Green and resilient hotel operations through mega-event legacies

Area of Science:

• Tourism Management
• Event Management
• Sustainability Science

Background:

• Mega-events aim for sustainability legacies in host destinations.
• Hotel operations are crucial for achieving these environmental and social goals.
• Mechanisms for realizing sustainability legacies in hotels are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how mega-events catalyze sustainability upgrades in hotel operations.
• To identify the factors influencing the operationalization of sustainability commitments in hotels.
• To analyze the long-term environmental and social value generated by these initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Multiple case study design analyzing secondary data.
• Inclusion of sustainability reports, certifications, and post-event assessments.
• Focus on five host cities: London, Tokyo, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, and Doha.

Main Results:

• Mega-events act as catalysts for hotel sustainability upgrades (e.g., energy efficiency, green training).
• Positive outcomes include emissions reduction and enhanced organizational resilience.
• Challenges persist, including short-lived initiatives, cost burdens, and accountability gaps.

Conclusions:

• Sustainability legacies from mega-events in hotels are complex and context-dependent.
• Motivations, constraints, and outcomes interact to shape legacy effectiveness.
• Not all sustainability upgrades result in universally positive 'win-win' scenarios.