Featured in HM Magazine, October 2022 issue.
As hotels strive for higher sustainability standards, amenities brands are rising to the occasion with eco-friendly solutions that impress. Ruth Hogan reports.
An eco-revolution is underway in the hotel amenities space with brands big and small taking action to reduce their environment footprint. Peter Weingartner, Principal of Swisstrade was interviewed amongst other hotel amenities suppliers to share the latest trends and tips with hotel operators and owners.
The key take aways included:
1. Large format, refillable solutions have become a preference for hoteliers globally as they seek to reduce their impact on the environment, however there are some flaws to consider.
“The initial pump dispensers adopted from the retail sector have demonstrated major hygiene flaws as well as high labour costs due to the refilling process, nullifying the initial savings from purchasing bulk refills,” Peter said.
Swisstrade has mitigated these challenges through factory-sealed dispenser systems Press and Wash, Smart Care, and the recently launched SHAPE – short for Sustainable, Hygienic, Aesthetic, Pump, Evolution – which has been engineered to dispense the exact amount of product required.
“All three systems are factory filled and sealed and supplied with attractive wall brackets at no cost to the operator, making them the safest tamper and pilfer-proof dispensers in the market today,” Peter said.
2. Hotel operators are supporting local brands to provide authentic Australian experiences whilst reducing their carbon footprint. “Australian-made brands are increasingly popular,” Peter said. “LEIF and Olive Oil Skincare Co. are rapidly gaining popularity as hoteliers prepare for another strong domestic travel boom.”
3. Many hotels are also seeking brands that align with their values, for example, Australian-made, eco-friendly, those who use native ingredients, and/or participate in community givebacks. These brands can act as an extension to a hotel’s corporate social responsibility.
“A growing number of operators in our region no longer view guest amenities as a cost, but as an extension of their marketing strategy, using toiletries brands for storytelling and to create memorable guest experiences that last,” Weingartner added.
Read the full article here, pages 51-52.
