Sustainable Management in the hotel sector: Practices and Challenges

In the hotel sector, sustainability has emerged as a crucial imperative as awareness of the
environmental, social, and economic impacts of hotel operations has increased. Hotels, traditionally seen as significant consumers of natural resources and generators of waste, are now being called upon to adopt more sustainable practices to reduce their environmental impact, support local communities, and promote social equity. Sustainability in the hotel sector encompasses a variety of areas, from efficient management of energy and water to the use of eco-friendly materials, promoting responsible tourism, and implementing corporate social responsibility policies. This approach not only meets the growing expectations of environmentally conscious consumers but can also result in long-term
economic benefits such as reduced operational costs and improved brand reputation. However, challenges such as high initial costs, resistance to change, and lack of awareness may still pose obstacles to successful implementation of sustainability in the hotel sector.
Purpose – The purpose of this research is to present appropriate practices for sustainable management in the hotel sector, recognizing the increasing importance of sustainability due to current economic, social, and environmental challenges such as resource scarcity, climate change, and social inequalities.
Design/methodology/approach – The basis for developing the research method consisted of constructing an interview script applied to sector experts, with questions resulting from the analysis of the state of the art of the topic under study. From the interview results, a proposal for diagnosing sustainable management of the sector was developed in the form of a questionnaire, which was sent to hotel units.
Findings – After collecting, analysing, and processing the collected data, the results highlight widely addressed sustainable practices, including plastic elimination, use of LED lighting, waste reduction, implementation of presence sensors, material donation, promotion of local products to support the community, HR practices for work-life balance, professional qualification, selection of local suppliers, contribution to the local economy and employment, and gender equality and compensation.
Practical implications – The identified practices can be directly applied by hotel units aiming to improve their sustainable management. This includes tangible measures such as plastic reduction and the use of LED lights, as well as internal policies such as work-life balance and gender equality in compensation.
Value – The study emphasizes the importance of the hotel sector in promoting sustainability, recognizing its fundamental role in contributing to a sustainable future. Additionally, it highlights both the progress observed in sustainable management and the need for a shift in mindset in hotel units that have not yet considered sustainability, emphasizing the benefit for future generations and the planet as a whole.

Management systems; hotel sustainability; hotel enterprises; sustainable practices