters of fresh water per hour. This allows the hotel to be independent of the cities´ water supply and use water, even in times of low rainfall ⁸² ⁸³, thus reducing pressure on freshwater resources. From this example, one can see that water management strategies need to fit the respective hospitality firm and take into account its ecological and social environment.

5.2.3 Waste management

Filimonau and Cateau define five types of waste that the hospitality industry produces: hazardous, non-hazardous, solid waste, water waste, and food waste ⁸⁴. Company strategies can be split into two categories: reducing waste and dealing with the waste. In order to reduce waste, hospitality firms can utilize reusable instead of single-use products, communicate via E-Mail rather than postal mail, or reuse packaging material such as cardboard boxes. Obsolete equipment, such as packaging material or electronic appliances can be donated instead of being scrapped ⁸⁵.
A rather industry-specific topic is food waste management. Filimonau and Cateau show that food waste in hospitality lacks sufficient information and academic attention, which leads to an insufficient understanding of the magnitude of food waste in the hospitality industry. So far, research has focused on reducing avoidable food waste. Management strategies need to address food waste at different stages of waste generation: design of kitchen processes, use of new technology, redistribution of unsold food, optimal disposal, and action aimed at consumption behavior. Reducing food waste presents an opportunity to reduce costs, for example by reducing disposal costs. Mitigation efforts need to be made at every stage of the food supply chain; pre-kitchen, in-kitchen, and post-kitchen ⁸⁶.To avoid food waste, methods like smaller portion sizes or sharing leftover food in a food-sharing program can be employed ⁸⁷.
Strategies to re-utilize food waste include valorization, composting, e.g. for use as fertilizer or nutrient recycling. Food waste could also be transformed into biodiesel, which is a rather uncommon practice ⁸⁸ ⁸⁹.

5.2.4 Strategies for Social Sustainability

As a labor-intensive industry, the hospitality industry especially needs to look out for the people it employs. Human rights violations, for example through forced labor or modern slavery particularly pose a problem ⁹⁰. But even for employees whose human rights are not violated, hospitality companies need to make an effort to treat their workers fairly. To make a positive social impact on employees, companies can, for example, pay fair wages or train disadvantaged or handicapped people ⁹¹. To address forced labor and modern slavery, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance published three principles on forced labor: Freedom of movement for all employees, Employees should not pay for their jobs and employees should work voluntarily with their employers informing them beforehand and correctly about their terms of work, as well as sticking to those terms ⁹². The SHA expands on these principles in their guidelines on ethical recruitment, urging employers to, for example, act by the employer pays principle, which prohibits charging workers for work-related costs. Hospitality firms can use these guidelines to identify harmful employment practices and account for those. But human rights also need to be addressed along the supply chain ⁹³. To address this, the United Nations Guiding Principle urges companies to identify human rights violations along the supply chain and provide remedies for all violations ⁹⁴.
But not only within the companies and their practices, social impacts need to be addressed, but also outside, when impacting the local communities. To make a positive impact on the local communities, hotels can engage and initiate community projects; it is crucial that the company understands the local communities’ needs for such projects to succeed ⁹⁵. To make an impact beyond employment and local communities, establishments can establish pay-as-you-feel policies or consider donating to charitable purposes. Yet, in academia, management strategies for positive social impacts are still under-researched compared to strategies for environmental impacts ⁹⁶.

5.2.5 Overarching strategies & and other measures

Not only are strategies needed that address specific impacts in the hospitality industry, but also strategies that address the companies´ structure and the way it works more holistically. For example, management systems can be designed to be more sustainable ⁹⁷. Cabral and Jabbour address the importance of green HR and green training to progress sustainability endeavors. Their research shows that training is essential for implementing sustainability strategies daily through staff. Also, training needs to be done properly and adequately to have the desired effect ⁹⁸.
Further measures for sustainability include Circular Economy and Farm to Fork strategies. These often include locally sourced and organic products, thus reducing impacts by transport emissions and pesticides ⁹⁹. Choice architecture and encouraging sustainable consumption behaviors also present commonly used strategies, this can for example include the menu design in a restaurant ¹⁰⁰ ¹⁰¹. Green labels can also be used as a sustainability measure. Interior design and workflow can also play a role in sustainability. Furthermore, hospitality firms can take action in environmental education and biodiversity conservation ¹⁰².

6. Drivers and Barriers

6.1 Stakeholder approach on drivers and barriers

Many different influencing factors have an impact on the implementation of sustainability in the hospitality industry. These result from the various stakeholders that exist in the industry. Especially because it is such a diverse industry with small family-owned businesses up to global enterprises,¹⁰³ it makes sense to take a closer look at the stakeholders at this point, because they influence a large part of the barriers and drivers. These stakeholders may lead to pressure, expectations, and regulations that lead to the need to promote and establish sustainability in the hospitality sector.¹⁰⁴ Another important factor is price competitiveness, which is often seen as a determinant of the willingness to visit a specific place.¹⁰⁵ These factors will be split into environmental and firm-intern drivers. However, some barriers lead to a slowdown or even the complete avoidance of the introduction of measures towards more sustainability. These barriers are mainly caused by insufficient knowledge from internal and external staff, resources, and the costs of implementation and maintenance.¹⁰⁶ As these factors can be external and internal at the same time, they will be discussed in a more general approach.
Two main factors drive sustainable development in the hospitality industry. The first main factor is the satisfaction of the various stakeholders that can be found in the industry.¹⁰⁷ There are various instruments to address the different stakeholders and to highlight the improvements in sustainability. A common instrument to provide information to the various stakeholders is sustainability reports provided by the companies. These reports are mainly found in large corporations and are not that common in small- and medium-sized companies.¹⁰⁸ Stakeholders can be split into two different groups. The first group is stakeholders that the industry primarily focuses on in strategic stakeholder management, while the second group is secondary stakeholders. The priorities for the industry are the former ones, while the second group are not as important for the industry itself, but still have to be considered in different processes.¹⁰⁹ These groups can be split into internal and external, which in this case will be used to highlight the internal and external drivers for sustainability. The Illustration below shows the most important stakeholders in the hotel, resort industry, and restaurants. Dark grey ones refer to primarily and the light grey ones refer to secondary Stakeholders.

Adapted from Yilmaz & Gunel (2009)¹¹⁰ and Khatter et al. (2020)¹¹¹.

As the primary stakeholders are the focus group, the following will focus on those. The groups of governments, investors, organizations, and competitors can be seen as drivers, while owners/shareholders, customers, and employees can be seen as drivers and barriers.

