ISSN 2348-6775 International Journal of Interdisciplinary … · central theme of the FHRAI Kochi convention. You cannot have a hotel which falls foul of the ... The more focus on

International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

1 Vol. 01 Issue 03 June 2014

ISSN 2348-6775

ABSTRACT

Currently tourism is moving towards sustainable tourism because this industry poses negative impacts on

the environment. Tourism industry consumes and produces many resources such as water, energy and

waste. The purpose of this research is to determine the rate of perception of green practices in hotels

today. A number of hotels across globe had already earned a reputation for operating in an

environmentally responsible manner. Hotel industry in India is lagging behind other industries with

respect to applying environmentally conscious practices. Some individual hotels and chains in India have

taken the first steps towards greening the hotel industry, but considering environmental requirements as

integral goals of business is novel to most organizations in this industry. However, many researchers have

concluded that it is possible for businesses in the hotel industry to reconcile the concepts of hospitality,

profitability and greening, and a number of guidelines, methods, tools, materials and technologies to do

so are already available. Evaluating green best practices for a hotel is a complex and challenging issue

because the measures often involve in a set of qualitative criteria which are in essence linguistic and

interdependent. To This paper aims to discuss some striking and characteristic examples of Indian hotels

operational green initiatives by means of some specific examples and references to other studies. This

paper only presents a bird’s-eye view of what practices have been in use so far and what conclusions can

be drawn from that. Further research is needed and a lot of work still remains to be done. A prime

question that still needs answering is: why are so many of the hotel industry leaders still skeptical to

applying environmentally friendly practices, when doing so is the shrewd thing to do? A conceptual

framework is presented and the information is analyzed on the basis of the framework.

Keywords: green hotel, green products, green initiative.

INTRODUCTION

The hospitality industry of India is increasingly embracing various shades of green in its corporate

culture and daily business practices. Many hotels and resorts have already targeted to consider

environmental requirements as integral goals of their business and have applied environmentally

conscious practices. The environmental disasters caused by corporations‘ negligence have raised

public‘s concern and the awareness had begun as early as in the 1960‘s.Most businesses which

respond to environmental issues had done so only in marginal ways. In the hotel industry, practices

associated with green concerns are diverse; they may encompass a variety of activities from pollution

prevention to stakeholders‘ education regarding these activities. However, for the purpose of the

study this paper views green practices as internal efforts or activities of a hotel to implement

environmentally friendly practice. During the last few decades it has become a common phenomenon

to focus on the environmental impact of the hotel industry with each hotel striving to achieve

environmental sensitivity even though there is no universally agreed upon definition of a green hotel.

PERCEPTION OF GREEN PRACTICES IN HOTELS TODAY: A STUDY

OF INDIAN HOSPITALITY GREEN INITIATIVES

MS. SHEFALI SAINI DR. AMIT.K. MATHUR

Asst. Prof., Dept of Tourism, Hospitality and Hotel Mgt. , Punjabi University,Patiala Asst. Prof., Dept of Tourism and Hotel Mgt. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra



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Currently, the term ―green‖ is used to signify ―environmentally friendly‖ when, in act; it is much

more than that. One of the important aspects that should be understood about green practices is that

the range of the term ―green‖ is broad and varying based on perspective. From an economic

management point of view defines ―greening‖ as corporate environmental performance in meeting

stockholders‘ expectations. Views environmental management as a tool to fit into a social and

ecological system. Further, define green practices as environmentally friendly management

principles in which executive levels convert natural resources into better outputs or products.

Benefits

Several studies have indicated that economic benefits can be gained in hotels through

implementing environmental and social initiatives .Aim that financial savings are one of the most

significant factors that influence the implementation of environmental initiatives in a hotel. This

is especially evident for hotel businesses that operate in a highly competitive market and where

the cost of energy, water and waste disposal are high. Hotel operators that can maximize their

efficiency and reduce waste will be more cost-effective than their competitors. In addition to

cost benefits, there are also benefits to choosing an environmentally sustainable strategy. These

include:

Source: Green Hotels & Responsible Tourism initiative.

