In the last three to five years we have been bombarded with promises of sustainability efforts on the part of hotels who chose to make social and environmental responsibility a top priority. Multiple hotels have succeeded in that effort and for a long time, the “green amenity” angle was mainstream in the dailies, trade and travel news. As much as sustainability is a large undertaking for corporate hotel chains, there are some great examples of sustainable boutique hotels all over the world including brands such as Kimpton, NYLO, and other independent properties worldwide.
My question is: how is the sustainability promise kept during the economic crisis, and how much PR shelf life does the green angle still have? Is it our duty and responsibility to keep sustainability mainstream in the news, or has it reached a peak? How can we keep the flow of green information interesting and in the forefront of editor’s minds, Twitter and Facebook? Have we talked the angle to death, or are there new ways of showcasing the efforts of sustainability of hotels all over the world?
Food for thought.