6.2 External drivers

As with all drivers, a competitive advantage is the main aim for most industries. Pereira-Moliner et al. (2012) have identified three main factors that contribute to a competitive advantage for hotels and resorts. These three factors are the ability to create a lasting customer experience and satisfaction, attracting more customers, and an improvement in financial performance.¹¹² The first two can directly be found in the stakeholder group of customers, while the financial performance addresses owners/shareholders/managers and competitors.
Therefore the first main group that drives sustainability is customers, with the two main aspects of customers attracting more customers and satisfaction of the customers. Attracting more customers is essential for most industries, but especially for the hotel and resort industry because it is a rapidly growing market with strong competition.¹¹³ The need for more sustainability in this industry is mainly caused by the growing amount of awareness and education of the customers, who are willing to pay for accommodations that provide sustainable solutions and use eco-technologies. Therefore, sustainable accommodations become very popular and are often preferred by travelers.¹¹⁴
The third factor is improving financial performance. This includes price competitiveness by reducing costs¹¹⁵ and e. g. positive impact on credit scores.¹¹⁶ This factor includes ground content, which is referred to as accommodation, food and beverages, entertainment, etc., among others. It is commonly known that travelers are sensitive to price, therefore the potential of the hotel, resort industry, and restaurants rely on price competitiveness.¹¹⁷ As shown before, three main impact areas impact the use of resources: energy efficiency, water use, waste management¹¹⁸, and social impacts.¹¹⁹ Except for social impacts, the goal of more sustainable management is to reduce the resources used in these areas. This reduction in used resources automatically leads to savings, which may lead to better price competitiveness compared to other competitors¹²⁰ (when neglecting the acquisition costs). Another benefit that has been shown is that investments in environmental programs (like Corporate Social Responsibility) lead to a better credit rating. There is a significant positive connection between the prior investments made in these programs and the credit score in the following year,¹²¹ which makes later investments cheaper and easier. These factors can be seen as both internal and external drivers of sustainability. This is because customers, investors and owners may benefit from it.
The last stakeholder group that drives sustainable development are governments and international organizations (like WMO and WTTC) and investors, that enforce laws and regulations or support sustainability with e.g., tax releases or funding, which relate directly to sustainability in hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Three main principles are considered in national and international laws and regulations. The three principles are 1. Equity , 2. Polluter pays, and 3. The precautionary principle.
“Equity … is a qualitative ethical concept that refers to the level of fairness in the outcomes for different individuals or groups.”¹²² In the context of sustainability, this means that countries and/or companies in these countries have different possibilities to address environmental issues, because they may not have the financial resources or government decision-makers can’t afford stricter regulations for example due to a possible deindustrialization.¹²³ To eliminate this imbalance and to promote equity, there are various measures taken by both state and private companies. These measures mainly focus on financial support for more sustainable businesses and energy development in general,¹²⁴ but there are a few that are aimed directly at hotels. One of these is the “Sustainable Hospitality Alliance”, which supports the global industry to create equity in the fields of human rights, youth employment , water stewardship , and climcateclimate actions.
The second principle focuses on the energy consumption in the industry. Just like any other industry, hotels, resorts, and restaurants have to pay for the emissions caused by the consumption of energy in various forms. This could include electricity, fuel, and other forms of energy consumption like gas stoves in restaurants. Some countries have already introduced taxes for the emissions caused by these forms of energy, while others still plan to introduce them.¹²⁵ This leads to the need to reduce energy consumption or use sustainable alternatives that are tax-free. There are not many specific regulations directly related to the hotel industry or restaurants and the emissions caused, even though both have an impact on the environment. Two examples of taxes that are used to compensate for the impact of tourists would be the Balearic eco tax¹²⁶ or the entry tax on the Seychelles.¹²⁷ The problem is that these taxes do not change, even if companies would improve their sustainability. Therefore this could even be seen as a barrier.
The third one is the precautionary principle, which focuses on risk prevention and care of resources. These two dimensions focus on damage to the environment that is foreseeable with a reasonable probability. The intention is to prevent damage and danger to the environment before it occurs. This goal can be reached by risk prevention. Understandable and reasonable risk prevention requires a detailed analysis of possible risks, the impact on the environment, and measurements to prevent possible events, if necessary.¹²⁸ Some different laws and regulations focus especially on the hospitality industry because environmentally harmful behavior is more common. This is mainly due to the greater demands that customers place on facilities such as hotels, resorts, and restaurants.¹²⁹ Another factor is the relatively high use of disposable products, such as single-use plastics. These single-use plastics are the worst option for food packaging and have shown the worst impact on the environment. This is particularly the case for food deliveries from restaurants.¹³⁰ So the reduction of those is often seen as necessary by governments and organizations. Different laws across the world aim precisely at this problem, therefore the following will only provide one of these restrictions. The EU has introduced a ban on single-use plastic items like straws, plates, and cutlery. This ban has an estimated reduction of greenhouse gases by 2,63 million tons per year.¹³¹ This ban forces restaurants, hotels, and resorts to use different items that are not considered as single-use plastic.

6.3 Internal drivers

There are two major internal drivers. The first one is savings by sustainable measurements and the second one is marketing. Savings can be achieved by different measurements and can affect many different components of the hospitality industry. Therefore the following will take a closer look at two major aspects that have been identified to be the most important for the hospitality industry.
The first big topic is avoiding food waste. This food waste is often considered one of the major problems in the hospitality industry and has the highest impact on the environment. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the hospitality sector accounts for a huge amount of food served (e.g. one-third of the food served in Denmark is from this sector). This wouldn’t be a problem if all the food that is bought by the industry was consumed, but that’s not the case. For example, Almost one million tons of food waste in the UK is wasted in the hospitality industry, of which 75% would be avoidable.¹³² A reduction of this food waste by just 5% would result in savings of £250 million alone in the UK. Therefore food waste must be considered as a cost factor for the industry, which is avoidable. A solution to minimize food waste is better logistics, preparation, planning, and storage of the food. Another factor is the education of employees in this area.¹³³ However, this management is difficult, because food in the form of a buffet is offered often, which leads to more planning uncertainty. In general, a buffet creates more food waste and leads to higher costs. This problem can be solved with good training and studies on the behavior of guests, which could include an analysis of the consumed food and the leftovers. Which leads to less wasted food and a bigger profit, while maintaining the expected standard.¹³⁴ Therefore the aim of the industry must be the reduction of such waste and can be seen as an internal driver that creates not only a more sustainable environment but also saves costs and therefore leads to a bigger profit for the industry.
The second topic is energy savings. This factor can be very diverse, so the focus below is on typical hotel and resort facilities and general energy consumption. One facility that can be often found in hotels and resorts is pools. These pools are often heated and therefore consume a large amount of electricity. It has shown that using an effective heat pump instead of a conventional heating system (that is often used in the industry) can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% and therefore save 50% of electricity costs. However, it must be noted that this depends on the region and climate.¹³⁵ Another place where a lot of energy is consumed is the hotel room. Various consumers of electricity are usually found in hotel rooms, such as Refrigerators, air conditioning, and light bulbs. As these have already been discussed prior (5.2.1 energy efficiency), there will be no further explanation of these topics. As shown above, there is a big potential to save energy in the industry, which highlights that this can be seen as an internal driver to create better revenues.
Besides the possible savings that can be achieved through e.g., sustainable technologies or saving of resources that have already been mentioned, marketing is another important internal driver. This point goes hand in hand with attracting more customers and customer satisfaction. It has been proven several times that marketing sustainability attracts more customers.¹³⁶ Various options can have different effects on the satisfaction of the customers. Therefore the management must understand what brings the highest customer satisfaction and if possible, with a low input of resources (this shouldn’t be confused with greenwashing). A good recycling policy has shown a big effect on customer satisfaction in some studies. While linen and towel policy (which will be further explained in the barriers below) has a low to medium impact on customer satisfaction, even though most hotels already have these rules and customers are familiar with the system.¹³⁷ It has also been shown that there is an opportunity to create higher profits by implementing and communicating a sustainable marketing strategy. This can be traced back to the customer satisfaction that has already been mentioned. This satisfaction also leads to higher spending, longer stays, and therefore a better overall performance of companies that focus their marketing on sustainability.¹³⁸

