Are Your Sustainability Efforts Meaningful—or Just Measurable?
Kawasan Falls in Cebu, Philippines. Photo from Ascott Philippines.
When two typhoons in the Philippines delayed our Asia Sustainable Travel (AST) Forum for Next-Gen Leaders in Manila from September 23 to October 8, it was a timely reminder that climate-driven disruptions increasingly affect operations and planning. The forum brought together Far Eastern University’s Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (FEU-ITHM) students, faculty, and industry partners to explore the theme of “Transforming Travel into Sustainable and Meaningful Tourism.” This theme echoes both World Tourism Day 2025’s call for ‘sustainable transformation’ and AST’s mission to prepare future leaders.
In that spirit, we focused on a tougher question: how do we go beyond ‘sustainable’ and make travel truly meaningful—so it delivers lasting value for people, places, and businesses?
Why do we need to transform tourism? And why the urgent need for transformation?
Because tourism is at a critical turning point. For all the joy and economic growth it brings, it’s facing some serious headwinds.
Climate change threatens destinations. Communities overwhelmed by overtourism are calling for limits. Talented people are leaving the industry due to low wages. In some places, culture is sometimes commodified, losing its soul in the process. Many properties still focus on occupancy rates instead of measuring actual impact. Add geopolitical tensions, and it's clear the old way of doing things is no longer an option.
In his welcome remarks, Dean Harold Bernardo Bueno of FEU-ITHM emphasized how the university strives "to ensure sustainability is not just a concept to learn but a value to be and breathe as a future professional."
He also noted that the forum served as a preparatory platform for their Feed the Planet certification—a credential viewed not just as a badge but as proof of the students' "competence, responsibility, and readiness to uphold sustainability practices in the real world."
Speakers Faith Quijano (General Manager of Citadines Roces Quezon City and Ascott Philippines' sustainability champion, fourth from right) and Rhea Vitto Tabora (Co-Founder of Asia Sustainable Travel and Meaningful Tourism Trainer for the Philippines, third from right), alongside Dean Harold Bueno (second from right) and the FEU-ITHM Faculty
Our discussion with students highlighted why that mindset matters, and the key takeaways provide practical steps that hospitality executives can implement immediately.
1. Align Six Stakeholders, Not Just One
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, founder of Meaningful Tourism, believes that for tourism to be sustainable and profitable, it must align the objective benefits—things you can count, like revenue and jobs—and subjective satisfaction—the feeling of well-being and purpose, of the six key stakeholders: travelers, host communities, employees, companies, governments, and the environment.
Meaningful Tourism is not a new label but a call to action, requiring a commitment to aligning the interests of all six key stakeholders using measurable KPIs.
That’s why alignment was at the center of our discussion at the forum. Because when that alignment happens, we create a true win-win system built to last.
Some indicators of alignment:
Guests leave with a sense of meaning, not just entertainment.
Residents report improved quality of life, not tolerance.
Employees see career pathways, not seasonal churn.
Companies track triple bottom line, not arrivals alone.
Governments reinvest tourism taxes transparently.
The environment improves through specific metrics per guest-night (such as reduced carbon emissions, conservation of local wildlife), not just per brand campaign.
2. Make "Meaningful" Measurable with SMART KPIs
What isn’t measured can’t be managed. Replace generic goals with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that you can track in routine workflows. Each KPI needs a designated owner and a regular reporting schedule.
Instead of relying solely on arrivals and revenue, the Meaningful Tourism paradigm asks deeper questions:
For Travelers: What percentage of guests report a "meaningful or transformative experience"?
For Host Communities: What is the change in resident sentiment toward tourism?
For Employees: What are the staff satisfaction and retention rates?
For the Environment: What is the reduction in CO2 emissions per guest night or water used per occupied room?
For the Company: What percentage of goods and services are locally sourced?
For Governments: What percentage of tourism taxes are reinvested into community and environmental projects?
These KPIs shift the focus of success from "more" to "better." They offer a clear dashboard for executives to assess the health of their business ecosystem, identify risks, and discover new opportunities for value creation.
