Going green is very popular these days. Growing number of people is concerned about the impact of their behavior on the environment. It is obvious that traveling causes a significant damage to the environment and so many tourists try to be as “green” as possible.
A recent survey commissioned by Orbitz.com and conducted by Market Tool’s Zoomerang polling service has shown that 63% of the surveyed would pay a little more to rent a hybrid vehicle or stay at a “green” hotel and that 51% of the surveyed Americans feel the tourism industry in the United States is not environmentally friendly. Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants 2005 survey revealed that 16 percent of guests choose their properties because of the company"s environmental practices.
Hotels see this as an opportunity and growing number of them starts to offer more environmentally-friendly services. Bill Connors, the executive director of the National Business Travel Association said: "Environmental issues are one of the hottest issues within the travel industry right now."
More and more visitors ask for green hotels. It is reflected by the fact that the online hotel discounter Quikbook.com has launched a filter to search for green hotels. The fact is, that not only an environmentally-friendly policy is now popular, but it also saves money.
For example, energy-efficient fluorescent lighting uses less electricity. Another example is bathroom fixtures that limit water flow. The truth is that some hotels have used energy-saving measures for years and it is only now that it becomes increasingly important to the visitors.
To mention some of the environmentally-friendly measures: At Fairmont"s North American properties all front-desk computers run on wind power, and several of its golf courses are irrigated with recycled water. At the boutique hotel Greenhouse 26, set to open next year in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, plan is to conduct heating and cooling via an energy-saving geothermal system. They also plan to recycle water from sinks and showers to be used in toilets.