Benefits

Regulatory compliance

Awards and recognition;

Customer loyalty

Gaining competitive

Employee retention

Increased brand value



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COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Hotels with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest

opportunity to achieve a competitive advantage by being ahead of the emerging sustainability

curve. There is also a competitive advantage for being recognized for your green efforts. Awards

and recognition spread the news of the hotel‘s efforts and attracts new clientele, such as

corporations that need to conduct business with socially responsible companies.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

Environmental programs have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and

motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose. Many hotel companies use

environmental programs as a staff incentive – the financial savings earned are translated into cash

or other rewards such as in-house events or trips.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Over the past 25 years there has been a shift in the expectations and demands of consumers. The

implementation of environmental initiatives may play a smaller role in a guest‘s choice of a

property. The influence from customers however increases and they come to expect

environmental practices such as recycling. Despite first-time guests basing their decisions on

location, amenities and service, customer loyalty may increase once they have experienced a

hotel which has demonstrated a level of environmental commitment.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Hotels must anticipate future regulatory changes and implement initiatives to mitigate the

possible costly effects of emerging regulation. Some environmental regulations are good for

economic competition as they stimulate innovation that can offset the cost of compliance. By

implementing measures in the face of societal and regulatory pressures, unexpected, but

substantial cost savings as well as potential new areas of profit may be found.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Companies that integrate the environment into their business decisions and reduce their

environmental risk and potential liabilities are in a better position to secure investment and

reduce their financial and reputation market exposure



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THEORETICAL UNDERPININGS OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Sustainability will in many ways redefine how the hospitality sector in India would need to

operate in the not so distant future. It will be the game changer in many ways, irrespective of the

size of the property, the category or location. From high-end luxury resorts to business hotels in

metros and standalone properties in tier III cities, the hospitality sector in India is waking up to

the reality of adopting sustainable practices. And, it is not just about a change of heart but the

more practical matter of green savings. The next decade is expected to bring about definitive

change in how hotel companies will formulate their green strategy. With guests getting more

educated about environmental concerns afflicting the world, increasingly they want to see if the

hotel they would be staying in is participating in any sustainable development initiative. While it

is true that today only a matured segment of travellers are conscious of responsible tourism, as

this debate gets more momentum, the trend will percolate to the emerging segments of travellers

as well. The good news is that by 2023, India‘s mid-market hotel segment would be safely

classified as mature, believes Param Kannampilly, CMD, Concept Hospitality. He avers that the

luxury segment is already mature, ―Brands servicing the budget segment will continue to strive to

establish themselves. Hotels will be viewed as an ‗asset‘ and we will see the rise of asset

managers. Environment and sustainability will truly be at the forefront of hotel operations. Of

course, as forecasts go, almost no one could foresee our present situation a decade ago.‖ The

company has the fastest growing environmentally sensitive hotel chain in India, under its brand

The Fern Hotels & Resorts. ―We will continue our focus on the three ‗R‘s - Reduce, Reuse and

Recycle of operations. The Fern is the leading environmentally sensitive hotel brand; we will

work hard to continue that leadership,‖ adds Kannampilly. Concerns about sustainability will be

the most important factor – this will be the single most significant trend in the industry. The

question that will arise is whether sustainability and luxury are friends or foes. ―Sustainability is

paramount, luxury cannot be at the cost of sustainability. It is no longer negotiable. Those who

will not recognise it or take cognisance of it need to be beware – hospitality and tourism in

particular is a fragile industry because when people travel they have to change travel patterns to

reduce carbon footprint. More and more airlines are now doing research on this,‖ states Jose

Dominic, managing director, CGH Earth.



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In mature markets increasingly the customer is choosing greener options. Sustainability is

expected to be an overriding factor. Dominic points out that in hospitality the emergence of the

conscientious customer will lead to emergence of the conscientious enterprise. ―This is the

central theme of the FHRAI Kochi convention. You cannot have a hotel which falls foul of the

centre of sustainability or responsible tourism. The more focus on luxury a property has, the

more sustainable and inclusive it has to be – this is the new measure of luxury. Luxury cannot be

a burden on society. The more stars you want requires you to be more green,‖ he asserts. It is

disappointing that globally and in Indian hospitality, hotels have not gone into sustainability at

the chain level. This, believes Dominic, will be a new shift for their survival. With GDP rising,

number of people coming into middle class will be more who will also holiday more. ―The

industry response is to take advantage of that. You will see increase in both mature and emerging

travellers in India. Today all chains are in the business sector – the difference between leisure

and business will be more marked,‖ he says, adding that, customers will be more demanding in

the leisure segment. Further, a hotelier's investment will be critically scrutinised. Local factors

will also become important. For instance, local source of ingredients, creating harmony between

community in the village and the entrepreneur, etc.

