Hotels Going Green in 2007,

Hotels Going Green

In 2007, studies have shown that "only one-third of corporate travel policies promote sustainable tourism"

, which translates into the fact that sustainability is not necessarily among the first preferences of a client when he picks a hotel. While sustainability and being green is certainly a nice moral and ethical incentive, it will never take precedence over such concrete issues as price, location or service availability.

However, the sustainability trend has been increasing in the last couple of years. Sustainability in the hotel industry is not necessarily a new concept. Since the 1980s, hotels began to implement different measures by which they wished to include the guests in a broad sustainable policy. One such measure, for example, was to ask the guests whether they wanted the linens and towels changed everyday or whether these could be reused. Hotels motivated that important amounts of water and electricity could thus be saved. The effects however went beyond the hotel receiving a "green hotel" notice. These measures also meant important savings for hotels, some estimating as much as $6.50 for all those involved in the washing process

. If this is multiplied by the number of guests per day in a hotel, the result is compelling in terms of the financial gain hotels are able to make through a sustainable policy.

On the other hand, state and central authorities have also begun to encourage hotels going green and sustainability in the hotel industry and this trend is most likely going to continue in the future as well. In Florida, for example, since 2008, hotels receive a palm tree logo to acknowledge the fact that their sustainable, green strategy is recognized by the state authorities. The standards that the hotels need to reach in order to receive such an award are numerous, but the consequence is obvious: the prestige of the hotel or motel is increased as its sustainable policies are recognized by the state in which the hotel operates.

The trend, however, moves beyond simple recognition and into direct encouragement of the state government. Florida is, again, a good example in this sense. The governor of Florida signed an executive order that "required state agencies and departments to hold meetings and conferences at Green Lodging participants whenever possible"

. What this means is that state agencies are to use green hotels for meetings and any events rather than other types of hotels. The state rewards hotels that have gone green by increasing their business. As a result, going green is actually self-financed or is financed by the state through such incentives.