3. Prove the Business Case Early—Think RoS, Not Just ESG
Faith Quijano, a sustainability champion for Ascott Philippines and General Manager of Citadines Roces Quezon City, shared a key principle for leaders: view sustainability as Return on Sustainability (RoS)—a structured way to measure how decisions impact Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and risk.
Ascott’s sustainability program, Ascott CARES, is built on five pillars: Community, Alliance, Respect, Environment, and Supply Chain. This structure turns broad goals into tangible actions and demonstrates a clear RoS.
Ascott’s results demonstrate the benefits:
Revenue: Increased demand from guests who value certified, transparent properties, along with a premium for experiences that offer visible community and environmental benefits.
Cost savings: Switching to wheat straw-based packaging for bathroom amenities saved Ascott Philippines a remarkable PHP 59 million (about USD 1 million), showing that sustainable choices can positively impact the bottom line.
Operational efficiency: 27% of Ascott’s properties in the Philippines now operate on renewable energy through initiatives like solar panel installations. They also collaborate with organizations like Bioflyt to upcycle food waste into organic fertilizers, closing the loop on waste. In just two months, 15 tons of waste were repurposed for urban gardens. The fertilizer also supported the growth of trees planted through Ascott Philippines' "Seeds of Hope" project.
Guest engagement: The company’s “Go Green” program in their Discover ASR mobile app rewards guests with loyalty points for opting for less frequent room cleaning, directly connecting sustainable behavior to guest benefits.
Brand value: Although the properties enforce a strict no single-use plastics policy in their operations, unavoidable plastics brought by guests are repurposed into durable items like benches through its partnership with Plastic Flamingo, a company that recycles ocean-bound plastic waste.
Screenshots from Faith Quijano’s presentation
What to measure in your business case:
Changes in energy, water, and waste by intervention (e.g., solar adoption rates, laundry opt-in percentages, food waste upcycling)
Shifts in procurement to local suppliers and their effects on delivery costs, quality, and guest feedback
Packaging or amenity changes that provide both savings and brand enhancement (track before/after)
4. Build a Governance Spine—From CEO Intent to Property Action
Strategy stalls without a clear structure. Ascott’s success relies on a governance model that flows from corporate to property level, with country-specific sponsors and champions who turn global goals into local actions. This governance system ensures accountability.
Ascott aims to have all its properties globally certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) by 2028, with 88 already certified. This goal requires a robust internal system to manage audits, monitor data, and promote ongoing improvement across a diverse portfolio. Quijano reports that the company is on track to achieve this goal.
A practical model:
Enterprise to property cascade: CEO/CFO directives; country-level sustainability sponsors and champions; property-level action plans aligned with brand standards and local regulations
Cadence: Monthly KPI reviews; quarterly cross-functional “alignment councils” involving operations, HR, procurement, marketing, and community liaisons
Transparency: Publicize progress to staff and partners; close the loop with residents and local government units on what changed because of their input
5. Support Local Communities and Protect Culture by Sharing Control and Value
Quijano shared Ascott’s partnership with Rural Rising, an organization that supports distressed farmers by sourcing produce directly from them for F&B operations. This demonstrates how integrating local communities into the supply chain can provide them with direct economic benefits while offering guests fresh, sustainable ingredients.
This principle extends to experiences. To maintain cultural integrity, operators should track KPIs such as:
percentage of cultural experiences co-created and approved by local custodians
annual income growth for partner artists and performers
guest cultural understanding scores post-experience
6. Make Guests and Staff Co-Creators of Impact
Guests don’t just want to see your sustainability story; they want to be part of it—if you make it easy and rewarding.
The most successful sustainability programs invite participation.
Ascott’s "Seeds of Hope" initiative mobilized over 200 volunteers from their teams, partners, and guests to plant more than 500 trees.
The Ascott Limited Philippines took a meaningful step forward with "Seeds of Hope," a nationwide tree-planting initiative covering greening sites in Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, and Metro Manila.