6.4 Barriers

The major barriers to the implementation of sustainable policies and practices can be categorized as insufficient knowledge from internal and external staff, the lack of resources and the costs of implementation and maintenance¹³⁹, the view of owners, managers, and employees toward sustainability and the increased work that these implementations may bring with them.
As already highlighted, customers can be a driver for sustainability in the industry, but they can also be seen as a barrier. Improved environmental sustainability is often claimed to attract more customers, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. Usually, customers of hotels and resorts expect improved comfort and luxury compared to what they would expect at home. This happens mainly because tourists and travelers tend to change their mindset, which leads to less support for sustainable measurements.¹⁴⁰ One good example of this would be the bed linen policies implemented by many hotels and resorts, where the customer can choose if they would like to change their linen or not. A study in Greece has shown that only 34% would stay in the same linen for more than three days and 66% would require a change within or after these three days. The results for towels in the room and pool towels were very similar. A Majority of 75% would keep their room towel and 57% would keep their pool towel for two days until a change should take place.¹⁴¹ Shown in the figures below.

Adapted from Goessling et al. (2015).¹⁴²

This case highlights how important the customer’s decisions are for the success of sustainability programs. It has been shown that the voluntary reduction of environmentally harmful behavior has little to no impact on improving sustainability. One way to solve this problem is to educate customers and consumers on their impact on the environment even at the individual level.¹⁴³ There are different approaches from hotels and resorts to reach this goal.
The study in Greece also highlighted that a basket for used towels is an easy and effective way to avoid misunderstandings. The guest can choose if they want to change their towel or keep it. This way the staff is not under pressure to decide if they must change the towels, or the guest might want to keep it. This turns out to be more difficult with bed linen. When trying to have the bed stripped by guests, to point out a necessary change, this was rather rejected.¹⁴⁴ Other studies have shown that attributes such as the reuse of linen or towels are viewed as mandatory for hotels and resorts and don’t benefit the overall green image. There has even been a negative correlation when these attributes are missing.¹⁴⁵
As shown above, customers play an essential role in the implementation of sustainability, therefore there are different approaches, best practice examples, and even guides on how to communicate with customers regarding sustainability. One of these is the community of Ecobnb with a focus on sustainable tourism.¹⁴⁶ Ecobnb highlights that communication with guests is essential to promote customer acceptance of sustainable measurements. This communication has to be clear and has to show the benefits of such behavior. There are easy ways such as reminders that turning off the tap while brushing reduces the waste of water by 15 liters. Another effective way is brochures, posters, and other materials provided to guests, to educate them. All these measures should be formulated positively and highlight that it sometimes takes little effort to adopt these behaviors.¹⁴⁷ Another approach is to provide a wide range of information on sustainability on the hotel website, so customers have easy access to the information. Big hotel chains like Hilton offer a detailed overview of commitments to sustainability and show the measures already taken. This includes water management, waste reduction, and energy efficiency.¹⁴⁸ There are also rankings for hotel and resort chains, that show the most sustainable hotels. These rankings investigate various fields of sustainability, such as the use of single-use plastic, renewable energy, and recycling programs.¹⁴⁹ Another quite recent approach from “Booking.com” is a similar approach by implementing the “Sustainable Travel program” in 2022. This program awards hotels and resorts with a 3-tier rating, with three as the highest reward. This enables customers to see how sustainable their accommodation is before booking with little to no effort.¹⁵⁰ This could lead to a benefit for the accommodations because sustainable measures may be easier to implement because the customers know beforehand that the hotel attaches great importance to sustainability.
Another important internal barrier that is often mentioned is the lack of financial resources to implement new strategies and technologies, which includes following maintenance costs that come along with the implementation. Especially for small businesses it is often described as being too expensive. This factor is amplified in Third World countries because these are usually considered to create less profit compared to developed countries, therefore it is difficult for them to acquire the mostly imported new technologies.¹⁵¹ Studies have also shown that in case of unfavorable economic conditions that lead to financially difficult situations, the hospitality industry saves costs by reducing sustainability programs, although this does not apply to employees and the quality of products.¹⁵² This problem can be solved by promoting the benefits that sustainable hotels, resorts, and restaurants have for investors. As already shown, sustainable accommodations attract more customers and increase their stay and their spending.¹⁵³ The best practice for this topic is much more difficult because a whole range of different influencing factors come into consideration. An approach might be investigations in easy and cheap measurements, such as waste reduction, reusable dishes,¹⁵⁴ the reduction of water usage by low flow taps, low-capacity tanks for toilets, or training the staff to use less water.¹⁵⁵ Or the already mentioned brochures and posters,¹⁵⁶ to create awareness and save money, that could be later invested in other sustainable programs.
Another key factor is the insufficient knowledge from internal and external staff. The development and adoption of sustainable measurements depend on the competencies of leaders, management, and members of the team. Maintaining a large amount of complex information in combination with a holistic perspective makes it important for all parties to have extended knowledge of the topic, and to understand, introduce, and maintain the measurements.¹⁵⁷ These challenges are compounded by the mostly poorly trained, skilled, and paid workers in the industry. Another problem is the high turnover rate, which makes it even harder to allocate and train staff for initiatives such as energy management.¹⁵⁸ Another factor that reinforces this problem is time in combination with the high turnover, which is often caused by seasonal work. This means that a large part of the time must be invested in familiarization with the new workplace and training in the main work, with the consequence that there is no time to train the changing employees in sustainability at every turn.¹⁵⁹ Different institutions offer training with a focus on sustainability for the staff in hotels, resorts, and restaurants. These training courses often focus on specific topics in the industry, such as real-life examples found in the hotel industry, and best practices.¹⁶⁰ water consumption, energy efficiency and recycling.¹⁶¹ The problem with these trainings might be, that this doesn’t solve the high turnover rate. So, the bigger issue that must be addressed is the high turnover rate. This problem can be solved by higher salaries, benefits and rewards for the staff, possibilities for a career in the sector and general job satisfaction.¹⁶²

