Feb 14, 2025 | Hospitality Trends
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In 2025, the business travel industry is placing a strong emphasis on sustainability. Corporate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) now consider sustainability data not only for compliance but also for long-term business competitiveness. Federico Vignati, Principal Executive at CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, underscores this shift. Natasha Montesalvo, Principal Consultant at Earthcheck, highlights how this change is reshaping hotel competitiveness towards sustainability, necessitating sustainability data in corporate RFPs and fostering new business models for business events.
Experts like Jonathon Day, Associate Professor at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, note that the events sector and ESG-committed corporate customers are propelling sustainability actions in lodging. Greg Poirier, Global Director of Hospitality Certification Programs at Audubon International, mentions Prince Harry’s Travalyst initiative, empowering travelers with sustainability data during booking processes.
Anticipating a decline in business travel, Melinda Ratkai, Professor of Hospitality Business, predicts a shift towards more sustainable alternatives. This includes a move towards rail travel for shorter distances, a focus on short and medium-distance travelers, and the use of virtual meetings to reduce environmental impact while still valuing personal connections.
To effectively secure MICE contracts and corporate travel engagements, hotels must showcase their commitment to sustainability stresses Willy Legrand, Professor at IU International University of Applied Sciences Germany. Sven Wiltink, Global Senior Director Sustainability at Radisson Hotel Group, advocates for alignment with globally recognized sustainability verifications and certifications like Hotel Sustainability Basics verification by WTTC and eco-labels certifications.
Federico Vignati also highlights companies benefiting from sustainability efforts, such as the SENAC Restaurants Chain in Brazil achieving Carbon Neutral Certification and Inkaterra, a global ecotourism leader, adopting Climate Certification.
(Source: HN Today 6th Feb, 2025)