2 July 2025

How hotels are meeting the growing demand for sustainable stays

It is estimated that, out of the 36.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide released worldwide in 2021, hotels contributed around 363 million tons. To curb this ,85% of hotels have started adopting energy-efficient technologies. A further 78% have implemented advanced waste‑reduction programmes and 72% are employing water-saving measures. This all points to an industry-wide shift toward a hospitality industry that is more responsible and more sustainable.

“Sustainability goes far beyond good PR, it’s about future-proofing our business. The climate crisis has underscored the importance of making smart, responsible choices. Like many others in the industry, we’re seeing firsthand how prioritising people, the planet, and profits leads to a stronger, more resilient business,” says Chris Godenir, General Manager at Dream Hotels & Resorts Peninsula All-Suite Hotel in Cape Town.  

True sustainability starts with water. This is particularly in tourism-heavy regions where hotels, on average, can consume up to 1,500 litres of water per guest per day, nearly eight times the amount used by local residents. Dream Hotels tracks utility usage based on bed nights sold (BNS), not room nights sold, to give a more accurate reflection of actual guest impact. Over the past three years, the group has averaged the following consumption per BNS:

• Electricity: 17.47 kWh (2022), 16.67 kWh (2023), and 18.56 kWh (2024).
• Water: 327 litres (2022), 246 litres (2023), and 228 litres (2024).

While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact impact, estimates suggest that hotels and similar accommodations may be responsible for anywhere from 1% to 3% of total global carbon emissions. According to the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the figure stood at around 2–3% in 2021. This only reinforces the importance of detailed tracking, reduced consumption, and sector-wide innovation if we’re serious about achieving net zero.

But that is only the first step. Embracing sustainability means taking a 360-degree approach to decision making and sure that everything from grey water systems to solar power solutions pulls toward more responsible decision making.

“Guests are asking smarter questions and pushing us to make smarter choices. The results are benefitting everyone involved. That is why we have invested so much in greywater systems, sustainable water usage initiatives, solar power, smart waste management and other initiatives. With that said, more still needs to be done,” explained Godenir.

Part of this transformation includes embracing the circular economy. This involves rethinking how resources are used and reused. For instance, some hospitality initiatives now collect discarded hygiene products and single-use amenities from hotel rooms. These items are then recycled into new products and distributed to communities in need. Such programs demonstrate how waste can be diverted from landfills, new products created, and carbon emissions prevented. In doing so, they offer a replicable model of what scalable, hotel-led sustainability can look like in practice.

Experts agree that technology and sustainability are the twin forces reshaping the hospitality sector. By creating more seamless, personalised and efficient experiences across guest touchpoints, technology like artificial intelligence is helping hotels streamline and process ranging from digital check-ins and virtual concierge services to AI-enabled customer support and smart room automations. One of the unintended consequences of this is a reduction in waste as fewer physical materials are needed.

From tracking water use in real time to cutting waste behind the scenes and exploring circular partnerships, being ecologically responsible is actively reshaping how the industry operates. Crucially, these changes are designed to engage not just the back office but the guest experience too, encouraging travellers to think about their own footprint in a more conscious way.

Godenir concludes. “Building a better world is ultimately not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about being transparent, making better choices every day and bringing people along for the journey.”