Sustainable Hospitality as a Driver for Equitable Development

It is now widely agreed that the climate is changing, global resources are diminishing and biodiversity is suffering. These changes pose huge challenges on nations, organizations, businesses, communities and ultimately individuals. Developing countries, many of them considered by the World Tourism Organization to be Top Emerging Tourism Destinations (UNWTO, 2009), are already suffering the full frontal effect of environmental degradation with the UN recently reporting the existence of nearly half a million climate refugees in Africa and Asia in addition to huge swathes of the world's farming land and oceans becoming infertile. The challenge for developing countries is a triple-edged sword, how can economic prosperity be achieved without the perpetual depletion of nature's reserves, the destruction of rural habitat and the dislocation of traditional societies? Many emerging nations are looking increasingly to the tourism industry as the motor for economic development with hospitality businesses at the forefront. In line with this increasing economic necessity is the growth of concern in the West for environmental and societal stewardship. Expectations are high, Western consumers want classy lodgings and unspoilt landscapes in the knowledge that the room maid has enough money to feed and educate her family.

This book is designed to give students and practitioners a guide for best practices of sustainable hospitality operations in developing countries. Based on case studies, it provides a road map of how to achieve the goals of sustainability giving benchmark examples. The book not only taps in a contemporary business subject but provides readers with a better understanding on how sustainable theories can be operationalized in hospitality and tourism business practices in developing countries.

• Provides an enhanced view on sustainability beyond the borders of developed countries


• Case studies include hands-on activities, creative business practices and applied sustainable development strategies


• Includes case study questions, advanced reading list and online resource features