Organized by the EHL-Hospitality Institute for Sustainable Development (EHL-HISD, Lausanne)

Hospitality development and operations have a direct impact on the economy, culture and environment of a local destination. In an effort to ensure a positive impact, hospitality operators worldwide are becoming increasingly aware of their responsibility to ensure that local culture and environments remain key competitive distinctions of a destination’s identity and attraction.

In an effort to move beyond awareness towards action, destination operators must find a balance between the initial costs of sustainable development and public pressure to improve performance. Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) created the EHL-Hospitality Institute for Sustainable Development (EHL-HISD) in response to a growing concern about the impacts that hospitality development and operations have on local destinations and to aid destinations in their efforts to create and improve sustainable practices.

In addition to developing student awareness of the value of sustainable development, EHL-HISD aims to support the hospitality industry through the development of value-adding policies, practices and procedures, as well as improved economic environments, so as to ensure a more sustainable future for the industry itself and for the communities in which it works. In cooperation with key players throughout the world, EHL-HISD members and partners will provide the support needed by the hospitality industry to protect both its investments and the environment in which it works, and to support new generations of hospitality leaders committed to the principles of sustainable development.

The organisers of SMIA05 have given EHL-HISD the opportunity to organize the following workshop which will provide an overview of sustainable tourism as it relates directly to the hospitality sector. Through a series of four topical presentations and a final open forum discussion, participants will explore the challenges facing tourism destinations in their effort to become sustainable.

Introduction & Framework
A framework for the workshop will be presented that draws links between the various concepts of sustainability presented throughout the SMIA05 Congress and their application to tourism and hospitality.

Hotels and Environmental Labels

Environmental labels serve to communicate verifiable information about a hotel’s practices, to encourage demand and supply of environmentally sounds products and services and to stimulate market-driven environmental improvement and stress-reduction. Many types of labels exist which vary so widely that the hospitality sector faces a challenge of providing consistency to consumers.

Topic #1:
“Green” Hotels Association, by Patricia Griffin, President

Topic #2:
Comparison of Hotels with and without ISO 14001 Certificates by Jiro Usagami, Tokyo Metropolitan College

Tourism Stakeholders and Sustainability

Tourism destination stakeholders include hospitality operators, local government and councils, and NGOs and other organizations involved in sustainable development. Primary issues include the roles played by each stakeholder and in particular the role of government and policy-making, the ability of multiple stakeholders to coordinate efforts, where projects and initiated and who drives them forward.

Topic #3:
Sustainability in the Dutch Recreation and Tourism Sector by Dr. Valentina Dinica, Netherlands

Sustainability and Quality: Driving Profitability and Marketing

When faced with the project of implementing environmental standards and applying labels, destinations must find cost effective and efficient ways to consolidate existing standards and at the same time ensure effective quality management. Integrated Management Systems may serve as a useful tool during the process of implementation and help to make the best use of limited resources.

Topic #4:
Valais Excellence and its Application to Hospitality Management by Dr. Christos Alexandrou, EHL-HISD

A unique feature of this workshop will be the semi-structured plenary following the topical presentations. Drawing upon discussion questions and concepts raised during each presentation, all participants will be able make conclusions and link key points of the sessions during an open forum discussion.