The Green Travel - By Rajesh Choudhary

With sustainability emerging as a major global trend, industries worldwide are intensifying their efforts towards environmental conservation. Against the backdrop of growing concerns about global warming and climate change, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-24. A noteworthy highlight from the Budget speech was the emphasis on 'Green growth,' identified as one of the seven priorities for the Centre. Sitharaman referred to these priorities as the 'Saptarishi,' envisioned to guide the country through the 'AmritKaal' of the next 25 years.

The Indian HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, and Catering) industry is actively contributing to this effort, with hotels seeking certification as Green Hotels and adopting eco-friendly room amenities. Food businesses are also making strides to minimize their environmental impact by employing sustainable packaging, reducing food waste, introducing healthy menu options, investing in energy-efficient equipment, and implementing composting practices. Additionally, HORECA industries are pursuing environmental certifications for their buildings, such as LEED, BREEAM, and IGBC’s Green Resorts certification, as well as certifications for operational practices like Green Key, Green Globe, ISO 14001, and EU Ecolabel.

A Green Hotel, synonymous with a sustainable or eco-hotel, prioritizes sustainability across its operations. My firm, Stay Circle, has been engaged in Corporate Travel Management for the past four years, witnessing a significant corporate shift towards sustainability in the aftermath of COVID-19. The pandemic led to a near-total cessation of guest travel, causing the hospitality industry to incur substantial losses and shed thousands of jobs. However, amidst this turmoil, global air quality has exhibited improvement by around 30–60% in various parts of the world.

Stay Circle advocates for sustainable tourism and eco-friendly travel practices, establishing a network of sustainable hotels and products committed to reducing their environmental impact while offering guests comfortable and unique experiences. We actively encourage corporations to select eco-friendly hotels, and we believe that Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) can be organized in eco-friendly locations. We now have tools to measure the environmental impact of employee travel, allowing for monitoring and control. Data-driven insights aid in understanding and offsetting the environmental impact of business actions.

To mitigate carbon emissions associated with travel, Stay Circle is diligently working on offering carbon offset programs. These programs enable travelers and corporations to purchase offsets, counteracting the carbon emissions linked to their activities.

In conclusion, as participants in the food and HORECA industries, it is imperative that we actively engage in achieving our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for "LiFE" (Lifestyle for Environment). This entails fostering a movement toward an environmentally conscious lifestyle and steadfastly working toward the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 for sustainable and green growth.