Hotel Yearbook 2025: Navigating the Future of Sustainable Hospitality with Tech

Data-Driven Decisions: The Foundation of Sustainable Operations

The 2025 Hotel Yearbook spotlights data as the driving force behind sustainable hospitality. Agnes Pierce (Amadeus) emphasizes the power of data-driven insights, noting how technology and better data access are crucial for advancing environmental goals. However, overcoming data fragmentation and establishing standardized metrics remain key challenges.

Echoing this sentiment, Juliane Caillouette Noble (Sustainable Restaurant Association) highlights how digital tools can optimize operations, impacting everything from food waste reduction to energy and water conservation. The message is clear: data is king in the quest for sustainability.

Harnessing AI and IoT for a Greener Guest Experience

Jessica Matthias (Sabre) explores the transformative potential of AI and IoT, envisioning a future where technology seamlessly integrates into the guest journey, promoting data-driven sustainability from booking to check-out. However, ethical considerations surrounding technology use must remain at the forefront.

Combating Food Waste: A Tech-Powered Approach

Marc Zornes (Winnow) showcases the power of AI-driven food waste tracking in tackling one of the industry's largest hidden costs. Brune Poirson (Accor) reinforces this, detailing how Accor utilizes AI and partnerships to slash food waste, aiming for a 50% reduction by 2030. Measurement is key, as is a commitment to tangible, impactful action.

Beyond food, Jeffery Smith (Six Senses) addresses the critical need to reduce plastic use and improve recycling, particularly within wellness tourism. He advocates for systemic change, moving beyond incremental improvements to eliminate unnecessary plastics and meet growing consumer demand for eco-conscious travel.

Engaging Guests and Driving Behavioral Change

Carlos Martin-Rios (EHL Hospitality Business School) discusses leveraging AI for carbon management, circular supply chains, and waste reduction. He underscores the importance of strong leadership, training, and supplier collaboration for successful implementation.

The power of behavioral nudges is explored by Pablo Pereira-Doel and Xavier Font (University of Surrey, UK), who demonstrate how real-time feedback systems in showers can significantly reduce water consumption. Combining smart technology with effective communication empowers both guests and hotels to embrace sustainable practices.

Green Building Innovations: Constructing a Sustainable Future

Inge Huijbrechts (Radisson) discusses the integration of green building principles, from sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems to cutting-edge technologies like passive design and Smart Building Management Systems (BMS).

Glenn Mandziuk (World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance) champions a holistic approach to sustainability, integrating smart technology with a cultural shift towards responsible practices, emphasizing partnerships and guest engagement.

Muna Al Nahdi (Farnek) highlights the challenge of verifying the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. Data-driven approaches, benchmarking, and adherence to international standards are crucial for ensuring genuine impact.

Data Standards and Certification: The Path to Transparency and Accountability

Alina Arnelle (BeCause) advocates for uniform sustainability metrics and a centralized data platform to streamline progress toward Net Zero by 2050.

Bijan Khazai (Hotel Resilient) promotes open, collaborative certification models, fostering transparency and data sharing. Lucy Eaglesfield (Lamington Group) showcases their One Planet Living Strategy, targeting net zero by 2030 through a holistic approach encompassing health, circular economy, and net-zero practices from design to operation.

Jens Sørensen (ClimateScore) explains how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) enhances transparency and compliance with the EU Green Claims Directive, aligning the industry with evolving regulations and traveler expectations.

Protecting Biodiversity: Leveraging Technology for Conservation

Anne-Kathrin Zschiegner (The Long Run) illustrates how technology, from AI to digital monitoring, can revolutionize biodiversity management, showcasing practical applications like three-dimensional forest mapping.

Social Impact and Ethical Considerations: Navigating the Human Element

Klaas Koerten (Hotelschool The Hague) examines the complex relationship between automation and employment, advocating for technology that enhances working conditions rather than displacing human labor.

Greg Poirier (Audubon International) assesses sustainability progress in U.S. hospitality, highlighting both challenges and opportunities related to technology adoption, emphasizing the need for better management practices and stakeholder engagement.

Leading the Change: Strategic Leadership and Culture for Sustainability

Danielle D'Silva (Booking.com) discusses empowering accommodation providers with accessible certification information and resources, partnering with UN Tourism to offer free online sustainability courses, making it easier for travelers to choose eco-conscious options.

Sally Davey (Travalyst) stresses the urgency of moving from discussion to action, highlighting the industry's transformative potential. Travalyst's focus on democratizing access to trusted sustainability data empowers informed decision-making.

Finally, Alexander Lennart Schmidt (Hotelschool The Hague) positions hospitality business schools as crucial players in navigating the digital transformation, bridging technology with the human-centric nature of the industry.