In the hospitality industry, the twin pillars of guest experience and sustainability have become inseparable, forming the foundation for long-term growth and success. A comprehensive guest experience strategy for sustainable hospitality involves integrating eco-friendly practices into every facet of operations, from initial design and construction to daily food and beverage services.

Extending beyond structural elements, the shift towards sustainability has also permeated food and beverage practices within the hospitality sector. Hotels are now prioritizing locally and seasonally sourced ingredients, implementing strategies to reduce food waste, and expanding their menus to include plant-based options. Many establishments have taken this a step further by establishing in-house gardens, which provide fresh produce while serving as educational tools for guests, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable practices. Guest experiences require more of holistic approach to sustainability.

The important strategies to focus on:

“At Stotrak from day one our approach has been to provide a sustainable hotel company, and within these 4 years we have been able to incorporate a lot of these initiatives in our properties. With sustainable experiences what usually misses out is guest’s engagement. Current situation of global warming, soil erosion and poor vegetation, getting a sustainable approach is not only necessary but is mandatory to ensure resources are preserved for future and our present generation gets the best of the produce and environment to live in,” commented Manish Goyal, Co-founder, Stotrak Hospitality who further added that local sourcing is often found to be expensive but to minimise the carbon and order in small batches, we have been enhancing the local ordering including our stationary to our uniforms. Challenges are a lot but with the world focusing on sustainable products, getting supplies are easier then what it was around 3-4 years back as well the costings have been coming down now which makes it more accessible for everyone to shift. 

He added, “The thought needs to start from the construction of the building by using local stone, using traditional designs and materials which save on our carbon footprints, make the building more terrain safe. Then head to Eco friendly energy sources and adding solar to the resort/hotel overall spaces.”

Speaking on the guest experiences, Arindam C Bahel, General Manager, The Fern Brentwood Resort, Mussoorie said, “The Fern Hotels as a brand believes that luxury in hospitality has to be environmentally sustainable. One can find alkaline drinking water as a standard which is bottled in-house in our own bottling plant one of the few hotels in the state to do that. Even straws in the drinks are made of rice paper. Napkins are paper free and made from Bagass (a by-product of sugarcane) and so are the toilet rolls in the bathrooms. Our key cards are made of board and our suite rooms have bamboo supplies. It is our constant endeavour to reach our goal of a zero garbage hotel while providing top class service to our guests. We replaced hazardous plastic and paper straw and started using eco-friendly rice straws thereby reducing single use plastic and virgin paper consumption drastically. Rice straws are FSSAI approved and safe and sustainable alternative.

Things to focus:

A guest should feel welcomed by the hotel. The guests should be greeted well and have an effective and timely communication with the hotel authorities. Attention to detail is very necessary as it will lead to long-term association with the guests and worth of mouth will improve the sales of the hotels. Creating a lasting impression with your guests is a must. The aesthetics, décor and the interiors do play an important role in making the experience more memorable. Good food leaves the guests wanting to visit the place more often. Also, taking any sorts of feedback with a positive approach and improvising the same is important for the long run.

Measures & Challenges:

“One of the biggest challenges is ensuring guests experience luxury while maintaining sustainability. In the future, we aim to increase our use of renewable energy and expand eco-friendly practices, all while continuing to educate guests on the value of sustainable living.

By focusing on sustainable design, showcasing local cuisine, and offering authentic experiences, we strive to promote sustainability through every part of our guests’ journey,” said Rohit Pareek, Co-founder & Managing Director, Earthian Hotels.

Neelabh Sahay, Director of Operations, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach explained, “A prime example of this commitment to sustainability can be seen at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, where innovative measures such as an EV charger, an in-house bottling plant, and the elimination of single-use plastic for hotel amenities have been implemented. Despite these progressive steps, the path to sustainability in hospitality is not without its challenges. Ensuring a consistent and abundant supply of sustainable materials and items can prove difficult in certain regions. Moreover, smaller-scale changes, such as energy and water conservation initiatives, require the understanding and cooperation of guests.” who added that this guest participation presents a delicate balance, as not all travellers will willingly embrace these measures, and imposing those risks being perceived as an inconvenience, potentially leading to poor guest relations.

Future:    

The evolution of guest experience in sustainable hospitality is inextricably linked with technological advancements. Hotels are increasingly turning to sophisticated systems to track and analyze energy, water, and food consumption patterns. The aspiration is to implement regenerative practices that actively restore and improve the environment. The future has to be strict norms for hotel companies to use such products and practices, and government supporting such producers, currently the norms unfortunately are not favouring the sustainable products and which is either making companies import these or prefer to stay with the cheap plastic substitute.