3rd essay ENG102 WP2 FINAL 3000 words essay
FENG 1
Yunwen Feng
Professor Menge
ENG 102
August 10, 2020
Sustainable Development and Win-Win Policy of the Hotel
In the 21st century, sustainability has become the major requirement of every section of life from natural to man-made systems because of the changing climatic conditions, extreme competition, depleting resources, and the additional changes around us. At the same time, sustainability is a social responsibility that has become a major concern for the population and also the private sector which includes the hotel industry. Today, it is declared a key to success in the business industry. Historically it is proven that the hotel industry always has a huge negative impact on the environment due to the extensive water, resources, and energy consumption. Research has shown that sustainable development is directly linked with the hotel brand image, financial performance, and the long term development of the hotel industry. However, some experts still argue that sustainable principles in the hotel industry are not beneficial for the small scale businesses and the developing parts of the world. In this essay, sustainability and its effectiveness in the hotel industry are discussed and analyzed through the lens of the win-win sustainable practices and policies that will help in improving brand image, corporate responsibility and achieve long term benefits for the hotel industry. Comment by danielle pollaro: No personal pronouns including I, you, me, my, our, us, we, your Rephrase any sentence that contains these words Comment by danielle pollaro: Rephrase this sentence in the form of a thesis statement.
Sustainability, in the broader term, means that the natural environment and ecosystem surrounding human beings should be able to support the life around human beings and is capable enough to provide the resources for the population today and for the generations to come. The hotel industry has been putting pressure on the environment for ages and it always has a huge demand for natural resources. The hotel industry has been relying on the natural system which is deteriorating i.e. to depend on the sandy beaches, untouched landscapes, glaciers, turquoise waters, coral reefs, waterfalls, and fresh air, and turning it into the tourist spots. Thus, it is increasing the danger to the natural environment and biodiversity (Stottler). It is high time that sustainability is incorporated in our thinking process while performing our businesses and daily work as mentioned by Albert Einstein that: Comment by danielle pollaro: Page number? Comment by danielle pollaro: This quote is irrelevant and directs the reader away from the substance of the paper
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” (Albert Einstein Quotes).
Sustainability is only and an essential way for protection of the environment including natural resources and biodiversity, especially when climate change is on the rise. Several experts argue that sustainable practices will eventually improve the financial and environmental performance of the hotel industry as it will improve the reputation of the business among the public. But at the same time, several experts claim that green image or green reputation has little to do with the selection choices of the public, rather they mainly choose the destination based on the services which hotels provide. Comment by danielle pollaro: Okay, why is this important?
Additionally, the priority of hotel industry is to make the customers comfortable in the environment and with the increasing demand of the environmentally friendly practices by customers, somehow, is pushing the hotel industry to adopt the environmentally friendly principles and practices; therefore, it is high time that sustainable practices are incorporated into the daily functioning of the hotel industry. It will not only help in gaining customer satisfaction and retention but also will be beneficial for gaining the profit in the longer run.
Sustainability in the hotel industry can be achieved through adopting the conservation and eco-friendly practices for water usage, energy usage, and utilization of resources. Several ways have been proposed by experts but some of them seem to be expensive for the businesses and medium and small scale but it has been argued that these principles will cut the cost for such operations in the long run and at the same time, will attract more people that can help in gaining the profits back through the business because it has been found out that sustainable practices generate an impact on the customer's perception and their choices today in 21st century. Most experts and studies have confirmed it.
Most experts in the 21st century believe that sustainability is directly linked with the growth of the hotel industry because of the improved and sustainable practices and performances as mentioned by Cerchione and Harbhajan Bansal in their paper. They used different factors including energy conservation and resource conservation for analyzing the impact of the sustainability principles on the financial and environmental performance of the hotel industry. Results concluded that there is a direct relationship between energy conservation and resource conservation on the financial and environmental performance of the hotel industry. It saves the expenses and cost and at the same time, there is increased profitability (Cerchione and Harbhajan). Comment by danielle pollaro: Title? Comment by danielle pollaro: We are three pages in and there has been zero direct quotations.