For employees, participating in impactful programs like the Turning Tragedy into Regeneration tree-planting initiative provides a sense of purpose beyond their daily roles.
When guests buy Cubby and Friends at any Ascott property, a portion of the proceeds goes to WWF Philippines to support conservation efforts.
Ascott's Cubby and Friends program supports WWF Philippines’ conservation efforts. Photos by Ascott Philippines.
These initiatives transform guests and employees from passive observers into active partners. The key is showing them the tangible results of their choices, whether it’s a newly planted tree or a bench made from their recycled plastic.
Initiatives you can implement in your properties:
Sustainability passports or progress trackers in your app: award loyalty points for actions like less frequent cleaning, using refillable items or containers instead of single-use products, or local experience bookings.
On-property circularity moments: clearly labeled bins linked to visible outcomes (e.g., plastics turned into benches guests can sit on).
“Plant-a-day” or restoration add-ons with verified partners; report progress on growth, not just planting counts.
Staff-led community days with open invitations for repeat guests; document and share results.
Tackling Tough Challenges: Overtourism, AI, and Getting Started
During the panel discussion and Q&A session, the students raised critical questions.
1. Overtourism
One pressing issue was overtourism. I highlighted that government agencies like the Department of Tourism and local authorities have an important role. They can help spread out demand by promoting lesser-known destinations and investing in the infrastructure needed to make them accessible.
For mass-market destinations, the solution is to manage them carefully through zoning, shift demand to off-peak times and low seasons with incentives, and link operator permits to performance on key sustainability metrics.
2. Role of AI
AI is a powerful tool that can help with almost everything, from menu engineering and tracking food waste to optimizing energy use and crafting marketing stories. The key is to always prioritize AI ethics and use this technology responsibly.
3. "How do we start?"
Quijano’s answer was perfect: you start small, but you start now. She shared her mantra, quoting a famous proverb: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now."
Culture change begins with manageable actions that build up over time.
This can be as simple as bringing your own tumbler or supporting a local, family-run coffee shop.
For hospitality companies, it can mean launching small pilot programs, like sourcing from one local farm or tracking one new environmental KPI. These "small" acts create a ripple effect, building a culture where sustainability becomes natural.
Quijano shared how Ascott uses monthly themed activities—like their "For the Love of Coffee" program—to incorporate sustainability into the guest and associate experience, making it part of the organizational DNA.
Ultimately, the power to transform our industry lies in our collective action.
Action Checklist
Ready to implement these insights? Here are six actions you can take:
Map your stakeholders' needs. Assemble a cross-functional team and for each of the six stakeholders, list one objective benefit and one subjective satisfaction your property currently provides. Define 1–2 SMART KPIs for each stakeholder, set baselines, assign owners, and include them in your monthly operations review. To build momentum, introduce one "meaningful" KPI immediately.
Launch a local sourcing pilot. Assign your Operations or Procurement team to switch one high-volume product to a local supplier. Measure the impact on cost, quality, community goodwill, and guest satisfaction.
Share a stakeholder-focused story. Dedicate one social media post or newsletter section to highlighting a person, not just a place. Feature a star employee, a local artisan partner, or the impact of a community project.
Engage your team in a "small win." Identify one simple, visible action everyone can participate in, like a "no single-use plastic" day in the staff canteen or a collection drive for an organization like Plastic Flamingo.
Turn a guest's action into a loyalty moment. Add a sustainability action (such as opting out of daily housekeeping) to your booking process and reward it with loyalty points.
Establish a ‘green’ team to align actions. Hold regular meetings with department heads and a community liaison to review KPIs and coordinate actions.
Read also: How to engage your entire team in your sustainability journey
Key message
Building a truly resilient and profitable hospitality business today involves creating measurable, meaningful value for every stakeholder—not just shareholders, guests, or the environment.
Hospitality’s future won’t be determined by the next viral destination but by the systems we build to keep places and people thriving.
Meaningful Tourism provides businesses and organizations with a practical path forward: align stakeholder value, measure what matters, and make impact part of everyone’s job.
That’s how we turn purpose into performance—and build a brand that lasts.
