2015 is starting off strong for the hospitality industry. Average daily rates (ADR) continue to rise, occupancy is up by 1.8 percent and international travel is booming, contributing to local, regional and global economic growth.
As a result February has seen several global brands sharing news of expansion, renovation and innovation. We’ve seen this first-hand with a strong demand from our hospitality clients for furniture asset management services including refinishing, remanufacturing and reupholstery.
As well as sharing news of growth, global hotel brands are emphasizing, headlining even, a commitment to sustainability. Many hotel brands have been accused of ‘green lip service’ when it comes to announcements relating to sustainability initiatives but in the thousands of projects we have completed in the hospitality sector, we see an increasing commitment by hotels to genuinely understand the green impact of their activity. Hoteliers, brand owners and managers want to reduce carbon footprints, minimize the environmental impact of their industry, and stop unnecessarily landfill waste.
For example, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, a brand that The Refinishing Touch team has worked with for a number of years, announced that the expansion of its eco-friendly Element brand. This announcement certainly focused on the sustainability commitment of Starwood, with “eco-friendly” front and center in press releases and headlines.
There was a very public pledge of green commitment made by Stefan Mühle, the new general manager of the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, who said he was determined to make the Hilton Chicago a ‘uniquely green destination’. Mühle knows a thing or two about implementing green programs as the co-founder of the Sustainability Committee for the Hotel Council of San Francisco.
Meanwhile Edmonton’s Mettera Hotel shared the news that it is officially the first hotel to be 100 percent powered by clean, pollution-free electricity. Its general manager explained: “We share our guests’ philosophy of doing what we can to care for the environment and to minimize our carbon footprint. We hear regularly from them how important even the smallest initiatives are and make green sustainability a priority in our operation.”
Across the Atlantic, the UK’s Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant announced the addition of five new eco-lodges and a platinum-level rating in the TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders Program.
Each of these brands, general managers and hospitality specialists know that consumers are increasingly informed and conscious about environmental impact. Travelers look to TripAdvisor and other resources for green ratings prior to booking, they take advantage of in-room green initiatives such as linen re-use and energy conservation and want to see brands demonstrating a commitment to the environment.
While a green approach can connect with travelers, increase business, and drive customer loyalty, sustainability initiatives frequently demonstrate fiscal responsibility. This is certainly true of furniture asset management where hoteliers consistently save 70 to 80 percent of budget while extending their assets’ lifespans and reducing downtime. Meanwhile, they lower harmful carbon emissions by a hundred-fold and eliminate unnecessary landfill waste.
If you’re looking to boost the green rating of your hotel, get in touch with us today at [email protected].
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