World's First Publication on Guiding Principles for Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Constructio

Guide is a vital resource for new hotel development

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. October 14, 2008

LONDON, UK, September 14, 2005. Many of the world's largest hotel chains will meet today to accept and adopt the first international guiding principles for sustainable hotel design and development. Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Construction, a new book published by Conservation International (CI) and the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), will dramatically help hotel companies build sustainable and more environmental friendly developments-providing a set of guiding principles that can be used throughout the industry.

"Individual hotel companies have been focusing on issues of sustainability with regards to internal management practices for many years," said Jamie Sweeting, senior director, travel and leisure at CI's Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB). "But with tourism expanding rapidly on a global scale, there is a need for companies to also focus their efforts on integrating responsible practices at the development stage to ensure they have a positive impact."

Travel and leisure is a key industry that has significant environmental impact on critical ecosystems, however, it also has the greatest potentialto bring about positive and progressive environmental change. International tourism arrivals are forecasted to reach over 1.56 billion by 2020-doubling the number of people currently traveling. Due to such an increase, the hotel industry will need to accommodate the demand by providing more properties. This increase in hotel construction must occur in a manner that incorporates sustainability and environmental issues.

Against this backdrop of a rapidly growing tourism industry, and fears about the environmental impact that such unmonitored growth will have, nine of the world's leading hotel companies have come together, through the International Business Leaders Forum, to work with CI to address the issue of sustainable hotel siting design and construction. These companies: Accor, Carlson, Four Seasons, Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott, Rezidor SAS, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and TAJ Hotels Resorts and Palace actively supported the development of these "guiding principles," which are available in Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Construction. At present, these hotels chains are determining how to implement these principles into their new hotel and resort developments.

"Sustainable tourism is about preserving popular destinations, the environment and its resources," said Ed Fuller, president and managing director, international lodging, Marriott International Inc., and chair of the International Tourism Partnership, the tourism program of The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF). "We have to get it right for this generation and beyond."

The publication will be used at all levels of hotel development, from inception through to commissioning. It has been produced as a practical resource for planners, investors, hotel owners and developers that are involved in the process of planning or developing hotels. It draws on the knowledge and expertise of international experts from the hotel industry and specialists in sustainable building design. The publication also addresses such key issues as building efficiency, future flexibility, environmental and societal impact, and provides a compendium of good practice principles that can be applied anywhere in the world.

Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Construction is available for purchase for lb175 and can be ordered by sending an email to [email protected].