Over 200 hoteliers from across Ireland gathered today at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre for the Hotel Sustainability Conference, ‘Climate Action: Driving Competitiveness’ co-delivered by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and Fáilte Ireland.
Expert speakers and industry leaders illustrated how sustainability can drive innovation, boost efficiency and enhance competitiveness in the hotel sector. The speaker lineup included Craig Bennett, The Wildlife Trusts; Richard Burrett, Earth Capital; Declan Meally, SEAI; Colin Moran, SBCI; Colette Shirley, Bank of Ireland; Andres Fellenberg, EarthCheck; Chris Austin, Cliste Hospitality; Dara Cruise, Neville Park Hotels; Tom Randles, Randles Hotels and Carmel Lonergan, Trigon Hotels.
In his opening address, IHF Chief Executive Paul Gallagher shared: “The enthusiasm in the room today is demonstrative of the growing appetite for sustainable evolution within the hotel sector. 87% of our members have indicated plans to invest in sustainability initiatives over the next year. Today we’re bringing together knowledge, intent and means, marking a pivotal moment in our sector’s journey towards a more sustainable future.”
Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development, Fáilte Ireland shared: “75% of global travellers plan to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months. This underlines that sustainability is no longer a future ambition, it’s a present-day business imperative that can provide a competitive advantage to businesses. Through our Climate Action Programme, Fáilte Ireland is supporting hotels and guesthouses to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and strengthen their commercial resilience. This conference is about equipping the sector with the insights and tools needed to make sustainability a core part of their business strategy.”
IHF President Michael Magner commented: “As an industry we must rise to meet this challenge and act now by integrating sustainable practices across our operations to safeguard continued growth and success. It’s clear that hotels and guesthouses that embrace sustainability can gain a clear competitive advantage. In my own business I have witnessed the positive and lasting impact of environmental initiatives on guests, team members and the business.”
Launched in February 2024, the Climate Action Programme (CAP) is a strategic initiative by Fáilte Ireland to accelerate the tourism sector’s contribution to achieving Ireland’s national climate targets. The Programme supports tourism businesses to cut emissions, reduce costs, and strengthen competitiveness. Today, over 300 tourism businesses from across Ireland are actively participating in the programme.
