The tourism industry represented 61% of growth in the Spanish economy in 2022 and accounts for 7.6% of global GDP. These figures allow us to understand the magnitude of the industry in which we work at Iberostar, and thus, the responsibility that we have for one of the main economic driving forces of our country.  

The responsibility of creating a responsible tourism business model has always been in the Iberostar Group’s DNA. We are a family business and the respect and care for the environments in which we operate, and the deep admiration for the people who make us a leading company, have allowed us to continue taking steps forward in creating a responsible tourism model focused on people and the environment.

At the Iberostar Group, in 2017 we declared our passion for the seas and oceans through our groundbreaking movement in the industry called Wave of Change. With this initiative, which has inspired our own 2030 Agenda, we committed to promoting a responsible tourism model aimed at protecting the ocean and the environment. With a strong scientific foundation, we have set ambitious objectives to be waste-free by 2025, carbon neutral by 2030, and 100% responsible in our seafood supply chain by 2025 while also improving the health of all ecosystems that surround our hotels.

Therefore, in 2022 we introduced our ambitious roadmap toward decarbonization, which is twenty years ahead of the global objective set by the industry. In that same year, we already ran all our hotels in Spain using renewable electricity with a guarantee of origin, and one year later, we did the same in Brazil, achieving our first 100% renewable electricity operation in the Americas. To these milestones, we can add four hotels: three in Montenegro and one in Mallorca, which are pioneers in operating with emission-free energy whose supply depends solely on electricity.

We are pioneers in developing the first sustainable mobility plan for the hotel industry in the Balearic Islands, which will allow us to reduce the emissions from employees commuting to work by 50% by 2030. Furthermore, in that same year, 25% of the space in our resorts will be taken up by green areas with large gardens to encourage local species to flourish, thus protecting the biodiversity of the destinations in which we operate.

Committed to innovation, we rely on artificial intelligence to reduce food waste. Thanks to this technology, which will reach all of the Group’s hotels by the end of the year, we have prevented 1.5 million meals from being thrown away, which consequently has an impact on our CO2 emissions. Along with these initiatives, we will also set up 3R teams at the majority of our hotels.

In addition to respecting the environment via our sustainable operations, we promote social and economic development by having a positive impact on the environment and the people who live in it. Recently, at the Iberostar Group, through the Iberostar Foundation, we have signed a partnership agreement with the Planeterra community tourism network to launch an ambitious program focused on promoting the social and economic development of the local communities in which we operate, thus protecting their ecosystems. 

We cannot predict with complete accuracy what will happen in the future, but with over 65 years of experience in tourism, we feel it is our duty—as an organization that puts caring for people and the environment at the forefront of what we do—to continue working toward sustainable development in our industry in the communities where we work. This is how large hotel chains can make a difference and promote tourism as a catalyst for fostering the well-being of communities, protecting the environment, and celebrating culture and traditions in different destinations.

 

Sandra Benbeniste - Director of Destination Partnerships at the Iberostar Group