The Sustainable Future Of The Hospitality Industry
THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Historically, the hospitality and tourism industry was one of the most detrimental to the environment and harboured a significant carbon footprint. So, it is no surprise that over the last decade, the industry has needed to adapt to our changing world. With concerns over sustainability and the imminent climate crisis hitting the mainstream media, many businesses were forced to re-evaluate their personal impact on the environment and hotels were no exception to this. In this new era of striving for better environmental practices and awareness, the average customer is becoming more aware of their contribution to the damage of our environment, which means adapting your hotel to fit the changing demand is perhaps more important than ever before. The shift towards a sustainable future is inevitable and the hospitality industry must shift with this movement before it gets left behind.
PLASTIC CONSUMPTION
The damaging impact of excessive plastic use is a sustainability issue that has quite possibly drawn the most interest from the general public, with a large majority conscious of reducing their plastic consumption.
Reducing the plastic use in your Hotel is also conveniently one of the easiest steps you can take, with many affordable plastic alternatives being accessible to you, whether you are a large Hotel which is part of a chain or a small bed and breakfast with just a few rooms.
Plastic Water Bottles:
Plastic bottles are a feature of many hotel rooms that you will walk into but as the National Geographic describe them, the use of plastic bottles has gone from a ‘convenience to curse’. A single plastic water bottle takes 450 years to degrade, to put that into perspective the United Kingdom is only 310 years old. The very first plastic bottle was produced and patented in 1973, this plastic bottle still has at least another 403 years before it decomposes. What’s the problem with this and why should you care? The carbon footprint of producing single use plastic is huge and will reach a point where we can no longer sustain it. Most of the plastic that we consume ends up in our oceans and/or huge landfills which significantly reduces the aesthetic of an area, thus drawing in less tourism, which will in turn have a negative impact on the Hospitality industry. Not only is reducing plastic use a practical business decision, it is also a moral and ethical decision as a hotelier. With this in mind, it seems wise, for a hotel, to be part of the solution instead of the widespread problem.
Placing glass bottles, which are refillable, in a hotel room is not only an easy solution but is actually cost effective in the long run. The glass bottles found on Hotel Buyer’s website are a great example of how easy it can be to access plastic alternatives.
Alternative materials to plastics:
Bamboo is among the most sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to plastic you can find. Hotel Buyer has a huge range of products to suit a wide range of needs such as the Fiesta Green Line. Bamboo is an extremely sustainable alternative that comes with a large number of benefits. Bamboo grows very quickly reaching full size in just 4 months and is able to regenerate itself from its own roots, diminishing the need for pesticide, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals. Bamboo is perfect for a hospitality environment due to its durability and natural anti-bacterial properties making it safe and hygienic as well as strong. Linked below are some of our most popular bamboo products.
While Bamboo is great it is not the only sustainable alternative and Hotel Buyer stocks many items made from a large range of other eco-friendly and recycled materials, such as : palm leaf, recycled paper, various types of sustainably sourced wood, bagasse, PLA and things such as paper straws.
SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS
When we talk about sustainability, the damaging environmental impact of cleaning products is too often overlooked. In addition to sustainability concerns, there has been a growing conversation around the health hazards of commonly used cleaning products, something that many consumers and cleaning staff alike are becoming increasingly conscious of. Studies have suggested that many cleaning supplies present a range of problems including irritation to the eyes, nose and throat in addition to headaches and a potential cancer risk. The environmental concerns around cleaning supplies are equally as widespread from issues of water pollution to the waste created by their production. The concern of waste created from such products is a similar issue to that of plastic bottles, with packaging ending up in major landfills and in our oceans. In addition to the waste created, the chemicals found in many cleaning supplies end up washed into our streams and river, with some chemicals even entering our food supply. Perhaps the biggest concern in a hospitality environment is the impact of cleaning products on air quality. Volatile organic compounds, which are commonly known as VOC’s, found in many products, can have a significant effect on indoor air quality as well as increasing the levels of outdoor smog. Hotel Buyer has some eco-friendly cleaning products, to help you keep up with the changing demands of your customers.
Having a fully stocked supply of hotel cleaning products is perhaps even more important in the re-opening after covid-19, so why not take the opportunity to re-stock with a more sustainable range of supplies. Hotel Buyer offers products both eco-friendly and Covid safe.
TOILETRIES
Toiletries are a staple for every hotel, therefore, by switching to more eco-friendly toiletries, you make a huge step in becoming more sustainable and drawing in the new generation of customers to your business. Hotel Buyer provides a significant range of hotel toiletries suitable for a variety of sustainable and eco-friendly needs, including vegan products and products free from parabens, GMO’s, Silicon, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Petroleum and EDTA. The Prija toiletries line stocked by Hotel Buyer is both vegan and dermatologically tested, as well as free from the chemicals previously listed above, making it a popular choice for many hotels, due to the fact that it meets the needs of most guests. Hotel Buyer stocks a full range of Prija products, from Shampoo to Nail Kits.
If your hotel has a Spa, why not choose to use more eco-friendly products for and enhanced customer experience. Anyah, a brand stocked by Hotel Buyer, specializes in products suitable for eco-spa treatments. Anyah is a vegan brand, an attractive trait for many of your potential customers, given the significant rise in people choosing to use cruelty free products in addition to veganism is becoming increasingly popular. In 2018 the UK launched more vegan products than any other nation a reflection of the estimate that by 2025 around 50% of the British population will be vegan or vegetarian, according to the Vegan Society. With this being the direction that the new era of customers is heading, if a Hotel is to continue to meet the needs of their guests, switching to vegan toiletries seems like a necessary step. Anyah also boasts unique and aesthetic packaging as shown below.
