THE HOSPITALITY SHOW 2024 will feature sustainability programming, including the co-location of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s Autumn Summit. The Show, produced by Questex and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, will take place in San Antonio, Texas, from Oct. 28-30.
It will discuss net positive hospitality, share best practices, explore innovation opportunities and forge new collaborations.
“We’re honoured to be holding our Autumn Summit at The Hospitality Show in collaboration with the AHLA and Questex,” said Glenn Mandziuk, WSHA’s CEO. “It is significant to be holding our summit in the United States – a first for the alliance since its recent rebrand with a global reach – as we look to continue growing our US-based membership. We look forward to mapping out our ambitions and actions for 2025 with our members, partners and senior leaders, charting the future of the industry.”
The WSHA’s Autumn Summit will bring together senior leaders from the global hospitality industry, including CEOs, C-suite executives, real estate owners, investors, tech companies, procurement specialists, marketing agencies, legal firms and consultants.
“We also look forward to strengthening our relationship with the AHLA and forming a critical new partnership with Questex, as we seek to drive sustainability across the industry,” Mandziuk said.
Sustainability drives hotel strategy
The Hospitality Show aims to be a case study and inspiration for hoteliers looking to implement profitable sustainable practices, the statement said. AHLA’s sustainability programs, Green Key Global and Responsible Stay, will be featured at The Show. Green Key Global, operated by AHLA and the Hotel Association of Canada, is the only environmental certification program specifically for hotels. It validates hotels’ sustainability efforts and provides a plan for ongoing improvement.
The Responsible Stay initiative unites U.S. hotel brands, owners, operators, and employees to reduce carbon emissions, lower energy use, conserve water and source responsibly, offering guests sustainable experiences and events, AHLA said.
Questex has integrated its Quest Zero initiatives into The Hospitality Show’s operations, as it did for the 2023 event, the statement said. This program supports the Net Zero Carbon Event initiative and Questex’s goal of reaching Net Zero by 2050. It includes eliminating carpet and reusing 95 percent of onsite graphics to reduce waste, minimizing food waste through planning and donations, and encouraging carbon offset donations during registration to reduce travel emissions.
The Show’s venue, Henry B. González Convention Center, was selected for its sustainable practices, including LEED Silver Certification, waste reduction, energy and water conservation, green purchasing, and support for the city’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, which aims for carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sustainable initiatives at The Show
The Show 2024 will feature several sustainability initiatives, including:
- A breakout session, “Green to Gold: Sustainability as Profit,” with MindClick Founder and CEO JoAnna Abrams, Guest Worldwide President Kevin Korab and BWH Hotels’ Senior Vice President Michael Morton, focusing on how sustainability can enhance hotel profitability.
- Insights on sustainability trends in hospitality from the Considerate Group, a consultancy specializing in data-driven sustainability for hospitality, real estate and destination sectors.
- The official launch of the World Academy for Sustainable Hospitality in collaboration with the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education. This groundbreaking training system will help the hospitality industry turn sustainability vision into action.
- A networking event in The Show Expo with Clean the World, where 1,000 hygiene kits made from recycled soap will be assembled and donated to a local shelter.
Key sustainability achievements from The Show 2023 include partnering with Earthly to offer a Carbon Offset Donation option, leading to the planting of 1,078 trees in Kenya and the removal of 49.53 tons of carbon to restore land in Ethiopia. The event also generated all its electricity from renewable sources and ensured all waste was sorted and recycled, including food waste donated to charities or composted at local farms. Additionally, 500 hygiene kits made from recycled soap were donated to a local charity.
In June, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Questex updated the speaker lineup and events for The Hospitality Show, which will feature new products from over 400 technology and operations vendors.