In terms of sustainability, the priorities for the hospitality industry are very much aligned with the

challenges that India will need to address over the next decade. ―The primary focus will be on

reducing water and energy consumption to help the country conserve these precious resources.

Last year‘s power outages in Northern India have shown that we all need to work together to

tackle these issues , both by reducing demand and finding more sustainable sources,‖ says Jean-

Michel Cassé, senior vice president, Operations, Accor India. This will require hotels to invest in

efficient technologies – such as low-energy lighting, next generation heating and cooling

systems, water recycling facilities and so on – as well as provide training to employees on best

practices to improve environmental performance. ―These actions – specifically those related to

reducing energy consumption – will also have a knock-on effect of helping reduce hotels‘ carbon

footprint, thus limiting air pollution in our cities,‖ adds Cassé, pointing out that hotels will also

need to focus on reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill. This will be achieved not

only through recycling programmes, but also by working with their suppliers to reduce packaging

waste and find innovative, greener alternatives to existing products.

Green savings



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The fact also remains that green is good for business - for strengthening market differentiation

and giving a fillip to the bottom line. This has been proven time and again by hotels who have,

over the years witnessed their commitment to environmental concerns pay high returns as a result

of reduced operational expenditure. The return on investment in most cases varies from six

months to 10 years, but the savings are substantial. Identification of these benefits has been a

significant aspect for the growth of green hotels worldwide. Rajesh Kr Gupta, general manager,

The Orchid, Mumbai states, ―There seems to be a very close co-relation between financial

performance and sustainable hospitality trends in the coming years. Access to financing, vetting

of new technology prior to being used, bench marking and auditing to ensure you are on the right

track, financial analysis to enable informed CAPEX decision making, simplified procurement

and project implementation and continuous, systemised operational training seem to be the most

significant sustainable hospitality trends emerging in India in the next 10 years.‖ Apart from

continuing to work on the parameters laid down by the HVS for Ecotel Hotels, Gupta mentions

that they plan to take the efforts further - to have a focused community involvement through

ALM‘s, targeting school / college audiences, and partnering with green initiatives taken up by

corporates as well as the government. The investment should not be just limited to conserving the

resources but educating all the stakeholders - from employees to guests and suppliers. The

International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA)'s Evolution programme is a software

programme on a website which can help the hotel control waste, in particular electricity and

water. This is of much importance in a country like India where electricity is a major problem,

The programme not only reduces waste but also helps in decreasing operating costs.

Green strategy

The Accor takes a holistic approach to sustainability, placing it at the heart of its business

strategy. ―With PLANET 21, our sustainable development programme, we have made 21

commitments to improving our environmental and social performance,‖ mentions Cassé. These

commitments cover a range of topics including the health and well-being of the guests and

employees; reducing water and energy consumption; promoting locally and ethically sourced

products; protecting and promoting biodiversity; and ensuring the diversity and employability of

employees. According to Cassé, each of these commitments is linked to a concrete target for

2015. Targets include a 15 per cent reduction in water consumption, 10 per cent reduction in

energy use and carbon emissions and a 100 per cent ban on endangered seafood such as shark‘s

fin. In addition, 95 per cent of hotels will offer health prevention training to employees, 80 per



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cent will offer healthier menu options, and women will comprise at least 35 per cent of hotel

managers (with an ultimate goal of 50 per cent). ―Our hotels in India take these commitments

seriously. For example, Novotel Hyderabad International Convention Centre has inaugurated a

state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant, which will help reduce water consumption, with the

treated water used for gardening. And Novotel Hyderabad Airport has installed a solar-powered

hot water heater to reduce the hotel‘s reliance on diesel-powered generators. The move is

expected to pay for itself in three years‘ time, while limiting its carbon emissions,‖ states Cassé.

