The Awasi Iguazú resort in Argentina is a carbon-neutral property, and guests can participate in conservation work during their stay.Courtesy Relais & Chateaux/Supplied
Compared with typical accommodations, overnight guests of the 1 Hotel Toronto will notice a few differences during their stays.
They will find filtered water in carafes made from recycled wine bottles in each room, instead of bottled water. A five-minute hourglass timer in each bathroom encourages visitors to have shorter showers and conserve water. Room keys are made of recycled wood instead of plastic.
These customer-facing measures are just a few of the many ways the 1 Hotel is putting sustainability at the forefront of its guest experience. A lot happens behind the scenes, too, says Anthony Campaniaris, the hotel’s general manager. “We have a whole team that’s in charge of our waste diversion. All of our recycling is separated properly so that it’s diverting from the landfill.”
Combined with other efforts, such as efficient heating and cooling systems and thermostats that reduce energy consumption in unoccupied rooms, the 1 Hotel Toronto has become LEED Gold certified – the only hotel in Ontario with the esteemed green-building rating.
At the 1Hotel in Toronto, room keys are made with recycled wood and guest rooms come with timers in the bathrooms to encourage shorter showers.Brandon Barre/The Globe and Mail
Hotel properties have increasingly been adopting environmentally friendly practices, while travellers are becoming more aware of the role sustainability can play in their vacations. According to a 2024 survey from the luxury travel agency network Virtuoso, 45 per cent of respondents agreed that travelling sustainably enhances their vacation experience, compared with 36 per cent of respondents in 2023.
In addition, 58 per cent of travellers said they would pay more to travel responsibly if they know how funds are being used, compared with 31 per cent of respondents last year.
Javier Arredondo is vice-president of sustainability at Virtuoso. He stepped into the new position in February, 2023. “Many new roles in sustainability are being created throughout the industry,” Arredondo says. One of his responsibilities is to highlight sustainable hotels and resorts to the company’s travel advisor network and its customers, to showcase the good deeds Virtuoso would like to see proliferate among other properties.
“If one hotel is doing great things for the environment or the local community and we talk about that, then they’re super successful, and our hope is that the hotel next door will say: ‘That’s what I need to do to get more business,’” Arredondo says.
While Arredondo says travellers are not yet requesting sustainable features outright, like a solar-powered hotel, gentle nudges from travel agents can still have an impact on consumer behaviour. A traveller choosing between two luxury resorts might end up selecting the one that has eliminated single-use plastics if it’s something they’re made aware of. “I can use my money to have a great holiday, but at the same time, I’m supporting these actions,” he explains.
Properties that are part of the luxury hotel association Relais & Châteaux are also stepping up their efforts in sustainability, with amenities such as electric vehicle charging stations, opting for sustainably sourced seafood in their kitchens and, in the case of the Awasi Iguazú in Argentina, carbon neutrality through its protection and conservation efforts at a 145-hectare private forest reserve near the property. At the Awasi, guests can visit the private reserve and participate in conservation work, showing that sustainable practices can also be a hands-on guest experience.
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment. Kemi Wells-Conrad, a travel advisor and founder of the agency Wells Luxury Travel, says the ways a hotel operates within its community is just as important. Wells-Conrad points to Wilderness Destinations, a tour operator in Africa that owns and operates safari camps.
“There are Black women running these lodges while, quite frankly, 20 years ago, safari lodges were all run by white South Africans, no matter what country you were in,” she says. “They have been training women from the bottom up because, in Africa, women typically get left behind. Wilderness Destinations are trying to empower women in the local communities.”
Wells-Conrad also notes that Gen Z travellers have a bigger say in planning multi-generational trips, which includes making eco-conscious choices. “There’s a huge trend we’re seeing in the industry with the younger generation spearheading so much of the travel decisions.”
For example, parents might want to book an elephant-riding experience, but their kids might have seen a video describing how the practice is cruel. Instead, they push parents to book an alternative experience, such as observing free-roaming elephants on a safari.
Generational changes like this make Wells-Conrad feel hopeful that the industry and its customers are evolving for the better. “Just as the world in general talks more about global warming and wealth distribution, people are becoming more savvy to it,” she says. “In luxury travel, sustainability is becoming a non-negotiable.”