Sustainable Management in the hotel sector: an exploratory study

Tourism activity increasingly occupies a position of great scale regarding the sector that moves the world economy the most. However, there are several challenges that this sector faces in Portugal, subjecting it to great vulnerability, from the seasonality of the business, environmental issues, job insecurity, lack of qualified professionals, etc. Currently, there is a growing concern about the preservation of the environment, social inequalities, and the disparity of wealth distribution that forced the United Nations to challenge the world with the 2030 agenda and the SDGs to which the tourism sector cannot remain indifferent. Purpose – Thus, this work intends to start research about the impact of management systems as sustainability support in this activity, identifying the existing practices.

Design/methodology/approach – For the development of the research method, five hotel resorts were selected, which responded to a survey, as a way to assess the research instrument to be replicated a posteriori on a broader basis. The questions were built based on the current literature review to understand how management systems and sustainability are represented in Portugal.

Findings – Through the collection, analysis, and processing of the results obtained, there is a low tendency to implement management systems, due to factors such as the associated cost and the concern for a return only in the long term and because they do not feel that individual clients are demanding these systems. On the other hand, they believe that they are an asset for the effective management of the hotel. Regarding the issue of sustainability, the trend is growing and there are already hotel developments that have

implemented sustainable practices. However, the financial return is only achieved in the medium to long term, which is the main reason why the hotel management does not want to move forward with this responsibility.

Practical implications – To characterize the hotel sector and its relationship with management systems. To research and collect good practices to be implemented in any type of organization, regardless of its size. Through the creation of new strategies leveraged on excellence models, promoting the use of management systems, to achieve the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental dimensions).

Value- A new vision of improvement of its management at all levels, also translating into financial benefits, which may lead the sector to search for more on this theme, thus translating into a new approach of effective and continuous management for this sector. Help the hotel industry to engage the United Nations SDGs.

Management systems; Hotel sustainability; Hotel developments; Sustainable practices