The hotel industry needs to invest more financial resources on the reuse and recycling and at the same time, in saving water. Water can be saved through the collection of rainwater and by reducing the waste, which will eventually provide economic benefits to the industry. The hotel industry should also spend more resources on research on finding better and innovative sustainable technologies and strategies. It also supports the assumption of my paper that there is a positive correlation between the better performance and growth of the hotel industry with sustainable principles in many ways. Comment by danielle pollaro: Rephrase
Green positioning strategies have been the demand of the public in the 21st century as mentioned by Patricia, et al. in an article that hotel industry needs to invest more in the green positioning principles and strategies in not only the development of their products but also for providing the services. It needs to have high-value attributes along with the greenness. They argue that it is necessary especially when there is increased climatic and environmental awareness among the common masses today. There is an increased demand for environmentally friendly products and services among the public (Patricia, et al.). Comment by danielle pollaro: I need direct quotations. This is all paraphrase
Environmental certification and awareness can easily improve sustainable tourism and sustainable hotels. The functional image of the hotels is directly related to the green image which has a direct impact on the customer behavior and perception but only when that green image is complemented by the functioning of the hotel. The cognitive perspective of the customer is influenced by the functional green image of the hotel industry, especially in developed parts of the world. According to Patricia et al., customers do not only consider the traditional and conventional aspects of the hotels anymore, but they also consider the environmental concerns along with it. Comment by danielle pollaro: Make sure to tie this back to your thesis
To gain a competitive advantage over the competitors, green hotels should advertise their products and services through different media including speeches, advertisement including electronic, social media, and print media along with newsletters and other mediums. In this way, green hotels can win over the perception of common masses, which will help them to gain profit and more business, both in developed and developing parts of the world. Comment by danielle pollaro: This is not a complete paragraph. This is two sentences. Expand upon or place this with another paragraph of the same topic
Several methods and ways have been devised for practices sustainability in the hotel industry ranging from their services to the products that they use. There is an increased demand for sustainable principles in the hotel industry and which is being fulfilled by environmentally friendly companies. One of the examples is the Hydrofinity organization which has devised a solution in the form of sustainable laundry for the hotel industry. It is one of the major factors which contribute to water pollution and environmental pollution, affecting the climate (Hydrofinity). Comment by danielle pollaro: How?
Hydrofinity aims at empowering the leaders and managers of the hotel industry to adopt the new way of conducting their laundry services which will improve their efficiency and it will also reduce the cost of laundry for the hotel industry manifolds. There has been increased concern about the dwindling water resources all over the world and there is a need to develop a water-efficient way for everyone and every industry. The hotel industry has been criticized massively for extensive use of the water resources which directly generates an impact on their name.
Using sustainable laundry is one of the ways to engage in eco-friendly practices and is a positive step towards resource conservation which will help the green hotels to attract more audiences. There has been increased awareness about the protection of the environment and such practices will help in satisfying such customers as well. The hotel industry will be able to complete their social responsibility which will help them in increasing their customer base worldwide.
Sustainable principles like sustainable laundry in the hotel industry will be beneficial in the creation of an eco-friendly environment and business model, which is excellent in attracting the audience with the green image-conscious. At the very same time, it will help in saving the cost of cutting the water consumption by almost fifty percent by each guest. It once again shows the way to improve sustainable practices and how it is directly related to the hotel industry (Connors).
Water is one of the natural resources that is depleting at rather a fast pace than other resource and it is one of the resources that is highly needed for the survival of human beings on the planet earth. It has been argued time and again that the hotel industry has been using water largely and carelessly and therefore, water conservation can be the first step towards adopting the environmentally friendly principles in the hotel industry. Conner mentioned in his article that water is one of the major parts of the sensual and exotic experiences in luxurious hotels and thus it contributes massively to the wasted water. Comment by danielle pollaro: Says who? Where is your source on this? Comment by danielle pollaro: You need direct quotations
There is a need to implement the appropriate water conservation strategies in the hotel industry to reduce the wastage of water and wastewater. They need to form the solution without compromising the needs, requirements, and the luxurious experience of their valuable guests, which makes it tricky but a doable practice. The first step towards sustainable water practices is to replace the old and outdated fixtures from different places, fix the issues and potential problems, and at the same time conduct the regular tasks of maintenance. It has been reported that a major portion of water is wasted due to the outdated system and the old settings of the water system. They also need to calculate the water consumption levels of the whole system because measuring water consumption will help them to develop the chart that they need to follow while regular monitoring of their water usage (Connors).
