Eco Hotel

The word 'Hotel'

The word hotel came up from the French hôtel derived from hôte which means host and referred to a place or building entertaining frequent visitors.

Eco Hotel

A hotel that makes important improvements regarding environment in its structure in order to minimize the impact on environment is known as Eco hotel. Incorporation of environmental consciousness and environmental considerations in operations and management gives exact meaning to the term Eco-hotel or Green Hotel.

Earlier, these hotels were located in jungles in the natural environment to make people feel that they are living admist natural beauty close to the environment.

Criteria for Eco hotel

The following criteria should be met for an eco hotel:

o Environment dependence

o Ecological sustainability

o Contribution towards conserving the environment

o Training programs which help employees to understand the importance of conserving planet Earth

o Economic return promise to the local community

The term Eco hotel is becoming quite popular as hotel owners are becoming more aware of the importance of environment friendly hotels which helps to attract tourists as well as the local people.

Sustainable resources like tropical hardwoods, local stone etc. are being used to build new properties that blend with the environment and run on eco friendly terms that include serving organic food, using natural resources for cooling and lighting.

Various certification programs help to make your hotel an eco hotel.

Turning your property into an Eco hotel

The key that will help you to get listed in the list of eco hotels is Green Certification. In the hospitality industry, green certification programs need to be designed such that they revolve around the needs and complexities in the hotel industry.

What to audit to turn your property into an Eco hotel?

If one is thinking to convert the existing property into an Eco hotel the following areas should be monitored:

o Monitoring operating expenses and practices followed by the management.

o Consumption of water and energy

o Practices that help in conservation

o Handling of waste and proper recycling

o Examining the interior and furniture

o Guest services provided

o Awareness among employees regarding environment friendly solution for hotels

o Local economy considerations

After examining the above areas, goals must be set to introduce green ideas that will help in reducing costs and help to make earth and hotels a better place to live.

Need of the hour:

With the ever -growing concern of increase in pollution and change in climate, it is necessary that hotels meet certain standards so as to be called Eco hotels.

Every social sector must become more active to reduce the impact on environment and be sustainable.

Awareness among consumers regarding the impact on environment has made them go for greener accommodations.

Hotel should do the following in order to make their hotels turn into Eco hotel:

o Important environmental improvements in structure

o Emphasize on sustainability and environmental conservation

o Promote sustainability and ecological practices.

o Consider local community needs

Tourism Industry is coming forward to set goals and standards that are environment friendly. With reference to the hotel and tourism industry, what is becoming popular is Eco hotel concept.