References

1
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
2
Stafford, M. R. Connecting and Communicating with the Customer: Advertising Research for the Hospitality Industry. Journal of Advertising, 49(3), 1–3 (2020). doi:10.1080/00913367.2020.1813663
3
Kim, S-H., Lee, K. & Fairhurst, A. “The review of “green” research in hospitality,2000-2014 Current trends and future research directions “, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29 (1) 226 – 247 (2017). doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2014-0562
4
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., & Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism, 20(1), 1-18 (2017). doi:10.1080/13683500.2017.1383368
5
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
6
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
7
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
8
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
9
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
10
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
11
Żemła, M. Winter Sports Resorts and Natural Environment—Systematic Literature Review Presenting Interactions between Them. Sustainability, 13(2), 636 (2021). doi:10.3390/su13020636
12
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
13
Friedman, A. L., Miles, S. Stakeholders. Theory and Practice. Oxford, (2006).
14
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
15
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
16
Ahuja, K., Chandra,V., Lord, V. & Peens, C. Ordering in: The rapid evolution of food delivery. McKinsey & Company, Technology, Media & Telecommunication. (2021) Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ordering-in-the-rapid-evolution-of-food-delivery#/.
17
Lee, T. H., & Jan, F. H. Development and validation of the ecotourism behavior scale. International Journal of Tourism Research, 20(2), 191–203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2172
18
Bader, E.. Hotels: Sustainable hotel business practices, Journal of Retail & Leisure Property, 5(1), 70-77 (2005). Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057/palgrave.rlp.5090008.pdf
19
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
20
Khatter, A., McGrath, M., Pyke, J., White, L., Lockstone-Binney, L.. Analysis of hotels’ environmentally sustainable policies and practices – Sustainability and corporate social responsibility in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 31 (6) 2 394-2410 (2019)
21
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
22
Lee, T. H., & Jan, F. H. Development and validation of the ecotourism behavior scale. International Journal of Tourism Research, 20(2), 191–203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2172
23
Kim, S-H., Lee, K. & Fairhurst, A. “The review of “green” research in hospitality,2000-2014 Current trends and future research directions “, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29 (1) 226 – 247 (2017). doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2014-0562
24
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
25
Economic impact. World Travel & Tourism Council. (2023). Retrieved from: https://wttc.org/research/economic-impact (accessed 01 July 2023)
26
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
27
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
28
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
29
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
30
Hotel Energy Solutions. Analysis on energy use by european hotels: online survey and desk research. (2011) Retrieved from: https://www.eunwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284414970 (accessed 17 July 2023).
31
International Tourism Highlights: 2020 edition. UNWTO World Tourism Organization. (2020) Retrieved from: https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284422456 (accessed 27 June 2023)
32
The carbon emissions of staying in a hotel. Circular Ecology. (2023) Retrieved from: https://circularecology.com/news/the-carbon-emissions-of-staying-in-a-hotel (accessed 02 July 2023)
33
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
34
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
35
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
36
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
37
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
38
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
39
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
40
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
41
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
42
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
43
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
44
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
45
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
46
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
47
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
48
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
49
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
50
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
51
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
52
UNWTO. TOURISM AND COVID-19 – UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC IMPACTS. (2023a) Retrieved from: Tourism and COVID-19 – unprecedented economic impacts | UNWTO (accessed 31 August 2023)
53
Mitchell, C. W., Impact Hospitality: Creating Social Impact through Hospitality. Sustainability 14 6274 (2022)
54
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
55
Arcese, G., Lucchetti, M. C. & Merli, R.. Social Life Cycle Assessment as a Management Tool: Methodology for Application in Tourism. Sustainability 5 3275-3287 (2013)
56
Fatima, F. & Elbanna, S.. Balanced scorecard in the hospitality and tourism industry: Past, present and future. International Journal of Hospitality Management 91 02656 (2020)
57
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 1. (n.a./n.d.). Human rights. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/. (31.08.2023).
58
UNWTO. Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism. (2023b) retrieved from https://www.unwto.org/tourism-statistics/measuring-sustainability-tourism (accessed 31 August 2023)
59
Chan, E. S. W., & Hsu, C.H.C.. Environmental management research in hospitality. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 28 (5) 886-923 (2016)
60
Myung, E., Kim, Y.-S., Barrett, S.. Environmental Management and Performance of Hospitality Firms: Review and Research Agenda. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism (2020)
61
Arcese, G., Lucchetti, M. C. & Merli, R.. Social Life Cycle Assessment as a Management Tool: Methodology for Application in Tourism. Sustainability 5 3275-3287 (2013)
62
Khatter, A., McGrath, M., Pyke, J., White, L., Lockstone-Binney, L.. Analysis of hotels’ environmentally sustainable policies and practices – Sustainability and corporate social responsibility in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 31 (6) 2 394-2410 (2019)
63
Tourism Australia. Energy. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150907223320/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Energy.pdf (accessed 31 August 2023)
64
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
65
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
66
Tsoutsos, T., Tournaki, S., Frangou, M., Tsituora, M.. Creating paradigms for nearly zero energy hotels in South Europe. AIMS Energy 6 (1) 1-18 (2017)
67
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
68
Tourism Australia. Waste Water. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150908002401/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Waste_Fact_Sheet.pdf (Accessed 31 August 2023)
69
Tourism Australia. Waste Water. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150908002401/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Waste_Fact_Sheet.pdf (Accessed 31 August 2023)
70
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
71
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
72
National Geographic. How ‘net-zero’ hotels could make travel more climate-friendly. (2022) retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/how-net-zero-hotels-could-make-travel-more-climate-friendly (accessed 31 August 2023)
73
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 1. (n.a./n.d.). Human rights. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/. (31.08.2023).
74
Tirado, D., Nilsson, W., Deyá-Tortella, B., García, C.. Implementation of Water-Saving Measures in Hotels in Mallorca. Sustainability 11 6880 (2019)
75
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
76
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 3. (n.a./n.d.). Water stewardship. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/water-stewardship/. (31.08.2023).
77
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
78
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
79
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
80
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
81
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
82
Relocation Africa. Cape Town Hotel Gets Off the Water Grid with New Desalination Plant. (2023) retrieved from https://www.relocationafrica.com/cape-town-hotel-gets-off-the-water-grid-with-new-desalination-plant/ (accessed 31 2023)
83
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Water stewardship factsheet. (2023c), retrievable under https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/water-stewardship-factsheet/
84
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
85
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Water stewardship factsheet. (2023c), retrievable under https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/water-stewardship-factsheet/
86
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
87
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
88
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
89
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Food waste factsheet. (2023e) retrieved from https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/food-waste-factsheet/ (accessed 31 August 2023)
90
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Human Rights Risks along the Supply Chain. In Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality (eds. Legrand, W., Kuokkanen, H., Day, J.) 35-46 (2023a)
