Implement New Sustainability Measures
One topic that is becoming more important to travellers and to the OTAs as a result of their surveys is sustainable travel. In essence how we can travel with a lighter footprint on the planet. Booking.com surveys regularly and their research finds that 82% of their accommodation partners are interested in collaborating on the topic of sustainability and that 87% of global travellers think that it's important to consider sustainable properties when travelling.
If ever there was a period when we could devote some time to this issue, it is now.
The Travalyst coalition, a global partnership of Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, Trip.com and Visa will be developing universal measures of sustainable practices applicable to vacation rentals to recognise and promote good practice.
This criteria for our industry is coming down the line, why not get ahead of the curve and the competition and take some steps in this direction?
Take some baby steps
A more sustainable vacation rental business can start with some little things you do today.
- Create an effective recycling plan
- Reducing your reliance on single use plastic by purchasing glass water bottles to be refilled in property kitchens
- Migrate your lighting to LED Check you have control over your energy and water consumption.
- As a next stage why not switch your energy supplier to one that is based on renewable sources
- Consider installing a charger for electric cars (we did it and it works great for marketing too)
- Offer your guests a carbon offsetting scheme or ...
- Help finance a scheme for planting trees
A Chinese proverbs says 'the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.' Start small and build on your successes, it's quite addictive.
If anyone wants some advice in this area please message me. I am not an expert but I have travelled this path and I know where some of the potholes are.