Hotels4Climate

Tourism represents one of the most important economic sectors for both Greece and Cyprus. This leads to higher energy demand and thus growing GHG emissions by the hotel industry. Although many accommodation providers have turned their attention towards GHG emission reduction, tourism accommodations, especially small and medium, remain with high potential for GHG emissions reduction. One important barrier is the lack of capacity in the hotel sector. Thus, the project aims to support these with relevant knowledge products.

By reducing GHG emissions caused by the hotel industry, the project contributes to the Cypriot and Greek national climate objectives to reduce GHG emissions in the non-ETS sectors by 24 and 16 per cent, respectively.

The project aims to reduce GHG emissions caused by the hotel industry, focusing in particular on Cyprus and Greece. It does so through building capacity, raising awareness, and improving competences regarding saving potentials and suitable GHG reduction measures, as well as through facilitation of knowledge exchange and networking between the hotel and the finance sectors.

Over 23 months, the project includes seven measures to reduce GHG emissions in the long term. First, it promotes sustainable tourism. Second, it fosters cooperation opportunities between hotels and the financial sector. Third, it analyzes the characteristics of the hotel sector in Cyprus and Greece through structured interviews and summarizes the findings in a report. Fourth, it identifies and shares 40 best practice models from Cyprus, Greece, and Germany. Fifth, it raises awareness on the necessity and potential for GHG reduction through best practice workshops, capacity building, networking events, and three study visits in Cyprus, Greece, and Germany. Sixth, it provides access to knowledge products and showcases of best practices through an online information hub and a web-based tool for calculation and assessment of GHG emission reduction potential. Last, it encourages dialogues between the key actors and creates a common understanding of the importance of saving GHG as part of a green, sustainable tourism industry.

The objectives of the project are to be achieved through capacity-building measures, the transfer of skills and raising awareness of the potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Photo: ©OEB

• A comprehensive analysis of the hotel market was carried out for Cyprus and Greece, on basis of which the following products were developed:  
• A report on 20 suitable low, medium and high cost measures for GHG reduction was published, taking into account the characteristics of the hotel industry in Cyprus and Greece.  
• A report on financing options for greenhouse gas reduction was developed by all partners and uploaded to the project and partner websites.  
• A report on potential green restart measures in the hotel industry after the exit from COVID-19 was published and the main findings were presented in a webinar with the Deputy Minister of Tourism     
• Capacity building activities (webinars, workshops, study visits) were conducted for a total of 341 relevant stakeholders in Cyprus, Greece and Germany who have significantly increased their capacity on measures to reduce the GHG potential in the hotel industry.  Training material on GHG saving potentials and reduction measures in the hotel industry was finalised and published on the project website.    
• A virtual platform for best practices and the project website were developed and are available online in English and Greek.  
• A final event entitled "Energy transition of the Hotel sector" was organised at the end of September 2021 as part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week.