In this way, prioritization of the sustainable principles and development of the eco-conscious business practice will the perfect example for the other hotels and in fact, other industries. It will help in attracting people with the mindset of eco-consciousness. It will eventually encourage and motivate the hotel industry to be eco-conscious with the best practices of resources conservation in their routine. Energy can be saved through several ways which will eventually help in improving the brand image through the right advertisement and at the same time, it helps in fulfilling the corporate responsibility of the organizations and businesses. According to the sustainable hospitability expert Dr. Legrand,
“A large section of the hospitality industry is joining the unprecedented mobilization across the globe in mitigating negative environmental impacts and facing the many societal challenges ahead.” (Legrand).
Dr, Legrand has also listed down the steps that are needed in adopting the sustainable principles in the hotel industry. As the importance of water conservation has been discussed early, the other factors mentioned by Dr. Legrand include cutting down the food wastage in the hotel industry. Food can be sourced locally and can also be grown in the facility. At the same time, it is high time to focus on recycling the wasted and extra food in the hotel industry. The hotel industry can also cut down on their plastic usage because it is one of the most dangerous products for the environment.
Economically sustainable methods can also be applied to energy conservation. For example, replacing the electronic gadget i.e. coffee maker and mini-fridge from the room to the common places can be a positive step. It is the age of information and technology and therefore, it is not hard to form the plastic-less and paper-less hotel entirely which will be beneficial for environmental conservation. Hotel architecture can also be designed on the principles of sustainability, for example, lower emission and energy-efficient electronics can be used along with using the local population for major operations (Why Sustainability Is Key For The Future Of The Hospitality Industry). Comment by danielle pollaro: Do you have an author on this?
It has been also reported that the hotel industry is one of the quickest industries that have responded to the changing environment requirements in time. It is also due to increased international and national governmental pressure. Hotels are attempting to turn into green. Several policies have been adopted and even originated by the hotel managers regarding re-cycling, re-using, and preventing the waste products in their facilities and it is reducing their carbon footprints slowly but effectively. Comment by danielle pollaro: Into green what?
The prime examples are the Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood, Marriott, and Carlson Rezidor who have been publishing their sustainability reports every year fulfilling the requirements set at the Paris Climate Conference. They have been actively participating in pointing out the ways which can help in reducing the negative effect of the hotel industry on the environment and climate. The motto of the Green House Hotel located in Bourmouth has been changed to :
“to spoil the guests without spoiling anything else”,.” which means what?
At the same time, it has been argued that sustainability is not just merely an environmental management; rather it is social development and economic progress. In the case of fulfillment of social development, it responds to inclusivity and promotion of the balance between life and work. It also aims at supporting the employees for a longer run in case of their wellbeing and health. It also promotes the local supply of resources and promoting entrepreneurship which is the global agenda of sustainability.
In developing and poor countries, sustainability is not preferred, rather the human resources and economic benefit is given an edge over the sustainable principles as mentioned by Mihalič, Tanja, et al. in the article. The investigation of the indicators which are essential for the hotel managers in the Slovenian Hotel Industry is conducted by the Mihalič, Tanja, et al. It has been found out that economic factors dominate the whole thinking process of the hotel industry, surpassing the customer satisfaction, environmental awareness, and the biodiversity protection (Mihalič et al.).
Major factors which found to be effective for the hotel management in Slovenia were the profitability and human capital. They did not value the environmental performance of their hotel industry much. However, customer satisfaction was also given more importance in comparison to environmentally friendly and sustainable principles. They considered that sustainability is expensive and too costly for the growth of their business and it will not generate instant economic benefits for their industry, therefore, it was not the preferred value for them. It is the reflection of the poor and developing countries where the sole purpose of business is profit. The extensive investment cost and the costly principles do not make it suitable options for everyone, especially for hotels that are operating on a small scale. As Dr. Legrand mentionedLegrand states that: “
“The combination of the hotel industry’s structural business model and the emphasis on fast economic returns work as the greatest barrier to rapid and necessary changes in light of the climate emergency” (Legrand). Comment by danielle pollaro: Comment by danielle pollaro: This needs a concluding sentence
There is no denying the fact that initiation or incorporation of the environmentally friendly practices in the business is costly and expensive at the start and it will take time to gather benefit for it. It is hard for small or medium scale business, especially in the developing and poor countries to incorporate these practices but the major point is the long term benefits from such practices. In businesses, one cannot earn the profit in few days and it is a different way of business which will have to be incorporated with patience, and therefore, it is important to spread more awareness among the people having fewer resources. At the same time, international organizations, rich countries, and rich stakeholders in the hotel industry should invest in the hotel industry in smaller countries to encourage them in adopting green principles because it will be beneficial for the whole world at the end.