91
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism. 22, 1-30, (2017).
92
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Principles on Forced Labour. (2023b) retrieved from https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/principles-on-forced-labour/ (Accessed 31 August 2023)
93
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Human Rights Risks along the Supply Chain. In Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality (eds. Legrand, W., Kuokkanen, H., Day, J.) 35-46 (2023a)
94
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
95
96
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
97
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
98
Cabral, C., Jabbour, C.J.C.. Understanding the human side of green hospitality management. International Journal of Hospitality Management 88 (2020)
99
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
100
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
101
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., & Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism, 20(1), 1-18 (2017). doi:10.1080/13683500.2017.1383368
102
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
103
Ribeiro Mucharreiraa, P., Godinho Antunes, M. Abranjac, N., Rosário Texeira Justino, M., Texeira Quirós, J. The relevance of tourism in financial sustainability of hotels in European. Research on Management and Business Economics. 25 (3), 165-174, (2019).
104
Guix, M., Font, X., Bonilla-Priego, M. J.Materiality: stakeholder accountability choices in hotels’ sustainability reports. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 31 (6) 2321-2338 (2019).
105
Assaf, A. G., Josiassen, A. Identifying and Ranking the Determinants of Tourism Performance: A Global Investigation. Journal of Travel Research. 51, 388-399 (2012).
106
Luo, M. J., Chau K. Y., Fan, Y., Chen, H. Barriers to the Implementation of Green Practices in the Integrated Resort Sector. SAGE Open. 11(3).
107
Guix, M., Font, X., Bonilla-Priego, M. J.Materiality: stakeholder accountability choices in hotels’ sustainability reports. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 31 (6) 2321-2338 (2019).
108
Jones, P., Hillier, D., Comfort, D. (2014): Sustainability in the global hotel industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 26 (1), 5-17, (2014).
109
Friedman, A. L., Miles, S. Stakeholders. Theory and Practice. Oxford, (2006).
110
Yilmaz, B. S., Gunel, O. D. (2009) The importance of strategic stakeholder management in tourism sector: research on probable applications. Tourismous: An international Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism. 4 (1), 97-108, (2009).
111
Khatter, A. White, L., Pyke, L., McGrath, M. (2020) Barriers and drivers of environmental sustainability: Australian hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 33 (5), 1830-1849, (2021).
112
Pereira-Moliner, J., Claver-Cortés, E., Molina-Azorin, J., Juan, T. Quality management, environmental management and firm performance: Direct and mediating effects in the hotel industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 37, 82-92, (2012).
113
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
114
Troyanskaya, M., Dugalova, G. N., Adietova, E. M., Berstembayeva, R., Bekmagambetova G., Abdikarimova, M., Shakizada, N. (2021) Sustainable Hotel Development. Academy of Strategic Management Journal Research Article. 20 (2S), 1-16, (2021).
115
Assaf, A. G., Josiassen, A. Identifying and Ranking the Determinants of Tourism Performance: A Global Investigation. Journal of Travel Research. 51, 388-399 (2012).
116
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
117
Dwyer, L., Forsyth, P., Rao, P. The price competitiveness of travel and tourism: a comparison of 19 destinations. Tourism Management. 21, 9-22 (2000).
118
Amicarelli, V., Aluculesei, A-. C., Lagioia, G., Pamfilie, R., Bux, C. How to manage and minimize food waste in the hotel industry: an exploratory research. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.16 (1), 152-167, (2022).
119
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism. 22, 1-30, (2017).
120
Duric, Z. & Potocnik Topler, J. The Role of Performance and Environmental Sustainability Indicators. Hotel Competitiveness in Sustainability. 13 (12), 6574, (2021).
121
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
122
123
Rogers, D.S. (2014). Socioeconomic Equity and Sustainability. In: Freedman, B. (eds) Global Environmental Change. Handbook of Global Environmental Pollution, 1. Springer, Dordrecht, p. 934.
124
Rogers, D.S. (2014). Socioeconomic Equity and Sustainability. In: Freedman, B. (eds) Global Environmental Change. Handbook of Global Environmental Pollution, 1. Springer, Dordrecht.
125
Indre Lapinskaite, I., Skvarciany, V., Janulevicius, P. Impact of Investment Sources for Sustainability on a Country’s Sustainable Development: Evidence from the EU. Sustainability 12(6), 2421, (2020).
126
European court of auditors (2022) Energy taxation, carbon pricing and energy subsidies. Review 1.
127
Palmer, T. Riera, A. Tourism and environmental taxes. With special reference to the “Balearic ecotax”, Tourism Management. 24 (6), 665-674, (2003).
128
Masons Travel. (7.07.2023). Seychelles Implements New Environmental Sustainability Levy to Enhance Green Initiatives. URL: https://masonstravel.com/new-environment-levy-seychelles/#:~:text=The%20levy%20charges%20are%20as,%2C%20island%20resorts*%2C%20yachts) (31.08.2023).
129
Fennell, D. A. & Ebert, K. Tourism and the Precautionary Principle. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 12 (6),461-479, (2004).
130
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Raab, C. Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15(1), 1-18, (2014).
131
Li, K., Chen, Y., Liu, J., Zhang, L., Mu, X. Online Food Delivery Platforms and Restaurants’ Interactions in the Context of the Ban on Using Single-Use Plastics. IEEE Access. 9, 96210-96220, (2021).
132
Timo, H., Barlow, C. Y., Finkbeiner, M. Sustainability Assessment of a Single-Use Plastics Ban. Sustainability.12 (9), 3746, (2020).
133
Pirani, S. I., & Arafat, H. A. Reduction of food waste generation in the hospitality industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 123, 129-145, (2016).
134
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
135
Amicarelli, V., Aluculesei, A-. C., Lagioia, G., Pamfilie, R., Bux, C. How to manage and minimize food waste in the hotel industry: an exploratory research. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.16 (1), 152-167, (2022).
136
Chan, W. W. & Lam, J. C. Energy-saving Supporting Tourism Sustainability: A Case Study of Hotel Swimming Pool Heat Pump. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 11 (1), 74-83, (2013).
137
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
138
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Carola Raab, C. (2014) Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15 (1), 1-18, (2014).
139
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
140
Luo, M. J., Chau K. Y., Fan, Y., Chen, H. Barriers to the Implementation of Green Practices in the Integrated Resort Sector. SAGE Open. 11(3).
141
Khatter, A. White, L., Pyke, L., McGrath, M. (2020) Barriers and drivers of environmental sustainability: Australian hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 33 (5), 1830-1849, (2021).
142
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto.
143
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto. Page 127.
144
D’Souza, C., Apaolaza, V., Hartmann, P., Brouwer, A-. R. (2021) Marketing for sustainability: Travellers’ intentions to stay in green hotels. Journal of Vacation Marketing. 27 (2), 187-202, (2021).
145
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto.
146
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Raab, C. Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15(1), 1-18, (2014).
147
Ombellini, S. Ecobnb. Frequently asked questions. (29.01.2015). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/faq/ (31.08.2023).
148
Marras, C. Ecobnb. How to effectively communicate the sustainability of your hotel. (18.01.2021). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2021/01/effectively-communicate-sustainability-hotel/. (31.08.2023).
149
Hilton. Environmental Impact. (n.a./n.d.) URL: https://esg.hilton.com/environment/ (31.08.2023).
150
Bogunovic, B. Travelperk. Top 10 sustainable hotels & chains for business travelers. (09.08.2022). URL: https://www.travelperk.com/blog/6-hotels-for-sustainability-minded-business-travelers/. (31.08.2023).
151
Biosphere. (n.a/n.d.) URL: https://www.biospheretourism.com/en/blog/booking-s-new-sustainable-travel-rankings/339. (31.08.2023).
152
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007).
153
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
154
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
155
Fredericks, L. Cvent. (24.08.2023). Sustainable Hotel Ideas: 25 Ways to Go Green. URL: https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/hospitality/eco-friendly-hotel-ideas. (31.08.2023).
156
Biosphere. (n.a./27.03.2016). 7 Tips for saving water in hotels. URL: https://www.biospheretourism.com/en/blog/7-tips-for-saving-water-in-hotels/53. (31.08.2023).
157
Marras, C. Ecobnb. How to effectively communicate the sustainability of your hotel. (18.01.2021). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2021/01/effectively-communicate-sustainability-hotel/. (31.08.2023).
158
Oxenswärdh, A. Sustainability Efforts in Practice in European Hotels: A Tricky Business? Quality innovation prosperity. 26 (3), 1-21, (2022).
159
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
160
Oxenswärdh, A. Sustainability Efforts in Practice in European Hotels: A Tricky Business? Quality innovation prosperity. 26 (3), 1-21, (2022).
161
Bhattacharya, D. (02.02.2023). How your hotel staff can help you embrace sustainability in 2023. URL: https://employers.hosco.com/blog/how-to-achieve-sustainability-with-hospitality-staff-training. (31.08.2023).
162
Codling, S., Pinnock, J., Barrett, E., Gayle, S., Stephenson, N., Sibblies, N., Sinclair-Maragh, G. (2022) Factors Contributing to Staff Turnover in the Hotel Industry: A Literature Review in People Management. Chapter 2.

