The prestigious Contest, organized by the Habitat Futura Group, promotes and highlights the benefits of sustainability in the hotel industry. Its evaluation criteria are based on the 17 Goals of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The ReThink Hotel Competition, which this year reaches its 8th edition, aims to recognise and promote the "TOP 10" of the best sustainability and hotel renovation projects in Spain in 2021.
Its jury is made up of leading tourism and construction professionals and its assessment criteria are governed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
This 8th call for entries has the special collaboration of the RTI and the support of several relevant international organisations, including: the Secretary of State for Tourism of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the World Tourism Organisation, the Climate Change Office for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
The awards ceremony was opened by: Ms. Ana Muñoz, Deputy Director General for Tourism Development and Sustainability of the Secretary of State for Tourism and the Director General of the Habitat Futura Group, Ms. Celia Galera, among other personalities who recognised as winning hotels 6 establishments from the Balearic Islands, 4 from the Canary Islands, 3 from Catalonia, 3 from Andalusia, 2 from Bilbao, 1 award-winner from Extremadura and 1 award-winner from Navarre. All of them make up the hotels recognised as the most sustainable at a national level.
In the case of the hotels recognised in the 'TSMEDIA Category' were, among others, the Biosphere Sustainable members Siau Ibiza Hotel and Inout Hostel, from Barcelona. Also recognised were Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas - Las Palmas, Arantza Hotela - Navarra and Catalonia Gran Vía - Bilbao.
Biosphere Sustainable member Grand Teguise Playa, Lanzarote, was recognised in the 'Re Think' category, along with Villas Alondra - Lanzarote, Meliá Tamarindos - Las Palmas, Hotel Santa Ana & Suite Ecocyber - Girona, Renaissance Barcelona Hotel - Barcelona and Fuerte Group Hotels - Málaga.
The jury's assessment criteria were based on different factors including global sustainability, building sustainability, marketing and CSR, heritage, universal accessibility and adaptation to various objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with a plan in favour of people, planet and prosperity.
The 2030 Agenda goals directly aligned with the contest criteria are: Goal 7 "Affordable and clean energy", Goal 8 "Decent work and economic growth", Goal 9 "Industry, innovation and infrastructure", Goal 11 "Sustainable cities and communities", Goal 12 "Responsible production and consumption" and Goal 13 "Climate action".
According to data from the Responsible Tourism Institute, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and Tripadvisor, 90% of travellers would choose a sustainable hotel and 34% would be willing to pay more, data that confirms the need to incentivise the sustainable refurbishment of hotel establishments with actions such as the Re Think competition, which highlights the benefits of sustainability and values in the hotel industry.
What about you? Do you manage a hotel aligned with sustainability?
