IFC calls for more sustainable, efficient leisure industry

There is significant potential for Sri Lankan hotels to use energy, water and other resources more efficiently and manage waste better to curb carbon emissions and reduce operating costs, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group has said.

“Various studies and initiatives indicate there is potential to save around 20 percent in energy and 20 percent in water consumption and waste generation,” IFC said in a report titled ‘Ensuring sustainability in Sri Lanka’s growing hotel industry’.

The report further said, implementation of resource efficiency initiatives in the Sri Lankan hotel industry is urgently needed to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and meet future demand for resources like energy, electricity and water.

“With increasing awareness of the global energy crisis and growing concerns among consumers over climate change and global warming, the hotel industry needs to implement appropriate energy, water, and waste management systems by adopting better environmental practices,” it said.

According to the Statistical Digest 2011 of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the Sri

Lankan hotel industry accounted for two percent of total electricity sales in 2011, which is equivalent to 196 Giga watt hours.

It registered a growth of 3.5 percent over 2010’s electricity sales (190 Giga watt hours)

Further, according to the Sri Lanka National Water Supply and Drainage Board’s Annual

Report 2009, the Sri Lankan hotel industry accounted for one percent (supplied by government agencies) of the country’s supplied water consumption in 2009, equivalent to 1.9 million cubic meters.

The report also pointed out that if the Sri Lankan Tourism Master Plan 2011-2016 is implemented successfully, energy requirements in the hotel industry will increase by about three times the 2011 figures by 2016.

“Multilateral and bilateral cooperation agencies and development finance institutions should engage directly to inform, educate, and work collaboratively with the tourism industry to integrate sustainability into policies and management practices and secure its active participation in developing sustainable tourism,” the report added.

At the national level, the report said, government and civil society engagement should be a critical part of efforts to coordinate action towards successful implementation of resource efficiency measures in the hotel industry.