Different Aspects of Sustainable Tourism - Assignment Example

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM of the of the Introduction This study would be centered towards different aspects of sustainable tourism. Sustainability is associated with utilizing current resources without depleting percentage of resources for future usage. Hospitality sector can be considered as a diverse industry encompassing hotels, restaurants, motels, caterers, guest houses, clubs and pubs. There exists a lot of diversity within hospitality field. Efficiency measures are available to the industry which can be utilized to enhance overall efficiency level. These measures benefit tourism industry in terms of improving profitability margins, environmental performance and reputation. Cost savings linked with tourism industry are management of resource, energy, waste and water. Resource management enables customer service and comfort. The benefit of recognition and cost savings is closely knitted with the concept of sustainable organization. In past few decades there has been increasing awareness regarding social or environmental impacts caused by hotel operation and development. Sustainability issues are greatly driven by wide array of factors like desire of operator or owner to decrease operational costs, alter attitude of investors towards environmental conditions and regulatory forces imposed on facility development. The sustainability aspect aims at balancing social, environmental and financial factors in order to undertake appropriate decision making process over an extended period of time. In this study tourism industry of Australia would be clearly portrayed. Sydney is regarded as the largest city of Australia. This location comprises of vibrant national parks and pristine beaches. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel based in Sydney is a preferred tourist destination. This hotel offers 26 luxurious suites along with 336 stylish rooms. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel offers superior quality accommodation and award winning restaurants. There are other features which add value to this hotel operation. This study would outline this operation, its sustainability issues and recommended ways to eradicate such issues. Tourism industry can be sustainable only when it takes into account social, environmental and economic factors. Tourism Operation The Australian hotel industry is one of the major economic drivers at national, local and state level. There are almost 30,000 individuals who are provided jobs by hotel industry of Australia. In economic context, Australian hotel industry generates $14 billion. The hotel industry can efficiently contribute towards national economic development. Long term strategy is implemented by Australian Government in order to invest in infrastructural development. Australia is planning to explore opportunities presented by emerging economies such as Asia. The impact of hospitality and tourism has been magnificent on the region in terms of employment opportunities, community, wealth and culture. Apart from strengthening economic conditions, this hotel operation also tends to create negative impact on other associated aspects such as social or environmental components. Radisson Hotels was founded in 1909 and has its headquarters located in Minnesota, United States. This is an international hotel company and operates across 73 countries in about 420 locations. Radisson branded hotels are majorly located in United States. Radisson Blu is considered as the brand name of the parent hotel chain. This is mainly used for hotels which are built outside geographical region of United States. Radisson Blu brand name is greatly observed for hotels built in Asia, Europe and Africa. Carlson estate is the key stakeholder and is basically operated by Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Sydney is a famous tourist destination in Australia. Radisson Blu Hotels and Resort is located in Sydney and is able to acquire higher percentage of tourist attraction. It belongs to luxurious hotel segment and adopts best facilities to offer exceptional customer service. The world famous Harbor Bridge and Opera House is able to drag attention of tourists who plans to visit Sydney. There are many renowned hotels located in this region. Intense competition influences the Radisson brand to offer value added services to target customers. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is not only famous for its location, amenities, or service, but it even gains market presence due to high quality food. The two award winning restaurants of the hotel offers unique cuisine to guests. Customer service in this hotel chain is also closely knitted with the kind of food quality being served to guests. 26 luxurious suites along with 336 stylish rooms create memorable experience for guests visiting Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts. This hotel is located within working distance from Rocks precinct and Opera House. The location of this luxury hotel helps in gaining customer attention which is necessary for long term business sustainability. Accommodation offered by this brand comprises of facilities provided by two award winning restaurant outlets. Free wireless internet services, spa facilities, business class lounge, etc., are additional services provided by this hotel brand. This hotel group is not only a preferred place for tourists but is also the first choice of businessperson. Full-scale conventions as well as business meetings is organized in Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts. The hotel operates on the basis of a standardized agreement which encompasses certain terms and conditions. These conditions should be followed by all key stakeholders of the group. It can be stated that higher quality level of operations can be maintained only through forming effective partnerships with external and internal stakeholders. Proper training is imparted on staff members so as to ensure that guests receive expected level of service. On the other hand, regular quality check is performed on amenities in order to provide required value added services. Decentralized operations are performed within this organizational structure. Each department such as kitchen, finance, administrative, etc., are separately controlled without any such interference from centralized authority. Sustainability Issues Hospitality operators are striving towards enhancing sustainability issues. Expectations of guests have also increased in terms of transforming hotel operations into green operations. Increasing customer demand and reduced operational costs have further increased sustainability issues. Hotel operators are more focused on cost savings and this in turn adversely affects sustainability aspect. The idea of sustainability not only denotes environmental aspects but it also takes into consideration social factors. Green operation is outlined when hotels perform their operations in a way that future resources are not exploited for present consumption. Cost benefit ratio is maintained through implementation of sustainable program. Resource conservation is not the only factor which indicates sustainable operational design but it also includes transforming a hotel into a viable or profitable venture. Hospitality operations should encompass energy management techniques in order to facilitate long term sustainability. The sustainability aspect in this operation does not only revolve around accommodation related issues but it also comprises of restaurant facility. Sustainability issues in context of food service operations are centered towards local sourcing and providing healthy food to customers. