Launch of the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap by STB and SHA

Singapore, 21 March 2022 – The Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced the launch of the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap at the inaugural Hotel Sustainability Conference and Marketplace, held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

Hotel Sustainability Roadmap

In line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the roadmap sets out clear targets and strategies for hotels to adopt in their sustainability journey. This in turn enables the industry to contribute to sustainable development goals, capture new opportunities presented by the Green Economy, strengthen enterprise resilience, and tap new visitor segments.

Through the roadmap, STB and SHA envision a hotel industry that:

1. integrates sustainability as a core value across the entire hotel ecosystem,

2. is established as a living lab and uses sustainability to drive business competitiveness and growth, and

3. is recognised as a leader in environmental sustainability in the region.

The roadmap has set out the following two targets for the industry:

• 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore to attain internationally-recognised hotel sustainability certification by 2025.

• For hotels in Singapore to commence tracking of emissions by 2023 and reduce emissions by 2030, with a view to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The roadmap also lays out four strategies and related initiatives to help hotels achieve these targets:

1. Raise sustainability standards and strive towards internationally-recognised sustainability certification:

   • a. Tapping on STB funds such as the Business Improvement Fund to support sustainability initiatives that improve competitiveness and productivity, which may put hotels in a better stead to seek sustainability certification subsequently.

   • b. Leveraging on SHA’s Hotel Technology Directory to source for sustainability solution providers, and the Hotel Sustainability Playbook (ready by Q4 2022) to reference best practices, success cases and outcomes.

   • c. Creating new sustainability jobs by tapping on STB’s Training Industry Professionals in Tourism (TIP-iT) grant to build capabilities and train staff to take on these roles.

   • d. Participating in SingapoReimagine (SRI) Global Conversations, a thought leadership series that convenes influential business leaders and industry spokespersons to share perspectives on travel in the new pandemic environment, including emerging travel trends such as sustainability. The second edition, titled “Reimagine Sustainability:

Think Circular, Travel Better” will explore how tourism businesses can contribute to sustainability efforts.

2. Test-bed and adopt innovative sustainable solutions by:

   • a. Identifying sustainability-related problem statements and organising innovation challenges to develop sustainability solutions in identified areas.

   • b. Partnering Enterprise Singapore (ESG) through the Sustainability Marketplace to showcase a suite of sustainable solution providers to be matched with hoteliers. This provides a platform for hoteliers to be introduced to green and sustainable solutions that can enhance their business operations.

   • c. Partnering innovative tech providers to co-develop sustainability-related industry pilots through Tcube programmes such as the Singapore Tourism Accelerator by STB.

3. Develop sustainable hotel concepts and experiences in Singapore

   • a. Developing innovative and best-in-class sustainable guest experiences with STB’s support via Experience Step-Up Fund.

   • b. Facilitate business matching with relevant partners (e.g. farm to table dining experiences, upcycling workshops etc.)

4. Raise awareness of the industry’s sustainability efforts and promote sustainable consumption habits amongst hotel guests by:

   • a. Actively incorporating sustainability into corporate values and business operations.

   • b. Supporting consumer education and encouraging hotel guests to adopt sustainable consumption habits.  

   • c. Plugging into STB’s destination marketing efforts to position Singapore as a top sustainable and innovative urban destination.

STB and SHA have also identified 4 focus areas to green hotel operations, to ensure that hotels’ sustainability efforts drive impactful environmental outcomes. They are:

1. Water Conservation (e.g. implementing smart water meters, reverse osmosis water recycling for laundry facility, water efficient toilet fit outs in guest rooms)

2. Waste Management, Recycling and Circular Economy (e.g. artificial-intelligence (AI) powered food waste management solutions, food digestors)

3. Sustainable Sourcing and Procurement (e.g. in-house farms, locally-sourced produce, assessing vendors based on certification/sustainable practices)

4. Energy Conservation (e.g. district cooling systems, solar panel technology, smart energy meters, trigeneration plants)

The roadmap is endorsed by the Hotel Sustainability Committee (HSC), which was set up in March 2020 to drive industry-wide adoption of sustainability practices in hotels to promote Singapore as a sustainable destination. The committee comprises members from the hotel industry as well as representatives from the public sector.

To download the Sustainability Roadmap Infographics, please click here.

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About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.