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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
AND FROM THE CEO OF HOTREC
Sustainability has become for all sectors alike a duty of care and even a responsibility to sustain future
generations, which brings us together. As far as its environmental footprint is concerned, the hospitality industry
has been considering three main pillars: the reduction of food waste, the development of energy efficiency and
sustainable energy and last but not least the reduction of the use of water.
HOTREC & its Members have been taking actions to meet these goals through awareness raising campaigns
and participation to projects, e.g. neZEH, the European initiative Nearly Zero Energy Hotels aimed to accelerate
the rate of large-scale renovations of existing hotels into Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB). Most recently, in
the framework of the circular economy, HOTREC developed guidelines to reduce food waste and develop food
donations together with the European Federation of Food Banks and the support of METRO.
Today, considering that building account for nearly 40% of greenhouses gas emissions, HOTREC is happy to
present and commit on a voluntary basis to measures and best practices aimed at improving energy efficiency
in the hospitality sector, and promoting the use of sustainable energy.
To achieve this goal and make sustainable tourism a reality, HOTREC has brought together UNWTO, SMEunited,
EUROCOMMERCE, NECSTouR, EuroAce, the Alliance To Save Energy, METRO AG, the European Tourism
Association and ETC to sign a charter thus demonstrating that only a multi-stakeholder approach can be part of
the answer. We are thankful to our many project partners for their support and we look forward to keep building
a better and sustainable Europe.
WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER?
Susanne Kraus-Winkler
President of HOTREC
Jens Zimmer Christensen
President elect of HOTREC
Christian de Barrin
CEO of HOTREC
Making tourism more resource efficient: guidance and solutions to raise energy efficiency in the european hospitality industry
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