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts is a renowned hotel within hospitality sector. This hotel has incorporated sustainability program in terms of planting trees, electricity conservation, waste management, etc. High customer demand often leads to exploitation of sustainability parameters. These parameters are mainly related to over consumption of energy or other resources (Bitner, 2002). Hotel operations are inclined towards operational efficiency. Cost savings are a key area of focus for many hotels such as Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Sydney. This form of cost savings is usually viewed for waste, energy and water. Energy is the primary resource for this hotel in order to execute their business operations. This factor is required in every sphere of its business operations. Energy is consumed by hotels for lighting facilities, power requirements, cooking fuel, etc. The usage of energy has tremendously increased in recent years with growing trend of hospitality industry. Hotels are just focused on addressing customer expectations without being concerned about over exploitation of non-renewable energy resource. This hotel possesses wide scale of operations and in order to retain such operations there is a high need for efficient utilization of resources. Water can be regarded as another sustainable issue for Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts. On domestic basis water is consumed by hotels. Bathrooms, laundry, etc., all require water facilities. Process water is also needed for other facility operations like cleaning, irrigation, maintenance, etc. At times waster is wasted by guests and it cannot be controlled by hotel authority. This leads to over exploitation of an essential non-renewable resource. Another sustainability issue is also deeply rooted with inappropriate waste management. Waste generated by the hotel is in the form of wastes from refurbishment consumables, hazardous waste, durable goods, recyclable oil, etc. Hazardous wastes and durable goods’ waste occupies major waste percentage of Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts. Sustainability issue for this hotel is also centered towards staff training. Resources should be provided by management for appropriate staff training facilities. This form of training program is not standardized in this hotel group and it eventually leads to decreased level of customer satisfaction (Wunder, 2000). Environmental hazards are witnessed to increase in current scenario. It can be stated that intense hotel operations tends to negatively affect environment to a great extent. Economic factors are also associated with sustainability framework of hotels. These factors are high investment in energy efficient infrastructure, green operations, etc. On the other hand, cultural factor is also another sustainability dimension. The employee retention rate of Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts has decreased in current scenario and this clearly portrays an improper corporate culture. Green ethics as an approach has not gained significance within the organizational system. This in turn decreases employee productivity and its impact on customer service level. Assessment of Operation Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria can be applied on hotels in order to identify the ways adopted to address sustainability issues. Sustainable tourism is a growing trend simply because of green programs followed by suppliers, high consumer demand, new policies framed by government to address sustainability, etc. The approach of sustainable tourism is based on certain components like sustainability planning, upgrading cultural heritage, maximizing economic and social benefits and reducing adverse environmental impacts. First criteria of this framework are denoted by effective sustainable management. Long term sustainability is maintained by Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts through incorporating best practices which can sustain cultural and economic dimensions. A standardized organizational culture is maintained in order to govern overall operational procedure. The hotel is well aligned with international legislation in terms of labor, health and safety norms. Top management of the hotel group believes in sustaining operations through following international governmental frameworks. Customer satisfaction level is retained by the firm through taking customer feedback and including them within business operations. To be more precise, like employees, customers too are considered to be valuable asset by the hotel. Their sustainability practices in this context are reflected through preserving cultural heritage in the hotels and acquiring customer opinion on a continuous basis. Promotional campaigns are so designed by this hotel group that it can address sustainability claims. All features or services which are promised by the hotel in their promotional activities are delivered to end customers. Promotional material of Radisson Blu is accurate and in correlation with range of services offered by the hotel group. Infrastructural operations of the hotel have an adverse impact on external surroundings. Planning and design of the hotel group incorporates effective practices and environmental friendly mechanisms. The firm attempts to respect cultural and natural heritage while constructing hotel buildings. However building construction or renovation leads to disruption of natural heritage which cannot be regulated by Radisson Group. Property acquisition by the hotel is illegal and there is no such requirement of involuntary resettlement. Information is provided to customers but it is confined to specific sustainability initiatives. The firm is not actively indulged into conveying information regarding initiatives undertaken by them for preserving cultural heritage, waste management, etc. This hotel works in collaboration with private sector and governmental programs to efficiently plant trees. Water and energy efficient measures are implemented by the Energy Committee of the hotel. The lighting systems of the hotel are changed by including LED lights within the infrastructure. Exhaust fans of the kitchen in Radisson Blu is being altered with big size pulleys. Consumption reducing measures are incorporated by the hotel in order to regulate energy and water usage. Rain water is accumulated so as to perform operations such as cleaning and irrigation (Zeithaml, 2009). Waste management programs are also successfully executed in order to facilitate zero wastage. The next set of criteria’s is related to maximizing economic and social benefits