Five-star hotels in Dubai are wasting around $27 million annually in utility bills by ignoring carbon management initiatives, said the organisers of an upcoming hotel show in the Emirate.

The 12th edition of the Hotel Show 2011, a B2B event showcasing the full spectrum of the hospitality industry, will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 17 to 19.

By complying with initiatives such as the Green Globe Certification, hotels not only reduce their carbon emissions and save water, but they can also cut their utility costs by around 20 per cent according to a survey conducted by UAE-based sustainability specialist consultant Farnek Avireal.

“The research has indicated that the annual utility costs for the 67 five-star hotels in Dubai are around $134 million,” said Frederique Maurell, exhibition director, The Hotel Show.

“If each hotel averaged 200 rooms, reduced energy consumption could save around $5.50 per room-night, per hotel, or $27 million collectively, not to mention 400,000 tonnes of carbon emissions that would be saved.”

“In total there are approximately 67,369 hotel rooms and hotel apartments in Dubai, imagine the dramatic effect if all of Dubai’s hotels signed-up to reduce their carbon emissions,” she added.

Adding further weight to the business case, according to a study by Travel Weekly, 50 per cent of prospective hotel guests said they were prepared to pay 10 per cent more to stay in sustainable hotels, while 66 per cent expressed serious doubts about environmental claims posted on hotel websites.

“The environmental dimension is part of the strategic vision of the best run organisations, and the hotel sector is no different,” said Maurell. “The environment is now a business issue and because of increasingly demand, sustainable hotels need to differentiate themselves from the ‘unenlightened’.”

The Hotel Show, organised by dmg::events, will highlight a ‘Green Track’ which maps out any exhibiting companies presenting solutions, design or products which answer the sustainable need of the hospitality industry.

There will also be references to these exhibitors in the pre and post show collateral material as well as on our website.

The Seven Star Conference, which runs in parallel with the Hotel Show, will feature a number of topics dedicated to sustainability, such as waste management and energy-saving products and initiatives. – TradeArabia News Service