Sustainability, especially sustainable development, has become a major global concern. Focusing on green development, achieving net zero, and adopting renewable energy are the new norms. The same change is visible in the hospitality sector as well. The implementation of relevant initiatives and solutions like solar power plants, etc is the future of sustainability in the hospitality sector.
With increased awareness amongst consumers and the initiatives and directives by the government, the hospitality sector is now focusing on accurately measuring its impact on the environment and providing transparency to its investors and customers. One of these major initiatives to combat climate change is to quantify less-tangible indirect emissions that are adversely affecting the planet.
The hospitality industry is one of the major service industries currently witnessing growth in India. From heritage 5-star properties in Rajasthan to boutique hotels peppered all over India, one of the major costs of running these operations is electricity. It is safe to say that whoever has control over their operating costs in this industry will be able to flourish without downsizing.
Solar ESG companies have created a niche in this industry for themselves with installations at five-star heritage properties and boutique hotels. Innovative solutions such as aesthetic plants or plants that are not visible to their visitors help these properties shift to renewable energy and achieve Net Zero without compromising on aesthetics. Boutique hotels based in the heart of cities like Jaipur have had similar solutions where renewable energy application snot only help saving of at least 50 per cent of power costs but also gain brownie points with the customers.
So, one of the biggest challenges for the hospitality industry has been solved with advanced planning and technology identification. From high-efficiency panels to panels that integrate themselves into the property’s look, in the current age and time, everything is possible. Besides this, drones and thermal imaging ensures easy maintenance.
With sustainability being a top priority during India’s G20 Presidency, promoting responsible and sustainable adventure tourism is imperative. In this context, it becomes important for both the business operators and consumers to focus on responsible growth of the sector through “Promote Responsibly, Operate Responsibly: Buy Responsibly, Travel Responsibly”. Instead of focusing on mass tourism, adventure tourism strives for quality experiences with minimal ecological impact.
In the face of heterogeneity, an accurate assessment of the impact of the hotel industry is not an easy feat. Pursuing sustainable development is not entirely straightforward when it comes to the hospitality sector. There have been monumental changes in the hospitality sector, but there still are a few key challenges like cooperation, collaboration and vision. The hospitality sector is a complex ecosystem, with various working kegs in the company adding additional stakeholders to the social-ecological-economic equation at hand. Having said that, it is also true that there is no way around this. Sustainability is the future both economically and environmentally. The future of sustainability in the hospitality sector presents massive opportunities as TopCon Technology gains pace, increasing panel quality, low light generation, and less space requirements, along with advances in battery technology. This will make it possible for the hospitality industry to become self-sufficient in the coming future. Putting it another way, the hospitality industry can plan on operating in remote locations without worrying about access to the grid for power. Solar energy is the solution for them to generate power at par with the grid.
Besides this, as the world moves towards a more sustainable future, there will be an increasing demand for people with the skills and knowledge to make it happen. The greatest peril for our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. No single hotel or climate-conscious traveller can solve this mammoth problem alone, but together we can surely get there.
The author is the Director & Co-founder, Vareyn Solar.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETTravelWorld.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETTravelWorld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.