of local community, and decreasing simultaneous negative impacts. This criterion is addressed through various sustainability initiatives. Health and sanitation is a key area of concern for the hotel group. There are measures undertaken such as proper sanitation facilities, employee health programs, etc. Employment opportunities are provided by Radisson Blu in Australia. Recruitment program organized by this firm encourages local residents to be a part of this brand. On the contrary, local community is not approached during framing operations. Radisson group has set of standardized operations which are common for all subsidiaries. An ethical code of conduct is maintained by the firm taking into consideration any negative impact on the environment. Equal employment opportunities are provided by the organization and are in correlation with labor laws. National or international legal employee protection act is given importance by the firm. This is all about providing minimum wages to employees so that they can survive. Intense competition in the market place results into vigorous activities of Radisson Blu and it affects basic services of local community. Aquatic or land resource is not affected by the hotel operation in direct manner. The third criteria are linked with prevention of cultural heritage. It is accomplished through not trading or selling archaeological artifacts. Local historical properties are preserved by the hotel group, and this provides value added services to local residents. Cultural heritage or local art is a key factor for all hotel subsidiaries of Radisson Group. The next assessment criteria are associated with minimizing environmental impacts. This factor is addressed by the company through introducing energy efficient measures. These measures are linked with regulating energy usage within organizational system. Pollution is being reduced by the firm through waste management initiatives or recycling process. Discussion of Potential Improvement Over the years, Radisson Blu has introduced sustainability practices in its business operations. To be more precise brand development of this organization is totally based on its sustainable practices. It can be stated that increased competition influences the firm to adopt effective strategies which can foster long term sustainability. There are many luxury hotels and resorts available in the current scenario and this increases competition within hospitality industry. Potential improvement areas exist for this hotel. Funds availability is a major area of concern for all business organizations (Crouch and Ritchie, 2005). Lack of funds tends to shift business firms from ethical practices. The first recommended approach is to access finance so as to support such green initiatives or programs. Energy efficient mechanisms are not adopted by firms due to lack of funds. Third party funds can be accessed by the hotel for environmental improvement projects. Technological advancements can help the organization in terms of eradicating adverse impacts towards external environment (Sachdev and Verma, 2002). Technology based equipments can be introduced by the firm. These equipments would help in reducing energy conservation at the hotel unit. The concept of green building can be a potential improvement area for Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts. In many hotel chains the approach of green building has been able to decrease percentage of energy consumption. Green building approach would retain amenities possessed by this renowned hotel group but it shall even transform the entire infrastructure into energy efficient structure. Sustainability can also be accomplished through utilizing recyclable materials (Govers, Go and Kumar, 2007). Material recycling is all about using products which can be easily disposed or used in later period of time. Recycling and waste management is an area of concern for the Radisson Group. There are few techniques introduced by the management that can help in wastage reduction. The kitchen department of this hotel always encounters food wastage (Gössling, 2009). Food waste should be monitored by the hotel management. As per the monitored results, inventory level should be appropriately managed. Reduction in inventory costs would be beneficial for the company. This is simply because cost savings can be directed towards other efficient measures (Lam and Hsu, 2006). On the other hand, fat and cooking oil can also be reused by the kitchen unit. It would serve as a recycling mechanism. The concept of plastic bags and paper should be completely eliminated from the system. Radisson Blu is recommended to include all sustainability practices within promotional activities. It would help to attract attention of customers and shall also enable long term sustainability. Conclusion As per the study, it is clearly evident that sustainability approach is essential in tourism industry. Hospitality sector is a key economic driver but is also responsible for negatively affecting external environment. There are new strategies being adopted by hotels so as to achieve sustainability. Radisson Blu is a recognized brand name across the globe. This hotel group has set its market position through offering exceptional customer service. Australia is considered to be one of the preferred tourist destinations. This in turn has attracted lot of hotel groups to establish their position. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotels and Resorts is one such hotel chain which has extended its operations in Sydney, Australia. Sustainability issues usually arise when business operations adversely affect environmental, social and cultural factors. Intense competition in the market place basically pressurizes companies to avoid such sustainability aspects but it is needed for long term growth. Radisson Blu meets customer expectations on the basis of its superior quality customer service. This quality level is witnessed not only in accommodation but also in kitchen department. Sustainability issues do exist within this hotel. There are certain factors which are not properly addressed by the company. Sustainability aspects mainly revolve around waste management, recycling, energy efficiency, protection of cultural heritage, etc. In overall context there are measures incorporated by the hotel that guarantees least consumption of energy or other non-renewable resource. However there still exist areas of potential improvement. Recycling activities are not observed on a regular basis in the hotel. This aspect needs to be changed since it leads to over consumption of resources. Technology based equipments shall also prevent over utilization of water in daily operations. References Bitner, M.J. (2002). Servicescapes: the impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees. Journal of Marketing, 65(1). Crouch, G.I. and Ritchie, J. R. (2005). Tourism competitiveness and societal prosperity. Journal of Business Research, 44(1). Gössling, S. (2009). Ecotourism: a means to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Ecological Economics, 29 (2). Govers, R., Go, F. M. and Kumar, K. 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