Will Sustainable Hilton Hotels Make You More Likely to Stay?
Jackie Reddy May 24, 2018
On the back of a survey of 72,000 guests, Hilton has confirmed its commitment to the environment through its Travel with Purpose program. In addition to halving its environmental footprint by 2030, this initiative will see the chain double its social commitment. The UNWTO has lauded these efforts.
Eco-friendly initiatives are not a new concept within the travel industry, but Hilton is making an effort to reconfirm its commitment to protecting the environment, Skift reports. The hotel chain’s new endeavors are rooted in the recent survey of 72,000 Hilton guests, the results of which indicated that a certain segment of its consumers – namely those aged under 25 – are concerned over the impact that their choices may have.
Explaining the methodology of the survey on its website, Hilton explained that, “The six-day survey was conducted in May 2018 and asked travelers if they research a hotel company’s environmental and social efforts.” The results indicated that, of all those surveyed, 33 per cent research this kind of information prior to booking. This figure rises to 44 per cent when examining those guests under the age of 25.
On the back of these results, Hilton has said that it is now ensuring its commitment to the environment by adhering to the goals set as part of its Travel with Purpose strategy. The company is aiming to halve its overall environmental impact while doubling its commitment to social investment by 2030.
In its statement, the company said that it “will become the first major hotel company to institute science-based targets to reduce carbon emissions and send zero soap to landfill,” adding, “These goals are part of Hilton’s Travel with Purpose corporate responsibility strategy to further the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.”
Commenting on this initiative, Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton, and chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council, said, “For nearly 100 years, Hilton has been driven by our mission to have a positive impact on the communities surrounding our hotels.”
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), praised the chain’s efforts, saying, “The World Tourism Organization commends Hilton’s focus on sustainability, which is in line with our overall commitment as the UN’s agency that is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism for development worldwide.”
More information on Hilton’s Travel with Purpose is available to view here.
[Photo: Shutterstock]
KRSW is spot on. I reject the stats quoted in the story. If the hotel wants to advertise these efforts, then it may impact some folks' decision, but I do not believe a significant number of guests are actually "researching" the eco efforts of any hotel chain. As for guests under 25, how many are there? Based on my recent efforts to help my 18-year old daughter plan a trip with her BFF, most Hilton hotels will not even rent to people under 21, so we are talking about a very narrow segment. All of the efforts noted reduce operating expenses to the hotel, and that is the primary motivation. The rest is just marketing spin. Personally, I recently made the switch from Hilton to Marriott simply because HH points have become useless. It had nothing to do with how often they change the sheets or what kind of soap they use. (Not that those changes are not perfectly reasonable, and maybe even slightly positive for the environment.)
Stupid faddish pandering.
Sorry folks, zero effect on me, and possibly a negative one. if they use this as an excuse to cheapen the product, I have other choices.
Cheap marketing blah blah, I'm not buying it. Hotels that start skimping on comfort and cutting corners and throwing it on sustainability lose my business
Nope, zero effect on me