News & Stories

Munich/Hamburg. Whilst some are still thinking about shiny new sustainability plaques for their hotel propety, others are going much further. They talk of recycling processes and the opportunities afforded by upcycling to avoid the huge costs involved in building and afterwards, when renovating, real estate. Invesco Real Estate invited guests to its second "Sustainability Roundtable"; and as in the previous year, renowned hotel groups and experts were on board. The discussion on the "ecological footprint of hotel real estate" revealed just how broad the issue is – and how far investors as well as operators are away from it all.

Munich. This year, proclaimed as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by UNWTO, many questions are still open. "Where are the limits for sustainability concerning real estate?", asked host Christian Buer at the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" at Expo Real in Munich in October. The answers revealed: Concerning technical issues, the uncertainty is wide-spread, sincerity is lacking as well as discipline for the implementation, and new ideas.

Malé. Soneva founder Sonu Shivdasani was the first on the Maldives to decide on entering into a partnership with the UN development programme. He wants to defy climate change.

Salzburg. The World Tourism Organisation has declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. To this end, it has brought the discussion to the internet and also challenges the tourism sector to participate in case studies up to the end of June. Academics in German-speaking Europe are also discussing how businesses should approach the issue. Both show: Not even the intellectuals can agree. There are a lot of ideas about how to approach the issue, yet practical implementation in accordance with uniform criteria appears almost utopian. Yet already, every fifth guest indicates sustainability among his or her top 3 holiday issues.

Munich. Even owners have to listen carefully: this was the motivation behind the one-day roundtable on sustainability recently organised by the Invesco Real Estate investment house that invited seven major chains and further nameable partners. The result was a tour d'horizon about the meaning and absurdity of sustainability stipulations and certifications. hospitalityInside.com was allowed to listen in and make some remarks on initial issues that cause headaches in everyday practise.

Bern. The partner of the Swiss Tourism charter for sustainable development, hotelleriesuisse.ch, is taking a step forward in better tackling current issues regarding food waste. The industry seems to be willing to embrace best practices. But it is all progressing very slowly…

Amsterdam. Indeed, to a lot of people, the term "sustainable travel" means an eco-friendly accommodation, but by far not everyone can say they have spent the night in such a location. What is simply missing is good communication by the hotel industry.

Augsburg. Mail from China: Regarding our article last week about eCharging stations and electric cars, Gerhard E. Mitrovits, Managing Director of the Kempinski Hotel Beijing, had communicated that ecologically friendly ideas are also being applied there. And from Munich, a service provider for charging stations at hotels had likewise responded.

Wiesbaden. The promotion machine for the luxury electric cars of the car manufacturer Tesla is in full swing all over the globe. Other automotive manufacturers are working at full speed on such environmentally friendly models. In addition, the German government is pursuing an ambitious programme for the switch to "e-cars". The hotel industry offers new service opportunities to these vehicles. Pioneers in the industry have already set an example and provide e-charging stations, while the trade show eCarTec will present e-mobility concepts for the tourism in Munich in October. An overview about what the hotel industry has to expect and what it is already contributing towards the cause.

Vienna. Guests want hotels to make use of renewable energies, though don't want to see wind generators or hydropower dams when on holiday. This indicates potential and perhaps a touch of schizophrenia at the same time. These were the findings of two current research projects undertaken by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. Ulrike Proebstl-Haider, a renowned environmental expert at the university, looked at the relationship between tourism and energy. "The focus was investment in renewable energies and trends in product development. In other work, we looked at the question of how holidaymakers respond to these new developments." The research revealed significant contradictions.