1
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
2
Stafford, M. R. Connecting and Communicating with the Customer: Advertising Research for the Hospitality Industry. Journal of Advertising, 49(3), 1–3 (2020). doi:10.1080/00913367.2020.1813663
3
Kim, S-H., Lee, K. & Fairhurst, A. “The review of “green” research in hospitality,2000-2014 Current trends and future research directions “, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29 (1) 226 – 247 (2017). doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2014-0562
4
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., & Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism, 20(1), 1-18 (2017). doi:10.1080/13683500.2017.1383368
5
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
6
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
7
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
8
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
9
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
10
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
11
Żemła, M. Winter Sports Resorts and Natural Environment—Systematic Literature Review Presenting Interactions between Them. Sustainability, 13(2), 636 (2021). doi:10.3390/su13020636
12
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
13
Friedman, A. L., Miles, S. Stakeholders. Theory and Practice. Oxford, (2006).
14
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
15
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A., & von Freyberg, B. Hotelmanagement. (München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2013). doi: 10.1524/9783486753882/html
16
Ahuja, K., Chandra,V., Lord, V. & Peens, C. Ordering in: The rapid evolution of food delivery. McKinsey & Company, Technology, Media & Telecommunication. (2021) Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ordering-in-the-rapid-evolution-of-food-delivery#/.
17
Lee, T. H., & Jan, F. H. Development and validation of the ecotourism behavior scale. International Journal of Tourism Research, 20(2), 191–203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2172
18
Bader, E.. Hotels: Sustainable hotel business practices, Journal of Retail & Leisure Property, 5(1), 70-77 (2005). Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057/palgrave.rlp.5090008.pdf
19
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
20
Khatter, A., McGrath, M., Pyke, J., White, L., Lockstone-Binney, L.. Analysis of hotels’ environmentally sustainable policies and practices – Sustainability and corporate social responsibility in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 31 (6) 2 394-2410 (2019)
21
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
22
Lee, T. H., & Jan, F. H. Development and validation of the ecotourism behavior scale. International Journal of Tourism Research, 20(2), 191–203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2172
23
Kim, S-H., Lee, K. & Fairhurst, A. “The review of “green” research in hospitality,2000-2014 Current trends and future research directions “, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29 (1) 226 – 247 (2017). doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2014-0562
24
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
25
Economic impact. World Travel & Tourism Council. (2023). Retrieved from: https://wttc.org/research/economic-impact (accessed 01 July 2023)
26
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
27
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
28
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
29
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
30
Hotel Energy Solutions. Analysis on energy use by european hotels: online survey and desk research. (2011) Retrieved from: https://www.eunwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284414970 (accessed 17 July 2023).
31
International Tourism Highlights: 2020 edition. UNWTO World Tourism Organization. (2020) Retrieved from: https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284422456 (accessed 27 June 2023)
32
The carbon emissions of staying in a hotel. Circular Ecology. (2023) Retrieved from: https://circularecology.com/news/the-carbon-emissions-of-staying-in-a-hotel (accessed 02 July 2023)
33
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
34
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
35
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
36
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
37
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
38
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
39
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
40
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
41
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
42
Helgadóttir, G., Einarsdóttir, A. V., Burns, G.L., Gunnarsdóttir, G. Þ., Matthíasdóttir, M.E.. Social sustainability of tourism in Iceland: A qualitative inquiry, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 19:4-5, 404-421 (2019)
43
Paskova, M., Zelenka, J.. How crucial is the social responsibility for tourism sustainability? Social Responsibility Journal 15 (4) 534-552 (2019)
44
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
45
O’Gorman, K. D. Modern Hospitality: Lessons From the Past. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 12(2), 141–151 (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/279766/Modern_Hospitality_Lessons_From_the_Past
46
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
47
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
48
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
49
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
50
Ruderman, D. B. Hotel: An American History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007). doi: 10.12987/9780300149999
51
World Tourism Organization. International Tourism Highlights 2020 Edition (UNWTO, 2021)
52
UNWTO. TOURISM AND COVID-19 – UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC IMPACTS. (2023a) Retrieved from: Tourism and COVID-19 – unprecedented economic impacts | UNWTO (accessed 31 August 2023)
53
Mitchell, C. W., Impact Hospitality: Creating Social Impact through Hospitality. Sustainability 14 6274 (2022)
54
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
55
Arcese, G., Lucchetti, M. C. & Merli, R.. Social Life Cycle Assessment as a Management Tool: Methodology for Application in Tourism. Sustainability 5 3275-3287 (2013)
56
Fatima, F. & Elbanna, S.. Balanced scorecard in the hospitality and tourism industry: Past, present and future. International Journal of Hospitality Management 91 02656 (2020)
57
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 1. (n.a./n.d.). Human rights. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/. (31.08.2023).
58
UNWTO. Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism. (2023b) retrieved from https://www.unwto.org/tourism-statistics/measuring-sustainability-tourism (accessed 31 August 2023)
59
Chan, E. S. W., & Hsu, C.H.C.. Environmental management research in hospitality. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 28 (5) 886-923 (2016)
60
Myung, E., Kim, Y.-S., Barrett, S.. Environmental Management and Performance of Hospitality Firms: Review and Research Agenda. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism (2020)
61
Arcese, G., Lucchetti, M. C. & Merli, R.. Social Life Cycle Assessment as a Management Tool: Methodology for Application in Tourism. Sustainability 5 3275-3287 (2013)
62