He acknowledges that as an industry leader, the company has both the responsibility and an

opportunity to make a difference, ―With a network of over 3,500 hotels worldwide, we do not

only have the possibility to make a major impact, but we can also serve as a thought leader in the

field of sustainability.‖ Even hotels like Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport have a

focused green strategy. The programme Green Engage includes measuring and tracking energy,

water and waste reductions, access a checklist of recommended actions to help reduce impacts,

and creates an action plan. ―Our innovative online sustainability system is designed to help hotels

reduce energy costs, with hotels achieving energy savings, further cementing our place as an

industry leader in sustainability. We are going to follow these measures in the future as well,‖

says Suraj Kumar Jha, general manager, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport. He however

feels that while alternate green accommodations will become popular to a certain extent the kind

of luxuries a star hotel provides is a different ball game altogether. ―Also these options are

common outside the city areas. For executives visiting metros and tier II cities, the regular hotels

are going to be the only options,‖ he points out.

GREEN PRACTICES IN INDIAN HOSPITALITY SECTOR

The hotel industry has been pursuing green practices since the 1990s due to fluctuating economic

levels and a strong focus on customer service .Several hotels around the world have implemented

creative cost saving initiatives to reduce their impact on the environment. The following are best

practice examples from various hotels of differing sizes, ownership and location.

THE INITIATIVES TAKEN BY THE ITC WELCOME GROUP HOTELS.

The eco-friendly initiatives of the ITC Group are being carried out through Welcome Environ.

With a view to make optimal use of natural resources, ITC Hotels have introduced a few new

energy saving measures such as



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For roof ―rainwater harvesting, a state-of-the-art terrace rainwater harvesting plant with a

rooftop area of 10,000 sq ft. has been designed and installed at ITC Maratha, Mumbai.

At TC Grand Central, Mumbai has introduced green banqueting for its corporate clientele.

While conducting conferences, the property is now encouraging the use of wood free

pencils, UV purified water in lieu of mineral water, use of daylight wherever applicable),

and use of Goos (Good On One Side) paper.

In order to avoid the wastage of paper, conference pads are kept at the registration desk

so that only those who need would pick up the pads.

Before the start of the function, guests at the banquet also need to sign up for the meal so

that wastage of food can be avoided.

To save energy, the hotel staff also takes care to switch off the air conditioning and the

lights when the guests are not there in the hall.

For its outstanding achievements in reducing energy consumption, the US GBC (United

States Green Building Council) has also awarded the ITC Green Centre, Gurgaon with

the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Green Building

rating.

At TC Sonar at Kolkata. The hotel now has the distinction of being the only hotel in the

world to have earned carbon credits.

At Bangalore, ITC Royal Gardenia has also introduced several environment friendly

practices. Equipped with energy efficient lighting; the conference halls at this property

use only recycled paper for notepads and ecofriendly ‗Dodson crockery‘ for serving

food.

The use of double glass windows, separate storage bins for collecting recyclable

materials are quite common in ITC hotels. In fact, the philosophy of ‗reduce, reuse, and

recycle‘ is followed sincerely in most properties of the ITC Welcome group, the hotel

division of ITC.

TAJ HOTELS, RESORTS AND PALACES HAS ADOPTED ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS

AND RENEWAL (EARTH) PROGRAMME FOR MEETING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL

RESPONSIBILITIES.

EARTH has received certification from Earth Check, the only worldwide environmental

certification program for travel and tourism.



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The mini bar is replaced with a snack bar cutting the need for refrigeration and the

effluents it produces.

The lights are all CFL Lamps.

When the guest insert key card, the TV switches on and inform the guest about the green

room.

Eco Taj Policy sets the guild lines on minimizing the use of water and energy and the

emission of effluents.

THE MARRIOTT HAS ITS ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS

(ECHO) PROGRAMME.

Which focuses on water and energy conservation, clean air initiatives, wildlife

preservation, ‗reduce-reuse-recycle‘ waste management, and clean-up campaigns? With

biodegradable pens, recycled paper and food prepared from ingredients procured from

local vendors.

‗Green meeting‘ is very much vogue in the conference halls of Marriott‘s Renaissance

Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.

Key cards made out of 50% recycled material.

Eco –Smart pillows, coreless toilet paper and oxo –biodegradable plastic laundry bags are

in use.

LEMON TREE HOTELS, A CHAIN OF BUDGET HOTELS.

All the hotels of the chain are designed to get maximum leverage of natural lights. For

saving water consumption, the budget hotel chain has introduced rain water harvesting,

apart from equipping its hotels with water harvesting faucets/auto flush sensors, and

setting up of sewage treatment plants (STP).

