SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—The Green Hotels and Responsible Tourism Initiative is an education resource that has been developed in partnership with respected tourism sustainability and hotel greening experts, Dr. Sonya Graci and Jacqueline Kuehnel. The project is specifically designed to help hoteliers, travelers, and local communities develop and promote environmental, social, and cultural sustainability by increasing awareness of issues affecting tourism and showcasing best green practices for hoteliers.
Spokesperson James Ferguson, who heads up the initiative, commented, “At HotelsCombined.com, we believe there is a moral obligation to conserve the natural environment and give back to the communities where we travel. The guides we’ve created on green.hotelscombined.com provide suggestions and solutions, to help hoteliers become more environmentally friendly, and for travelers to enhance their enjoyment of the destination they visit while also being responsible tourists.”
The hotelier’s guide, “How to Increase Your Bottom Line by Greening Your Hotel,” is a comprehensive guide that focuses on identifying the business benefits to going green as well as several best practice examples from all over the world. In addition, a comprehensive self-audit checklist is included for hoteliers to use to green their own hotel.
Dr. Sonya Graci, sustainable tourism specialist and director of Accommodating Green, said, “It is necessary for hotels both large and small to move towards greening their operations, not only to save money, but to protect the resources that sustain the industry. Hotels have to be forward thinking and understand the impact that their business has on the environment and that the environment is necessary for their business.”
The focus is not just on hotels, but raising awareness with travelers and fostering a sense of responsibility. The traveler’s guide—The Responsible Traveler Guide—is an easy to read guide that shows travelers how to improve their travel experience while being environmentally responsible and improving the livelihood of the local communities. The guide follows the traveler’s lifecycle offering valuable suggestions for each stage—pre-planning, whilst traveling and post-travel.
Jacqueline Kuehnel, corporate social responsibility, climate change, and travel industry veteran, remarked, “HotelsCombined.com recognized that an informed traveler and a green supply chain are the beginning of a more sustainable tourism industry. These guides demonstrate leadership and a genuine effort to do their part in preserving the wonderful places we love to visit.”