Some experts argue even today that there is a lack of evidence regarding the positive correlation of hotel performance and sustainability principles. However, most of them believe that sustainability will eventually have great potential for gaining excellent potential and financial returns for the hotel industry. The hotel industry has always been criticized for increasing environmental problems; therefore, the implementation and utilization of sustainability in the hotel industry will be a great step towards gaining a positive reputation. It will also attract environmentally conscious individuals who are increasing in number today (Trivago Business Blogs).
It has been observed through different expert studies that sustainability has the potential of bringing positive results to the hotels but underdeveloped and developing countries still have to deal with the high cost of the sustainability practices which does not generate enough efficiency for their businesses. Therefore, the sustainability role and potential in the hotel industry largely depend on the cultural background, geographical location, and the economic conditions of the environment where hotels are based. Sustainability is preferred and prioritized on the long term basis in the locations where the hotel industry is booming and have high competition. However, the environments where the above-mentioned factors are lacking do not consider the principle of sustainability necessary. They can be supported by the national and international efforts where the stakeholders in the global hotel industry can provide incentives to the hotel industries in different parts of the world to adopt the green principles and strategies. In this way, it will be beneficial for the entire world in the longer run. It is advantageous for improving the brand name that will directly increase the business of hotels and then it will improve the reputation of these countries as well. It will help in reducing waste products and pollutions from the world as well. It will be beneficial for the population today and for the generations to come, who will be able to enjoy the similar benefits and resources that we have enjoyed.
Work Cited
Cerchione, Roberto, and Harbhajan Bansal. "Measuring the impact of sustainability policy and practices in tourism and hospitality industry." Business Strategy and the Environment 29.3 (2020): 1109-1126.
Martínez, Patricia, et al. “Corporate Images and Customer Behavioral Intentions in an Environmentally Certified Context: Promoting Environmental Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry.” Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental Management, vol. 26, no. 6, Nov. 2019, pp. 1382–1391. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/csr.1754.
Mihalič, Tanja, et al. “A Hotel Sustainability Business Model: Evidence from Slovenia.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 20, no. 5, June 2012, pp. 701–719. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/09669582.2011.632092.
Hydrofinity. “Why Water Conservation Matters for the Hospitality Industry.” Hydrofinity Sustainable Laundry Solutions, 2018, www.hydrofinity.com/blog/why-water-conservation-matters-hospitality-industry.
Connors, Lillian. “The Importance of Water Conservation in the Hospitality Industry: By Lillian Connors.” Hospitality Net, Hospitality Net, 6 Aug. 2019, www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4094490.html.
Legrand, Willy. "Willy Legrand On Hotels, Sustainability And The Future Of The Hospitality Business | Sustainability Leaders Project". Sustainability-Leaders.Com, 2020, https://sustainability-leaders.com/willy-legrand-interview/.
"Why Sustainability Is Key For The Future Of The Hospitality Industry". Southwales.Ac.Uk, 2020, https://www.southwales.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-hotel-and-hospitality-management/2484/why-sustainability-is-key-for-the-future-of-the-hospitality-industry/.
Trivago Business Blogs. "Sustainable Hospitality: Eco-Friendly Industry Trends And Tips". Trivago Business Blog, 2020, https://businessblog.trivago.com/sustainable-hospitality-trends-eco-friendly-hotel-tips/.
Stottler, Tracy. "Importance Of Sustainability In Hospitality | Dana Communications". Dana Communications, 2020, https://www.danacommunications.com/importance-of-sustainability-in-the-hospitality-industry/.
"Albert Einstein Quotes". Brainyquote, 2020, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/albert_einstein_121993.