Travel Smarter: UNESCO Challenges the Hotel Sector to Enhance Efforts

Choosing your accommodation is a crucial part of planning a trip—especially in urban areas with numerous options. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few hotels for your getaway, consider not just the price, location, and amenities, but also another important factor: the hotel’s environmental impact.

More travelers are factoring sustainability into their decisions. One indicator to watch for is if the hotel has adopted the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge. This partnership between UNESCO and Expedia began in 2019 and gained traction at last year's Glasgow Climate Summit, with tourism departments from both Scotland and France joining the initiative. Currently, over 4,000 properties are dedicated to making a positive difference.

Wait: UNESCO teaming up with Expedia? What role does UNESCO play in the hospitality industry? UNESCO has historically focused on protecting cultural and heritage sites worldwide. With the rising challenges of climate change and heightened awareness of tourism's effects on popular destinations (thanks to COVID), UNESCO has broadened its mission to encompass global efforts.

The UNESCO Pledge addresses five key issues:

• Save water: In various parts of the world, access to clean water is scarce and drought conditions are becoming more common. Hotels can help protect this vital resource by installing low-flow showers and toilets, utilizing rainwater and graywater in sustainable landscaping, and adopting a policy to replace linens and towels only upon request.

• Minimize waste: In our consumer-driven society, waste remains a significant challenge, including excessive packaging and food usage. Hotels can enhance their recycling and composting efforts and donate surplus produce or meals to local charities.

• Connect with the community: Sustainable tourism helps communities that welcome tourists flourish. The Pledge commits hotels to support their surroundings by hiring local residents, sourcing and cultivating produce nearby, and showcasing or selling local arts and crafts.

• Save energy: By lowering carbon emissions and conserving natural resources, establishments can reduce energy consumption and operating expenses. The pledge encourages the adoption of renewable energy, automated and LED lighting, and smart technologies for climate control.

• Cut down on single-use plastics: UNESCO reports that the global hotel industry consumes 150 million tons of single-use plastics annually. This plastic waste harms 100,000 marine mammals and 1 million seabirds each year. Hotels can contribute by opting for eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics like miniature toiletry bottles, cups, bags, individual condiment packs, and straws.

Here’s a prime example of the pledge in action: Since 80 percent of Iberostar’s properties are situated along the seafront, they have initiated a Wave of Change program to protect and rejuvenate the Mesoamerican reef along the Caribbean shores of Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico. Iberostar has implemented science-based propagation initiatives and enhanced efforts to educate travelers about the importance of protecting our oceans. As of 2021, both Iberostar and Expedia have each contributed $100,000 to the reef conservation initiative.

How can you determine if the hotel you’re considering participates in the sustainability pledge? That’s where Expedia steps in. The booking platform highlights pledge membership right above the hotel’s name. (Make sure you’re viewing a listing, not an advertisement.)

Participating brands include Banyan Tree Group, Accor Hotels Mantra brands, Meliá Hotels International, and Helios Hotels. However, this does not imply that all hotels within the vast Accor network participate in the initiative.

Regrettably, UNESCO does not offer a convenient list of these hotels. As a traveler, your best option is to look for that banner on Expedia or inquire directly with the hotel. When you receive a positive response, make sure to support sustainability with your choice of accommodation.