The impact of the pandemic on travel and tourism will continue through most of 2022. This means that the sector remains domestic, and hotel and accommodation providers are looking to stand out from the crowd in any way possible, to lure local consumers. Australian travellers rate environmental sustainability and eco-tourism highly, thus are looking to support businesses that have socially responsible practices including the provision of environmentally sustainable and biodegradable amenities within the hotel and tourism industry.
Ecotourism Australia
Since its establishment in 1997, sourcing sustainable and eco-friendly hotel supplies and amenities has been a priority for Swisstrade, who recently demonstrated their continued commitment to sustainability practices by becoming a member of Ecotourism Australia (EA). EA is a not for profit, membership-based organisation inspiring environmentally sustainable and culturally responsible tourism. Internationally recognised through the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Ecotourism Australia designs and delivers certification programs for tourism products and destinations, assuring travellers that these are backed by a strong commitment to sustainability and quality.
Peter Weingartner, Director of Swisstrade, believes that now is the time for hotels to take the initiative and provide guests with environmental products during their stay. "Each year the hotel industry creates millions of tonnes of non-recyclable waste and whilst we're all doing our best to reduce the volume, scrapping tiny shampoo bottles just isn't enough.
By becoming a member of Ecotourism Australia, we aim to grow the range of sustainable and eco-friendly hotel products and amenities, to educate hoteliers on more sustainable practices and product selection and to support other leaders in the ecotourism space. We’ve got a great history in sustainability practices, and we’re keen to share our knowledge with others in our sector.”
Partners in Sustainability
Swisstrade is leading the way by providing new generation solutions for owners and operators. It has international expertise in sourcing and developing products of the highest quality and safety in cooperation with hotels and hotel chains, successfully producing cosmetic products for 25 years and offering innovative and sustainable dispenser solutions such as Smart Care and Press + Wash dispenser systems which are 100% recyclable. The implementation of dispensers prevents the disposal of millions of smaller packaging items and significantly reduces plastic waste.
“We consciously work with partners who develop products that help make people feel good,” says Peter. “At the same time, we act in an environmentally sustainable way – along the entire value chain. Acting sustainably for us means allowing ourselves to be led by long-term values. We also want to leave behind intact resources for future generations, so the energy usage and the accompanying carbon emissions during the production and delivery of our products is an important factor for us.”
Swisstrade wants to encourage hotels to switch from single use amenities to dispenser options that can be recycled and reused. This is one of the primary benefits of the Smart Care and Press + Wash solutions as they are 100% recyclable in comparison to refillable dispensers which are only partially recyclable. They also take less time and effort to install and replenish, reduce staff costs and cost-in-use as liquid formulation is used to the very last drop. Additionally, plastic waste is minimised and even the packaging material is optimised for recycling.
Choosing Environmentally Friendly Solutions
As well as being the leader and pioneer of eco-friendly dispensing solutions for hotels with the Smart Care and Press + Wash range of bathroom amenities, Swisstrade has built an extensive range of other sustainable solutions for hotels including:
- Biodegradable Seedling Sole slippers
- A range of sustainably sourced and made refillable pump dispenser bathroom amenities from Leif, Rituals and the Olive Oil Skincare Company
- Eco-friendly tea by T2 and compostable coffee pods by Pod & Parcel
- Energy efficient and smartly designed appliances and products by JVD
When choosing environmentally sustainable amenity solutions and products, it is important to learn about what makes the product eco-friendly and the brands stance on social responsibility.
You can also look out for internationally accredited and reputable trademarks that guarantee ecological values, ethically sound manufacturing processes and sustainably sourced ingredients such as Certified B Corporations, Fairtrade and more.
Contact our team for further information or for guidance on which sustainable products you could incorporate in your guest rooms.
