Sustainability Efforts in Practice in European Hotels: A Tricky Business?

Abstract

Purpose: This article investigates some tendencies around sustainability work in practice performed during the past five years. Methodology/Approach: Interviews with hotel managers and staff members, observations on the hotels were conducted. Secondary data material (home pages, guest reviews via websites) has been investigated as document studies. Findings: The two waves of the pandemic 2020 and 2021 have, on the one hand, offered time for hotel leaders to rethink knowledge about sustainability in their businesses and, on the other hand, taken the focus from sustainability to matters of survival, both physically and economically. Despite financial support from the state for staff retention, many accommodating organisers today are struggling with a staff shortage. The study shows that a few accommodation entrepreneurs have invested wholeheartedly in sustainability measures during the last five years despite the increased social debate about the importance of more sustainable living. The results show some tendencies regarding the practical work for sustainability. Sustainability work has not achieved the desired results in practice due to, among other things, a lack of knowledge, so-called green-washing, disengagement, lack of personnel, financial losses due to pandemics etc. Research Limitation/Implication: The study makes no claim to statistical representativeness either in the choice of the hotels, their size, geographical location or in any other respect. Originality/Value of paper: The study consists of 51 interviews of hotel managers performed in 11 European countries.