Evaluation of water saving measures for mid-sized tourist lodging units: the case of Samos Island, Greece

Abstract

Hotel sector causes significant environmental stress in both natural and built up areas due to their consumption of water and energy. In addition, the production of large volumes of liquid and solid waste results in a significant environmental footprint. The use of water and energy by hotels is strongly linked (e.g. energy is consumed for hot water, operation of the pool, preparation of meals, etc.) and usually referred to as the water -energy nexus. Thus, for big consumers like hotels, water and energy consumption should be addressed collectively as water-saving measures can lead to a reduction in energy consumption. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental performance of mid-sized hotel units by analyzing and quantifying their use of water. An analysis using a two-step approach was made of 8 accommodation facilities located on Samos Island, Greece: (i) a mapping of water use by adopting an end-use approach, and then (ii) an assessment of saving practices using three main criteria: savings, cost of investment and payback time. The preliminary results indicate that for small sized lodging units, water consumed inside the guest rooms accounts for the majority of all the water used and low-cost water saving measures and actions can reduce the pressure on water resources without disturbing guests, while increasing the financial profitability of a hotel.

Incentives and Barriers to Water-Saving Measures in Hotels in the Mediterranean: A Case Study of the Muga River Basin (Girona, Spain)

“…Water use varies significantly from one hotel to another depending on a range of factors, including location and climate [37][38][39], category, size, number of beds [40][41][42][43], year of construction or renovation [43], range of services and facilities [11], and ownership (e.g., family run or part of a chain) [44]. Not all factors, however, have been found to have the same effect on water consumption.…”

“…Few studies have analyzed the benefits of implementing water-saving measures, and fewer still have investigated whether these factors vary according to factors such as location, category, and size [11,40]. Water-saving efforts by hotels mainly consist of towel and bed linen reuse programs, placement of cards or signs at key water consumption points advising guests to use water in moderation, staff engagement in good water practices, and installation of faucet aerators and dual-flush toilet systems [46][47][48].…”

“…Rising tourist numbers and increasing water demands, combined with growing concerns about water shortages as a consequence of climate change [2,3], are likely to give rise to conflicts between different socioeconomic and environmental sectors that depend on water, such as agriculture, industry, households, tourism, and ecosystem management [4][5][6][7]. These conflicts could become particularly intense in areas where tourism is an important part of the local economy, as is the case with most tourist destinations in the Mediterranean basin [8], which is one of the most seriously threatened regions in the world in terms of climate change effects and water scarcity [9][10][11].…”

Perceptions of climate change and water availability in the Mediterranean tourist sector

“…Data and projections from all levels indicate that climate change will have a major impact on, practically, all sectors of the economy, including the tourist industry. The Mediterranean basin, together with other leading tourist destinations, is likely to be among the most seriously affected areas (Perry, 2006; Rutty and Scott, 2010; Estrela et al , 2012; March et al , 2014; Roson and Sartori, 2014; Klontza et al , 2016). Effects could change holiday destination choices and demand, with the Mediterranean losing out to other destinations with more desirable or stable climate conditions (Gössling et al , 2006; Rutty and Scott, 2010; Roson and Sartori, 2014).…”