Khatter, A., McGrath, M., Pyke, J., White, L., Lockstone-Binney, L.. Analysis of hotels’ environmentally sustainable policies and practices – Sustainability and corporate social responsibility in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 31 (6) 2 394-2410 (2019)
63
Tourism Australia. Energy. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150907223320/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Energy.pdf (accessed 31 August 2023)
64
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
65
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
66
Tsoutsos, T., Tournaki, S., Frangou, M., Tsituora, M.. Creating paradigms for nearly zero energy hotels in South Europe. AIMS Energy 6 (1) 1-18 (2017)
67
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
68
Tourism Australia. Waste Water. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150908002401/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Waste_Fact_Sheet.pdf (Accessed 31 August 2023)
69
Tourism Australia. Waste Water. (n.a.) retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20150908002401/http:/www.tourism.australia.com/documents/corporate/TACA4047_Waste_Fact_Sheet.pdf (Accessed 31 August 2023)
70
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
71
Wang, S., Wu, N., Qiao, Y., Song, Q.B.. Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau. Sustainability 10 255 (2018)
72
National Geographic. How ‘net-zero’ hotels could make travel more climate-friendly. (2022) retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/how-net-zero-hotels-could-make-travel-more-climate-friendly (accessed 31 August 2023)
73
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 1. (n.a./n.d.). Human rights. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/. (31.08.2023).
74
Tirado, D., Nilsson, W., Deyá-Tortella, B., García, C.. Implementation of Water-Saving Measures in Hotels in Mallorca. Sustainability 11 6880 (2019)
75
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
76
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance 3. (n.a./n.d.). Water stewardship. URL: https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/water-stewardship/. (31.08.2023).
77
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
78
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
79
United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization. Tourism in the Green Economy – Background Report. (2012)
80
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
81
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
82
Relocation Africa. Cape Town Hotel Gets Off the Water Grid with New Desalination Plant. (2023) retrieved from https://www.relocationafrica.com/cape-town-hotel-gets-off-the-water-grid-with-new-desalination-plant/ (accessed 31 2023)
83
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Water stewardship factsheet. (2023c), retrievable under https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/water-stewardship-factsheet/
84
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
85
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Water stewardship factsheet. (2023c), retrievable under https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/water-stewardship-factsheet/
86
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
87
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
88
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
89
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Food waste factsheet. (2023e) retrieved from https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/resource/food-waste-factsheet/ (accessed 31 August 2023)
90
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Human Rights Risks along the Supply Chain. In Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality (eds. Legrand, W., Kuokkanen, H., Day, J.) 35-46 (2023a)
91
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism. 22, 1-30, (2017).
92
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Principles on Forced Labour. (2023b) retrieved from https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/our-work/human-rights/principles-on-forced-labour/ (Accessed 31 August 2023)
93
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Human Rights Risks along the Supply Chain. In Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality (eds. Legrand, W., Kuokkanen, H., Day, J.) 35-46 (2023a)
94
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
95
96
United Nations. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (2011)
97
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
98
Cabral, C., Jabbour, C.J.C.. Understanding the human side of green hospitality management. International Journal of Hospitality Management 88 (2020)
99
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
100
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
101
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., & Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism, 20(1), 1-18 (2017). doi:10.1080/13683500.2017.1383368
102
Bux, C. & Amicarelli, V. Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 0(0), 1-13 (2022). doi: 10.1177/14673584221119581.
103
Ribeiro Mucharreiraa, P., Godinho Antunes, M. Abranjac, N., Rosário Texeira Justino, M., Texeira Quirós, J. The relevance of tourism in financial sustainability of hotels in European. Research on Management and Business Economics. 25 (3), 165-174, (2019).
104
Guix, M., Font, X., Bonilla-Priego, M. J.Materiality: stakeholder accountability choices in hotels’ sustainability reports. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 31 (6) 2321-2338 (2019).
105
Assaf, A. G., Josiassen, A. Identifying and Ranking the Determinants of Tourism Performance: A Global Investigation. Journal of Travel Research. 51, 388-399 (2012).
106
Luo, M. J., Chau K. Y., Fan, Y., Chen, H. Barriers to the Implementation of Green Practices in the Integrated Resort Sector. SAGE Open. 11(3).
107
Guix, M., Font, X., Bonilla-Priego, M. J.Materiality: stakeholder accountability choices in hotels’ sustainability reports. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 31 (6) 2321-2338 (2019).
108
Jones, P., Hillier, D., Comfort, D. (2014): Sustainability in the global hotel industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 26 (1), 5-17, (2014).
109
Friedman, A. L., Miles, S. Stakeholders. Theory and Practice. Oxford, (2006).
110
Yilmaz, B. S., Gunel, O. D. (2009) The importance of strategic stakeholder management in tourism sector: research on probable applications. Tourismous: An international Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism. 4 (1), 97-108, (2009).
111
Khatter, A. White, L., Pyke, L., McGrath, M. (2020) Barriers and drivers of environmental sustainability: Australian hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 33 (5), 1830-1849, (2021).
112
Pereira-Moliner, J., Claver-Cortés, E., Molina-Azorin, J., Juan, T. Quality management, environmental management and firm performance: Direct and mediating effects in the hotel industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 37, 82-92, (2012).
113
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
114
Troyanskaya, M., Dugalova, G. N., Adietova, E. M., Berstembayeva, R., Bekmagambetova G., Abdikarimova, M., Shakizada, N. (2021) Sustainable Hotel Development. Academy of Strategic Management Journal Research Article. 20 (2S), 1-16, (2021).
115
Assaf, A. G., Josiassen, A. Identifying and Ranking the Determinants of Tourism Performance: A Global Investigation. Journal of Travel Research. 51, 388-399 (2012).