The staff at Lemon Tree Hotels is also actively encouraged to plant trees in the available

area. Maintaining optimum food stocks levels and minimum pre-food preparation is also

part of the hotel chain‘s waste reduction policy.

As part of its green initiatives, the hotels of the chain have started recycling waste papers

for internal usage.

For an ecofriendly lighting system, the GLS lamps of the hotels have been replaced with

CFL and LED lamps and key card operations have been introduced for controlling guest

room operations.



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Eco-friendly measures also find their reflections in the pest control methods and in the

usage of toiletries of Lemon Tree Hotels.

As part of its customer sensitization programme, the linens at the Lemon Tree Hotels are

changed on alternate days and towels are changed only on requests.

Message boards providing tips on saving water adorn the walls of all the bathrooms of the

Lemon Tree Hotels.

For cleaning and washing purposes, only eco bio-degradable chemicals are used in the

hotels of the chain.

The packaging materials are sent back to the vendors for reusing and recycling.

HYATT HOTELS

The Hyatt Hotel chain reduces plastic waste and water usage by offering guests pitchers

of water instead of bottled water.

During conferences pens and paper are placed on a centrally located table instead of on

each chair so that only people that require those products will take them.

The Hyatt also places a limit on the amount of packages that event organizers can ship to

the hotel for conferences and other events. Intercontinental Hotel Group

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL GROUP (IHG)

The Crown Plaza, The Holiday Inn and The Holiday Inn Express are all part of the

Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG), the world's largest hotel company. The huge impact a chain

of its size makes with every green initiative is one of the reasons .The Crown Plaza's green policy

mission statement is, "Aiming to make a night with IHG more carbon efficient." IHG hotels

recycle and utilize organic cleaning products.

The hotels are equipped with insulated hot water pipes and energy-efficient lighting.

THE RAMADA & DAYS INN

The Ramada and Days Inn Hotel chains are owned by the Wyndham Corporation. Green

initiative is called the, "Wyndham Green,"

The Wyndham Green initiative goal targets are set up and publicly displayed and

performance in monitored.



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The Wyndham Green initiatives include energy waste management, water waste

management, earth-friendly cleansers and an implementation of a solid recycling

program.

The examples mentioned above show how individual hotels and resorts have succeeded in

introducing sustainability in a hospitality setting. This type of efforts and activities has not been

limited to individual businesses; national and international hotel chains claim that they have

definitely joined the fray and have become increasingly active in this field.

CONCLUSION

Unlike developed countries, such eco-friendly initiatives are still largely hotelier-driven, as

Indian customers are yet to consider such concepts as significant value drivers. However,

growing entry of global brands and entry of foreign travelers is likely to propel such international

concepts in the midterm. Benefits and government initiatives Not only have Indian hoteliers

looked at such concepts out of social responsibility but they have also witnessed the commercial

benefits of such an investment in the long run. However, the high capital investments that are

necessary for such advancements make it only economically viable for premium hotels in India.

While the concept of global greening is nearly a decade old in the country, only recently has it

picked up speed through government initiatives and increasing awareness. Realizing the long-

term commercial benefits, Indian operators have also welcomed the trend. Sustainable practices

are not only here to stay but are also anticipated to further become a focus of the hospitality

industry in the near- to mid-term. A hotel can begin its green hotel process by something as

simple as setting out recycling bins or asking guests to turn off the lights in their rooms when

they leave. The staff may ask guests if they would like their room to be cleaned daily if their stay

is longer than one day. These steps are simple, and are less costly than many other green

approaches, and they do make a difference. A very important factor in becoming green is to

realize that, while some steps may be small, none are insignificant. Another suggestion and

important step that green hotels are taking across the globe is to set up monitoring systems and

standards for each area of the hotel. The hotel industry is lagging behind other industries with

respect to applying environmentally conscious practices. Some individual hotels and chains have

taken the first steps towards greening the hotel industry, but considering environmental

requirements as integral goals of business is novel to most organizations in this industry.

Simultaneously, this topic is still a relatively new field of interest within the broader context of

sustainability research. This paper only presents a bird‘s-eye view of what have been done so far



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and what (preliminary) conclusions can be drawn from that. Further research is needed and a lot

of work still remains to be done.

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Documents

ISSN 2348-6775 International Journal of Interdisciplinary … · central theme of the FHRAI Kochi convention. You cannot have a hotel which falls foul of the ... The more focus on