ABSTRACT
The significance of businesses in realising sustainable development is not just the result of other actors dithering and looking away. Businesses represent a powerful force in our current socioeconomic system, not least because they finance it. This chapter explains the meaning of sustainable development and describes the implications thereof. It also describes the actual and potential role of business in pursuing sustainable development, identifying both general and specific opportunities for hotels to pursue sustainable development. It shows what is required in terms of action to move beyond the current status quo to a position of greater sustainability. The contribution of the hotel sector to the problem is evident. Both the construction and operation stages of hotel accommodation have a significant impact on their surroundings. The chapter describes a specific pattern in the behaviour of some of the stakeholders involved with the hotel sector.