116
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
117
Dwyer, L., Forsyth, P., Rao, P. The price competitiveness of travel and tourism: a comparison of 19 destinations. Tourism Management. 21, 9-22 (2000).
118
Amicarelli, V., Aluculesei, A-. C., Lagioia, G., Pamfilie, R., Bux, C. How to manage and minimize food waste in the hotel industry: an exploratory research. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.16 (1), 152-167, (2022).
119
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Moskwa, E., Wijesinghe, G. How sustainable is sustainable hospitality research? A review of sustainable restaurant literature from 1991 to 2015. Current Issues in Tourism. 22, 1-30, (2017).
120
Duric, Z. & Potocnik Topler, J. The Role of Performance and Environmental Sustainability Indicators. Hotel Competitiveness in Sustainability. 13 (12), 6574, (2021).
121
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
122
123
Rogers, D.S. (2014). Socioeconomic Equity and Sustainability. In: Freedman, B. (eds) Global Environmental Change. Handbook of Global Environmental Pollution, 1. Springer, Dordrecht, p. 934.
124
Rogers, D.S. (2014). Socioeconomic Equity and Sustainability. In: Freedman, B. (eds) Global Environmental Change. Handbook of Global Environmental Pollution, 1. Springer, Dordrecht.
125
Indre Lapinskaite, I., Skvarciany, V., Janulevicius, P. Impact of Investment Sources for Sustainability on a Country’s Sustainable Development: Evidence from the EU. Sustainability 12(6), 2421, (2020).
126
European court of auditors (2022) Energy taxation, carbon pricing and energy subsidies. Review 1.
127
Palmer, T. Riera, A. Tourism and environmental taxes. With special reference to the “Balearic ecotax”, Tourism Management. 24 (6), 665-674, (2003).
128
Masons Travel. (7.07.2023). Seychelles Implements New Environmental Sustainability Levy to Enhance Green Initiatives. URL: https://masonstravel.com/new-environment-levy-seychelles/#:~:text=The%20levy%20charges%20are%20as,%2C%20island%20resorts*%2C%20yachts) (31.08.2023).
129
Fennell, D. A. & Ebert, K. Tourism and the Precautionary Principle. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 12 (6),461-479, (2004).
130
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Raab, C. Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15(1), 1-18, (2014).
131
Li, K., Chen, Y., Liu, J., Zhang, L., Mu, X. Online Food Delivery Platforms and Restaurants’ Interactions in the Context of the Ban on Using Single-Use Plastics. IEEE Access. 9, 96210-96220, (2021).
132
Timo, H., Barlow, C. Y., Finkbeiner, M. Sustainability Assessment of a Single-Use Plastics Ban. Sustainability.12 (9), 3746, (2020).
133
Pirani, S. I., & Arafat, H. A. Reduction of food waste generation in the hospitality industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 123, 129-145, (2016).
134
Filimonau, V., De Coteau, D. A. Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review, Tourism Management,Volume 71, 234-245, (2019).
135
Amicarelli, V., Aluculesei, A-. C., Lagioia, G., Pamfilie, R., Bux, C. How to manage and minimize food waste in the hotel industry: an exploratory research. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.16 (1), 152-167, (2022).
136
Chan, W. W. & Lam, J. C. Energy-saving Supporting Tourism Sustainability: A Case Study of Hotel Swimming Pool Heat Pump. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 11 (1), 74-83, (2013).
137
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
138
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Carola Raab, C. (2014) Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15 (1), 1-18, (2014).
139
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
140
Luo, M. J., Chau K. Y., Fan, Y., Chen, H. Barriers to the Implementation of Green Practices in the Integrated Resort Sector. SAGE Open. 11(3).
141
Khatter, A. White, L., Pyke, L., McGrath, M. (2020) Barriers and drivers of environmental sustainability: Australian hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 33 (5), 1830-1849, (2021).
142
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto.
143
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto. Page 127.
144
D’Souza, C., Apaolaza, V., Hartmann, P., Brouwer, A-. R. (2021) Marketing for sustainability: Travellers’ intentions to stay in green hotels. Journal of Vacation Marketing. 27 (2), 187-202, (2021).
145
Goessling, S., Hall, C. M., Scott, D. (2015) Tourism and water. Tourism essentials 2. Channel view publications. Bristol, Buffalo, Toronto.
146
Berezan, O., Millar, M., Raab, C. Sustainable Hotel Practices and Guest Satisfaction Levels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. 15(1), 1-18, (2014).
147
Ombellini, S. Ecobnb. Frequently asked questions. (29.01.2015). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/faq/ (31.08.2023).
148
Marras, C. Ecobnb. How to effectively communicate the sustainability of your hotel. (18.01.2021). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2021/01/effectively-communicate-sustainability-hotel/. (31.08.2023).
149
Hilton. Environmental Impact. (n.a./n.d.) URL: https://esg.hilton.com/environment/ (31.08.2023).
150
Bogunovic, B. Travelperk. Top 10 sustainable hotels & chains for business travelers. (09.08.2022). URL: https://www.travelperk.com/blog/6-hotels-for-sustainability-minded-business-travelers/. (31.08.2023).
151
Biosphere. (n.a/n.d.) URL: https://www.biospheretourism.com/en/blog/booking-s-new-sustainable-travel-rankings/339. (31.08.2023).
152
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007).
153
Manisha, S. The Link between Firm Financial Performance and Investment. Sustainability Initiatives.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 55 (1), 19-30, (2014).
154
Dodds, R., & Holmes, M. Is there a Benefit from being Green? Assessing Benefits from Marketing Sustainability by North American Hotels. Journal of Hotel & Business Management 5 (2), (2016).
155
Fredericks, L. Cvent. (24.08.2023). Sustainable Hotel Ideas: 25 Ways to Go Green. URL: https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/hospitality/eco-friendly-hotel-ideas. (31.08.2023).
156
Biosphere. (n.a./27.03.2016). 7 Tips for saving water in hotels. URL: https://www.biospheretourism.com/en/blog/7-tips-for-saving-water-in-hotels/53. (31.08.2023).
157
Marras, C. Ecobnb. How to effectively communicate the sustainability of your hotel. (18.01.2021). URL: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2021/01/effectively-communicate-sustainability-hotel/. (31.08.2023).
158
Oxenswärdh, A. Sustainability Efforts in Practice in European Hotels: A Tricky Business? Quality innovation prosperity. 26 (3), 1-21, (2022).
159
Becken, S., & Hay, J. Tourism and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities. (Channel View Publications, 2007). ISBN: 13: 978-1-84541-067.
160
Oxenswärdh, A. Sustainability Efforts in Practice in European Hotels: A Tricky Business? Quality innovation prosperity. 26 (3), 1-21, (2022).
161
Bhattacharya, D. (02.02.2023). How your hotel staff can help you embrace sustainability in 2023. URL: https://employers.hosco.com/blog/how-to-achieve-sustainability-with-hospitality-staff-training. (31.08.2023).
162
Codling, S., Pinnock, J., Barrett, E., Gayle, S., Stephenson, N., Sibblies, N., Sinclair-Maragh, G. (2022) Factors Contributing to Staff Turnover in the Hotel Industry: A Literature Review in People Management. Chapter 2.