PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Environmental considerations still play a minor role in the selection of a destination or tourist accommodation. However, under pressure from environmentalists and growing public concern on environmental questions, this situation is expected to change, leading to a uniform evaluation of activities in the tourism sector. This project concentrates on hotel accommodation, looking specifically at the development of an environmantal label that would focus on operational issues. The project did not aim to define a European Environmental Label. It simply attempted to assess the feasibility of an ecological label in hotels, common to several countries, which are largely different in terms of environmental awareness or nature and economical importance of the tourism sector, as an instrument to foster increased environmental awareness among hotel managers.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project was to: 1) develop an environmental assessment method for hotels, 2) test both the feasibility and the acceptance of a sample of hotels (75-100) in the participating countries (DE, AT, ES, FR, IT, GR), 3) propose a dissemination scheme for certification which is revised annually. The expected results included: 1) the methodology itself, 2) the results of its application in a sample of European hotels, 3) a possible dissemination scheme. This project was the logical continuation of activities carried by the members of the consortium in the field of energy in the hotel sector. Participating bodies included ADEME (FR), IER (DE), ARCS (AT), ICAEN (SP), CRES (GR), SOFTECH (IT). The coordination was assumed by ADEME. The environmental assessment method would address several environmental impacts through the following topics: · water and liquid waste · waste management and use of recycled material · energy efficiency · indoor climate (acoustic, light, thermal, indoor air quality) · rural/urban planning · integration into the landscape · emissions of pollutants, acoustic nuisances to the surrounding. When ranking the various impacts, particular attention would be given to those having a large influence on local equipment and facilities, especially where there is strong seasonality. One of the aims of the project was to establish minimal requirements for these criteria with possible compensations or balance between some of them. The project consists of two main parts: · development of a set of minimum requirements, which would then be tested on a limited number of hotels, 15-25 per participating country · preparation of a voluntary ecolabelling scheme. This would require an analysis of existing activities for ECO-labelling or similar in order to 1) make use of existing experience and 2) improve existing schemes. Submission to a large number of hotels to evaluate acceptance and feasibility. The project also included an evaluation of individual cost of ecolabelling per hotel and the production of an estimate of the cost implementing the scheme in the participating countries. The important and necessary consultation with tourism professionals was to be facilitated by constituting National Concertation Teams (NCT's), which would be comprised of experts and representatives of the hotel and tourism professional organisations. The NCT's would provide inside views and feedback.
RESULTS
The results of the project show that the diffusion of National Eco-labels for the hotel sector within the different European countries is not yet able to penetrate into the sector without specific support. Considering that hotels, like all firms operating in a free market, are usually ready to introduce any change or innovation that leads to greater profitability, the low diffusion of the Hotel Eco-label could be attributed to the absence (real or forecast) of an economical pay-back. It means eco-labels are evaluated as unable to effect an increase in turnover or a reduction in costs. Reductions in the internal costs for hotels is connnected mainly with the adoption of measures on energy and water saving. However, implementation of most other measures results in a rise in direct/indirect internal costs. The project concludes that a reduction in costs will only be possible when products and services with low environmental impact cost less. Results also show that, for the time being, the number of tourists giving priority to environmental aspects when choosing a resort and a hotel is rather small. To diffuse the European Eco-label on a significant scale, the findings of the study indicate that it is necessary for national and local communities to consider the environmental benefits provided by Eco-labels Hotels and provide some form of compensation. This compensation would have to be related to both advantages for the community and pay-back for the hotels. To complement the findings of the study, it seems that work at EU level is still necessary on three major aspects: - establishing benchmarking values - conducting a thorough study on the scoring system - analysing the marketing effect of the level of requirements In terms of developing an environmental label, the following recommendations are put forward: - Make optimal use of the experience of existing eco-labels - Work in close cooperation with sector representatives - Start with one or two product groups - Define the services to be provided by the product group in close consultation with the stakeholders - Choose a phased approach - Provide enough flexibility in standards - Use a combination of mandatory and optional standards - Develop quantitative standards where appropriate and feasible - Provide for a clear link between the eco-label and existing environmental initiatives - Link the label to a wider process of sustainable tourism - Choose future product groups on the basis of the results of the first product groups The results of the project show that the diffusion of National Eco-labels for the hotel sector within the different European countries is not yet able to penetrate into the sector without specific support. Considering that hotels, like all firms operating in a free market, are usually ready to introduce any change or innovation that leads to greater profitability, the low diffusion of the Hotel Eco-label could be attributed to the absence (real or forecast) of an economical pay-back. It means eco-labels are evaluated as unable to effect an increase in turnover or a reduction in costs. Reductions in the internal costs for hotels is connnected mainly with the adoption of measures on energy and water saving. However, implementation of most other measures results in a rise in direct/indirect internal costs. The project concludes that a reduction in costs will only be possible when products and services with low environmental impact cost less. Results also show that, for the time being, the number of tourists giving priority to environmental aspects when choosing a resort and a hotel is rather small. To diffuse the European Eco-label on a significant scale, the findings of the study indicate that it is necessary for national and local communities to consider the environmental benefits provided by Eco-labels Hotels and provide some form of compensation. This compensation would have to be related to both advantages for the community and pay-back for the hotels. To complement the findings of the study, it seems that work at EU level is still necessary on three major aspects: - establishing benchmarking values - conducting a thorough study on the scoring system - analysing the marketing effect of the level of requirements In terms of developing an environmental label, the following recommendations are put forward: - Make optimal use of the experience of existing eco-labels - Work in close cooperation with sector representatives - Start with one or two product groups - Define the services to be provided by the product group in close consultation with the stakeholders - Choose a phased approach - Provide enough flexibility in standards - Use a combination of mandatory and optional standards - Develop quantitative standards where appropriate and feasible - Provide for a clear link between the eco-label and existing environmental initiatives - Link the label to a wider process of sustainable tourism - Choose future product groups on the basis of the results of the first product groups