The Queens Hotel in Leeds is showing how green-mindedness in tourism can benefit the bottom line for businesses.
The hotel, which has reduced energy consumption by 61 per cent across its 21 sites since 2009, has been picked by the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) as an exemplar
green business to help raise awareness about the benefits of adopting sustainable best practice in
tourism.
GTBS’s awareness campaign was launched today and will culminate in a Green Tourism Week in June 2011, backed by VisitBritain. Under the theme of "doing well by doing good", Green Tourism Week will offer businesses advice, examples of best practice and an awards ceremony, among other things.
"We wanted an opportunity to highlight some of the exemplary practices undertaken by GTBS members and the cost savings they have made and to help educate and inform those businesses who have not yet made a green commitment," said Andrea Nicholas, managing director of GTBS. "Holding a focused Green Week with an awards ceremony for some of our greenest members will be a great platform to get out the message that being green can benefit your bottom line."
Examples of best practice
The Queens Hotel in Leeds no longer greets its guests with a lush red carpet. Instead 'green turf' paves the way to the hotel’s entrance, as a testament to the green achievements of QHotels.
QHotels reduced energy consumption by 61 per cent across its 21 hotels, a 30 per cent increase in savings from its original projections, resulting in savings of 2,747 tonnes of C02. In addition, the company saved over £500,000 in the 2009 financial year as a result of energy reduction and other green initiatives.
"Reducing energy consumption has been a massive priority for us at The Queens," said David Kanarens, Queens Hotel general manager. "We know that corporate responsibility is high on the agenda of many companies and conference organisers who are constantly striving to find more efficient ways of working. We are passionate about ensuring all of our guests can reduce their carbon footprint whilst hosting their meeting or event at a QHotel."
The same goes for GTBS member the Ramada Hotel Perth, which set itself a target back in March 2008 to reduce its consumption of electricity by 20 per cent. The team exceeded the set target with an actual reduction of 24.5 per cent. Calculated on the annual average electricity price this amounts to 113,771 kilowatt hours, equivalent to £15,500 – a saving equivalent to 59 tons of CO2.
General manager, Chris Charalambous said: "We have made a commitment to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing our electricity consumption. The team has remained focused, and has responded with enthusiasm, and motivation. It was important to ensure that our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint would not compromise our guests' comfort or our overall delivery of service."
Green Tourism Week
Speakers at the Green Tourism Week, also supported by Beacon Purchasing, the
purchasing consortium for the hospitality sector, will emphasise the potential that green initiatives have for attracting and retaining corporate customers, as well as leisure guests.
"In challenging economic times and as businesses come under both commercial and
legislative pressure to demonstrate an environmental commitment, this initiative will help raise awareness of the positive contribution of implementing environmental measures such as green purchasing choices to the bottom line and profitability," said Diane Webster of Beacon.
The Green Tourism Week campaign will feature a web presence, events held regionally throughout the UK, comprehensive case studies, research among consumers, advice from specialists and industry VIPs, the launch of a buyer-based green inspectors programme and an awards ceremony recognising best practice.
Campaign efforts will focus on issues such as how to market the green message and encouraging guest 'buy in’ to environmentally friendly practices, how to achieve cost savings and operational excellence, and how to incorporate sustainability into
recruitment and employment.
"Sustainability is fast becoming an essential part of competitive positioning in the tourism industry," said Jason Freezer of VisitEngland. "VisitEngland is delighted to support a campaign which will help showcase to the industry the superb work already being done in this area and which demonstrates that green is increasingly not just a 'nice to have’ but rather an essential strategic driver for business growth."
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