Post-pandemic boom in the hospitality sector should accelerate the transition to a sustainable future utilising the holistic transformative power of innovation, resources and good practices.

The zing is back! The hospitality sector is gradually unleashing itself from the pandemic-induced economic slump. While the industry is fast recovering, at the same time we also need to drive the change towards sustainability at an unprecedented speed. Quite ostensibly, we have now realised that sustainability has to be more than a buzzword. The hospitality industry has wide-reaching value and supply chains, with enormous potential for a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable future.

The trend towards sustainability always spurs innovation, which in turn creates more business opportunities. Establishments centred around responsible practices and conscious living have proved to be more efficient and attract a growing number of customers looking for environmentally and socially responsible experiences. Karma Lakelands - India’s premium eco-friendly golf resort, since its inception, has been practising and promoting conscious living Initiatives. From being developing as a zero-waste property to soil rejuvenation, planting trees, rewilding, practicing bee farming and bio composting of plant & animal waste, life at Karma is an incredible example for meaningful and sustainable existence.

Hospitality industry has always strived to redefine the user experiences. A personalized, unique, connected, and eco-friendly guest experience design can develop a long-lasting trust. Honking should not be allowed at the gates and inside all hospitality properties. Guards to respond to sight and not sound (of horn). From no-horn policy at the entrance to natural fabrics on the beds, plastic free utilities and litter-free activities can led to nurturing of wider ethos of trust and collaboration. An establishment nurtured on ecological sustainability would definitely earn a remarkable brand value.

This significant transition towards sustainability in the hospitality sector, also brings with it a growing opportunity for the culinary schools as well. It will ensure that sustainable approaches are incorporated into the culinary coursework, with classes on food policy, ecology of food and farm-to-table concepts. A welcome development in this direction has been the recent agreement between Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) and Karma Lakelands to initiate students of ISH into organic farming, beekeeping and other eco-friendly initiatives of sustainability and conscious living. The farmland at Karma shall feature seasonal ingredients and regional plants that account for most of the ingredients used on campus. It will encourage farm-to-table practices, sustainable sourcing, and relying on locally-grown crops.

Hospitality industry continues to play a key role in the global transition to a sustainable future. Good practices and unique initiatives like Karma Lakeland’s experience in innovative environmental practices will provide crucial insight and inspiration for the sector, to build momentum towards a regenerative sector that gives back more than it takes. Let’s take lots of small steps, which can have a big impact and can leave a lasting impression on the planet and its inhabitants.
Cosmos blesses us when we live responsibly!

Ashwani Khurana
Founder-CEO

Sustainability in Hospitality is Now a Dire Necessity