Iniciativas Eco-responsables y RSE

🚗 The Paris Orly Airport, under ADP's management, is aiming to eliminate cars to reduce CO2 emissions and reclaim land. Consultation with over 10,000 participants is underway to gauge public opinion. Orly will have three remote reception centers for parking and check-in, with bus connections. Public transport is currently used for only 30% of airport visits, despite the existing Line 14 to Paris taking 25 minutes, and the forthcoming Line 18 Orly and Tram T7.

💰 Remica awarded at the iClima Recognitions for Spain's largest energy rehabilitation project in a community of over 1,200 homes in Alcorcón, Madrid, which is also the first to obtain Energy Savings Certificates (CAE). Celebrated on October 9th at the Hotel Wellington in Madrid, the event brought together about 150 HVAC professionals. The project received a €14 million subsidy from Next Generation funds, installed over 100 heat pumps with a peak power of 1,632 kWt, 1,146 solar panels with a peak power of 630 kWp, and achieved a 78% energy saving and a reduction of 3,543 tons of CO₂ annually. It improved the building's energy certification from 'E' to 'B' and increased comfort with 24-hour heating.

📖 Garden Hotels, recognized for circular economy strategies, is the first hotel chain certified by AENOR. Gabriel Llobera Ramis, Marketing and Communication Director of Garden Hotels, led a masterclass for tourism and hospitality professionals on regenerative tourism. The session highlighted the urgent need for sustainable transformation in hotel management and showcased Garden Hotels' success in integrating sustainable practices, promoting local communities, and implementing educational projects like organic gardens. Hosteltur Academy facilitated this learning opportunity to inspire industry change towards regenerative tourism.

🌍 En una encuesta de Forum Business Travel & Events con Lufthansa Group, el 85.7% de gestores de viajes reciben datos sobre emisiones de compañías aéreas, pero menos del 5% obtienen información del tren o alojamiento. El 68% sigue objetivos de reducción de huella de carbono de su empresa, mientras el 24% carece de directrices. En 2025, entrará en vigor la Directiva de Reporte de Sostenibilidad Corporativa (CSRD) de la UE. Un 54% de decisiones de compra favorecen proveedores sostenibles si los precios son iguales.

🏡 Representatives from Madrid's luxury hotel industry, convened by Eco-One, agree that sustainability is not currently profitable but is essential for future generations. Four Seasons Madrid invested €40,000 in artificial intelligence for kitchens, reducing food waste by nine tons and gaining a €60,000 return in four months. Bless Madrid reused furniture for economic impact, while Rosewood Villa Magna donated 5% of Christmas earnings to a children's cancer charity and repurposed linens for staff uniforms and guest gifts. Urso Hotel & Spa heats spa water with solar panels and adds a 10% surcharge on vending machine products for charity. VP Plaza España Design outsourced waste separation to an external company for better management and cleaner bins.

🏢 Luis M. Zamora, Grupo Iberostar's director of People, at the III Global Summit by Ilunion Hotels, discussed the importance of attracting talent in the tourism industry through a responsible model, with vocational training and professional development. Iberostar employs 35,000 staff, caring for 3.5 to 4 million clients annually, offers 330,000 hours of training, and fills 24.5% of new positions through internal promotion. The company operates in Canarias, Baleares, Andalucía, Mexico, Jamaica, with programs underway in Dominican Republic and Cuba. Pilot initiatives for employee well-being have been implemented in two hotels in Baleares and one in Mexico, reducing turnover. Iberostar promotes inclusivity among its workforce, comprising 95 nationalities across 14 countries and five generations.

🌲 Casual Hoteles, with 25 hotels in 13 cities across Spain, Italy, and Portugal, launched ReTree project in May, planting 150 trees in Teruel's steppe where a dense forest existed over 500 years ago. In four months, the forest grew to over 500 trees, covering 5,599 m2. This initiative has absorbed 1.2 tons of CO2, equivalent to three Madrid-London flights, saved 4.8 m3 of water, and created 153 hours of rural employment. Guests contribute by forgoing room cleaning.

🏕 Mallorca will host the III Summit of Sustainable Destinations on October 17-18, addressing challenges and opportunities for tourist destinations towards sustainability. The event, inaugurated by Marga Prohens and Llorenç Galmés, features keynote speaker Zoritsa Urosevic from UN Tourism. Nearly 40 representatives from various organizations like the Atlantic Sustainable Tourism Observatory and FAO will participate across eight panels and three interventions. The summit includes stakeholders like TUI Group and Visit Berlin.

🏖️ Hoteliers in the Balearic Islands accept that the 'ecotasa' (tourism tax) will not be abolished and will increase during the summer months. President Marga Prohens (PP), after over a year in office since May 2023, has not removed the tax, defying hoteliers' expectations. Prohens, with little connection to hoteliers unlike past relationships spanning 41 years, inherited the tax created in 2016. Despite industry concerns, the tax remains due to its lack of social opposition and significant revenue generation.

🏖 Turismo Comunidad Valenciana issued the first 500 "Viaja +65" vouchers on a Friday, offering a 40% discount for 5 to 10-night stays with half board for travel in the last quarter of the year. The pilot program, with over one million euros in funding, anticipates more than 7,000 users and 50,000 off-peak overnight stays. Reservations can be made between October 14 and December 20 with about 70 participating accommodations, including 57 hotels, mostly in Alicante. The program has 194 registered businesses, with Alicante leading at 85, followed by Valencia (78), and Castellón (31). The maximum subsidized cost ranges from 600 to 900 euros, depending on whether travelers are solo or with a companion.