Our typical work environment, near our clients (hotels)

What was the main spark of creative inspiration that led to a career promoting sustainability within the hotel industry?

The story of our company actually started with the very first conversation we had when we met by chance when we were both on a holiday in Egypt. We were having a pleasant walk at night when we noticed that the grass sprinklers were on in a way that they almost drowned the grass which became unpleasant for guests and unnecessary for the vegetation, and so it began… We talked about the many flaws and opportunities we saw in (luxury) hotels that could be so much more sustainable without taking anything away from the service for hotel guests, as this should always be prioritized. We were very inspired to contribute to making the hotel industry more sustainable as there was and still is a tremendous amount of waste and inefficiencies in hotel supply chains and operations with gigantic environmental impact but also economic consequences. We strongly believe that the sustainable way is the only way forward and we want to contribute to have a lasting impact.

How has the industry evolved as public awareness of environmental impact and sustainability become more prevalent?

The travel and hotel industry has already made a lot of efforts the last few years to engage in more sustainable practices. The main challenge however remains to dare to go a little further than just some little small changes at the surface. Many hotel companies are now starting to pick the low hanging fruit which is often being criticized, but we believe that this should be interpreted as quite the opposite. There is nothing wrong with trying to implement the easy things first as they open doors for more sustainable actions with a bigger impact. Involving all stakeholders is exactly what Ecotel Consultancy does in order to guide hotels to take that next step or even just the beginning. The pressure for sustainability in hotels is on as it is being demanded by customers and governments ,and steadily, many hotels nowadays get the message.

Local projects we support and encourage our clients to incorporate + local (sustainable) sourcing

Why is sustainability important within the travel and hotel sectors?

Apart from the quantitative benefits such as supply chain optimization and lowering the bill for resources and utilities such as energy and water, sustainability has become a selection factor for many tourists. In fact, 81% of travellers confirm that sustainable travel is important to them and 78% of global travellers(Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report April 2022 p4) intend to stay in a sustainable property at least once in the coming year. This means that there is a huge demand from the market for sustainable accommodations. This demand does not only arise from leisure tourists but also (and especially) from business travellers, as they actively search for sustainable locations to organize meetings and seminars. Slowly but surely, sustainability is finding its place in the hotel industry as it is becoming a necessity rather than a luxury.

In a modern age that is more environmental and sustainability-conscious than ever, how can the services offered by your business stand out from standard sustainability protocols?

Implementing sustainability is not necessarily difficult, taking the first steps and looking at the right place however can be a challenge. Therefore, we really strive for a complete and tailored guidance in the path towards sustainability of our clients. With the day to day operations of hotels that require a lot of attention to offer hotel guests the best experience, it can be very time-consuming to dive deep into the sustainability world. We do not only discover areas for improvement, we also look for sustainable alternatives in every way possible. From easy to implement solutions towards sustainable partnerships, we strive for complete guidance from beginning to end together with our client. While it is common to stop at pointing out where improvements should be done, it is really important for us to present our clients with different alternatives and help create the sustainable mindset that is needed for the future.

What are the main challenges as entrepreneurs when operating in this crowded but ever-expanding sector?

One of the challenges we face is that the hotel market is dominated by chain hotels, and with that, there are already a lot of sustainability policies in place that sometimes are not implemented very well in the different accommodations. It is challenging to start this dialogue with the right person and convince them of collaborating to get sustainability embedded in all of their premises. Next to that, there is the bad connotation attached to the consultancy business which causes concerns when it comes to the intention of these types of firms. There are a lot of stigmas to be tackled here. For us, it is important that our (hotel) clients are guided completely on their sustainability journey with respect to all sustainability pillars, including the economic pillar.

What is the best way to empower a person or client to make them more sustainability-conscious?

First and foremost, creating understanding of sustainability and its importance. Sustainability is about more than implementing ‘green stuff', it is about preserving smart choices and sustaining in all the aspects of a business. Getting to a sustainable mindset starts by seeing the impact of small changes in one’s behaviour, both personally as well as in business. We think that people/clients need to ask the right question to be empowered Instead of asking ‘why should you become more sustainable?’, ask – “why not?”

What is the best way to deal with burnout as entrepreneurs?

It is truly important to set barriers for yourself and just stop and breathe every once in a while. As an entrepreneur, it is easy to forget to take time for yourself because there is always something that should be done. It is necessary to slow down regularly,, and in some way force yourself to take a break and actually mean it. Practically, we compose a monthly roadmap in order to stop ourselves from trying to do everything at once and we take regular breaks. When we stop working, we really stop working and go out for a walk or do something else that relaxes us. The main thing to deal with a burnout is to accept your own limits and not be judged by the hardest judge of all – yourself.

What is the secret to maintaining and expanding a client base?

For us, we maintain our client base by regularly supporting them in any way we can. For example, through social media or by checking in with them personally. Something else that is key for us is to just be there,our clients can always contact us, and we are always ready to help out and let them know if there are interesting opportunities for them that we come across. Expanding on the other hand starts with listening. We recognize that every client is different and busy, so we are there to lift some of the weight off their shoulders and step in where they need us. The key elements for us are: customer service, continuous growth and network building. Word of mouth is still a very powerful tool, so be bold every once in a while.

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?

Absolutely! We have several projects and meetings coming up for which we are extremely excited. First of all, we are in close contact with a few Belgian hotels which we are visiting in the next weeks to have an intake talk with and see where we can assist in their sustainability journey. Secondly, we have a trip planned to Italy to indulge in the foreign culture and learn about their (sustainable) initiatives. In addition, there are also several hotel visits on our agenda to help transform the foreign hotel industry towards a more sustainable future. And last but not least and still confidential, we are very much looking forward to possibly putting our shoulders under a multi-faceted, far-reaching, world class project in Switzerland when it comes to safeguarding biodiversity. But more about that is to come on our socials.

Sustainability is undeniably becoming more and more important in the hotel industry so we invited the CEOs and sustainable hotel consultants of Ecotel Consultancy to shed some light on this topic. Ecotel Consultancy is specialized in sustainability advice, consultancy and eco-labelling/certification guidance for hotels all over the world and they strive to make a profound impact on all three pillars of sustainability: the social, ecological and economic one. They work internationally to help hotels respond to the global fast-growing demand towards sustainable accommodations, both from tourists and business clients. Visit their website for more information!

Interview: Raine Magazine x Ecotel Consultancy