CHR: 2024 Sustainability in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Roundtables

DAY 1 – September 23, 2024

 10:00 am: Are We Building for the Past or Future? Green Financing in Hotel Development and Investment

Hotel and lodging accommodations comprise a significant share of infrastructure in the travel and tourism industry, and commercial real estate accounts for nearly a fifth of energy usage, 40% of CO2 emissions, and 88% of potable water consumption in the US alone. Development and investment decisions today will determine the industry’s future success and viability, and while there has been increased recognition of the need to account for climate-related investment risks and new tools developed to assess and manage that risk, the complexity and inertia within the industry are impeding change. Is financing in the travel and tourism industry investing for climate realities?  What new financial vehicles exist or are in development to incentivize climate smart hotel development and green investment to contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

12:00 pm: How Can the Travel and Tourism Industry Catalyze a More Sustainable and Resilient Food & Beverage Supply Chain?

Today’s consumers spend more than 50% of their food budget on food away from home (FAFH), making commercial foodservice operations (e.g., restaurants, etc.) a significant contributor to the food production-distribution-consumption value chain which in total accounts for 34% of all human-caused GHG emissions. To successfully combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13), we need to develop a decarbonized food system that can sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050. How can the travel and tourism industry catalyze changes in the food supply chain, from agriculture to procurement and distribution to post-consumer waste?

 3:00 pm: Climate Action Needs to Drive Destination Planning: Why Isn’t It?

Destinations, the travel sector’s most valuable assets, are increasingly under threat from climate and surging traveler numbers.  Few nations have directly addressed how to lower the carbon emissions related to their travel and tourism economies, even as demand for travel continues to rise. What public and private policies and investment will be needed to reduce overall carbon emissions of the sector and how will professional destination management contribute to this process?

DAY 2 – September 24, 2024

10:00 am: Creating Positive Feedback Loops: How Can Travel Business Models Accelerate Nature-Based Finance and Solutions?

Nature-based climate solutions (e.g., halting deforestation) could deliver more than a third of the emission reductions needed by 2030 and reduce risks of secondary impacts from a warmer climate (e.g., wildfires). Given the travel and tourism industry’s success is linked to unique and vibrant natural resources, can it advance nature-based solutions that promote positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes? Where have nature-positive businesses and destinations found greatest success, and how might investment scale within the sector to restore, protect, and regenerate ecosystems?

12:00 pm: Step Up to Meet the Moment: Driving the Generational Change in Training and Education in a Climate-Constrained World

Our knowledge of climate change is rapidly evolving, and research has shown that 83% of people want to take action on climate change in their jobs, and most employees need to develop their baseline knowledge about climate.  What new training and development is needed in the travel and tourism sector to contribute to energy transitions?  Given innovation and initiatives can come from unexpected places, how does the industry rethink talent needs and create the conditions for corporate and government joint decision making to contribute to decarbonization and net-zero goals?

 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Panel – From Ideas to Action: Future Directions in Sustainable Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality

Join us for a forward-looking panel that builds on the insights and discussions from the yesterday’s and today’s roundtable sessions on sustainability in travel, tourism, and hospitality. Our expert panelists will reflect on the key themes and challenges identified in the sessions, exploring actionable strategies and research directions that can drive the industry toward a more sustainable and resilient future. From green financing and sustainable supply chains to climate action and education, we’ll discuss where the industry should focus its efforts next, how academic research can support these critical initiatives, and take audience questions. This panel is open to the public but pre-registration is required and space is limited.

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Networking Reception

Following the panel, we invite you to a reception where attendees can continue the conversation in a more informal setting. This is an opportunity to network with industry leaders, researchers, and fellow professionals, exchanging ideas and forging collaborations that will help shape the future of sustainable travel, tourism, and hospitality. Let’s come together to envision and create the next steps in our collective journey towards a greener, more resilient industry.