Hotels going "Green" demanded by guests

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Hotels going "Green" not a request - but a demand

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By Ursula Tillmann

    It's popular to "think" green. But often the gap between talking and doing to save the environment can't be overcome because of the costs. That's one of the arguments, businesses will tell you, when it comes to actually take action. It's hard enough to make a dollar, why spend two to participate in the "green craze"? It's all about economics and competition. Or is it? What about the long run - the future? 

      An Alberta hotelier has the answer with a new idea that will actually save money and conserve the environment. In comparison to Europe, North Americans are champions in creating garbage: An estimated four and a half pounds per day and person. And in restaurants and hotels it's even worse. For those reasons Andrea Spiess created a system for the hospitality industry, that's already being watched by brokers who deal with "green stocks" on the money-market. And the public is also on her side. Guests meanwhile demand, that businesses don't waste so much.  

     “The awareness of the customer to conserve the environment is greater, than what’s being offered right now in the hospitality industry. We hear it from our guests every day.” Going “green” is no longer a request, but rather a demand. That was the main reason for Andrea Spiess to finally launch a program for independent hotel operators, that puts all those concerns and requests under one hat. She launched ECO CROWN Hospitality, a Franchiser Identity Program, designed for the green-oriented lodging industry, which does not only include resorts, hotels, motels, Bed and Breakfasts, but also vacation rentals and timeshare properties. Major hotel associations in North America and Europe are already on board with Eco Crown Hospitality," she says about her company.

    “Eco isn’t just a trend any longer, it’s a lifestyle. And we in the hospitality industry should be leading the battle for our guests,” says Eco Crown founder and president Andrea Spiess from her Canmore office.  For her, with a family history of five generations in the hotel business, “going green” will save money in the long run and help the environment.
        “Our forefathers knew better -  out of necessity. We have to hurry up before necessity catches up with us.” Taking all those “green steps” will certainly “take away from our lazy ways, but we have to bend over again, like our ancestors,”  Andrea Spiess points out.  Eco Crown invites hotels as well a chains to brand as environmentally responsible. It offers membership in a flagship network with all its services, which include controlling resources, services, utilities, sales and marketing, products and networking.   

       “Together, we can help to lower expenses and increase revenue,” she says. Without paying monthly brand or franchise fees, but just an annual  membership bill, her Eco Crown services are brand recognition without franchising, but offer a 1-800 reservation system,  website linking, GDS link, purchasing power, marketing and products as well as quality control and certification.
     "Properties, who want to join, must meet green standards, as outlined by Eco Crown. We will also help to provide products, to achieve our objectives, “ Andrea Spiess points out.  Suppliers of the hospitality industry are on the same path and ready to participate. “Now we have to get organized for the change and educate ourselves and our staff. Our guests want a conserving environment  in hotels and are willing to pay for the service.” Going green initially may cost a few dollars, but it will save money in the long run. “And you will attract more guests.”
         “It’s a matter of reorganizing your business and what you can do,” she says. Take for example plastic bags in garbage cans of hotel-rooms.  Not good, says Andrea Spiess, “we should not use any plastic bags whatsoever.” Another area is water consumption. For as little as $14.95  for alterations per bathroom toilet, the use of water can be reduced by over 40 percent. Other areas of conservation are breakfast packaging as well as room supplies, she notes. And “air-fresheners,” in her opinion, are the biggest hoax ever.
    Andrea Spiess says, it’s important to also have “guests participation”. More than fifty per cent of all customers are already quite conscious. They even request, that their towels are not  washed every day, or linen changed every second day. Guests want to be part of this journey and help to conserve.
      “The pressure is on us, the hospitality industry. We cannot afford any longer to exclude environmental features in our businesses. Our Eco Crown flag, which participating properties receive, will fly with the winds of change,” Andrea Spiess says with confidence.