ABSTRACT
The above observation highlights the apparent dichotomy which exists within the hotel industry, where providing greater comforts to the guests and adopting sustainable practices appear to be two mutually exclusive objectives. Yet, there are examples of some of the top luxury hotels in the world, who have successfully embraced sustainable practices without sacrificing the elements of luxury in their service offerings. The increasing focus on sustainability by the hotel industry may have resulted from the global concern for environmental degradation; the changes in attitudes of consumers towards sustainable practices by hotels have also been of help. In addition to that, stringent legal enforcements by government in many parts of the world have necessitated the move towards sustainable practices. Traditionally, this industry has not been considered as a major polluter, and therefore was never subjected to scrutiny about its negative environmental impact. However, in recent times the industry has come under scrutiny (Jackson, 2010), forcing organizations in the industry to adopt processes and procedures that reflect their concern for the environment. By being sensitive to environmental issues, the hospitality industry as a whole can not only contribute to environmental conservation, but is also likely to gain through reduced operating expenses (Iwanowski and Rushmore, 1994). Therefore, players in the industry may be encouraged to adopt sustainable systems and processes, as such efforts can also contribute to their bottom-line.
