Pioneering the way towards a more sustainable future, top hotels in the region have been taking the lead, incorporating carbon offsetting initiatives, integrated into meeting and events held on their properties.
Frequent travellers in Asia are familiar with carbon offset programmes that monitor carbon emissions through sustainability programmes. But how does this affect the bottom line?
According to Martin Rinck, president, Asia-Pacific, Hilton Worldwide, the corporation is committed to sustainability, under Hilton's corporate responsibility theme of travel with purpose.
'In Australasia, our properties have been offsetting carbon emissions generated during every revenue-generating meeting and event, at no additional cost to clients,' says Rinck, who has been offering the initiative in every hotel in Australasia since July 2010. 'The Carbon Offset Meetings and Events initiative is part of that overall system to not only monitor and reduce our carbon emissions, but to assist our clients with their sustainability requirements.
'Our main objective in establishing the programme was to support Hilton Worldwide's renewable energy commitment.' Hilton has offset 5,750 metric tonnes of carbon since August last year and won additional business as the programme appeals to organisations that have their own carbon management programmes.
'Increasingly in China, we see more focus on environmental issues and sustainability, and our hotels already participate in LightStay,' says Rinck, referring to their proprietary system of sustainability measurement. 'Building on the success of our Carbon Offset Meetings and Events initiative launched in Australasia, we are keen to replicate a similar initiative in China sometime this year.'