The tourism sector of Greece, which is well-known for its stunning islands and historic sites, is presently going through significant change to bring about green hospitality. The industry has been compelled to reconsider its operations due to the strains of the energy and climate crises as well as the worldwide need for sustainable practices. Greece‘s hospitality sector, which includes both big hotel chains and smaller lodging establishments, is being urged to lessen its environmental impact as environmental concerns gain international attention. The focus is on investing in energy-efficient solutions and implementing green technologies, which not only solve environmental issues but also increase the sector’s economic resilience. With an emphasis on long-term sustainability rather than immediate profits, this change is a fundamental one.
Sustainability: The Key to Resilience in Greek Hospitality
Greek tourism is increasingly shifting from a mass tourism model to a more sustainable approach, focusing on providing high-quality experiences to a smaller, environmentally conscious group of travelers. The new tourism model emphasizes energy efficiency, infrastructure modernization, and the reduction of operational costs. By embracing sustainable practices, hotels can offer greener, more responsible services while attracting eco-conscious travelers who are more willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly options. Moreover, this approach helps to protect local ecosystems and communities, making tourism more resilient to global crises and energy shocks.
Energy Efficiency: Significant Investments in Green Solutions
The shift towards sustainability has prompted significant investments in energy-efficient technologies. In 2024 alone, the Greek hotel sector invested more than 1 billion euros, with nearly 20% of this sum allocated to projects aimed at improving energy efficiency. These projects included the installation of solar panels, heat pumps, and smart energy systems. Such upgrades are essential for lowering energy consumption, reducing carbon footprints, and ultimately lowering operating costs for hotels. With global energy costs rising, these investments have proven to be a strategic move, offering long-term financial benefits in addition to environmental advantages.
The need for energy-efficient solutions is particularly critical as Greece faces challenges related to climate change. The Mediterranean region is experiencing rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events. In response to this, many hotels are increasingly adopting green technologies that help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Solar energy, for instance, provides a sustainable way for hotels to meet their electricity needs while reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. These energy solutions are not only good for the environment but also help hotels reduce costs, making them more competitive in the global market.
Technological Upgrades: A Game-Changer for Greek Hotels
In addition to investing in renewable energy sources, Greek hotels are also embracing technological innovations aimed at improving their overall sustainability. Modernization of hotel infrastructure plays a crucial role in making the industry more energy-efficient. For instance, the use of smart energy management systems allows hotels to monitor and optimize energy usage in real-time. This helps reduce energy waste and ensures that heating, cooling, and lighting systems are operating efficiently.
Better insulation and the installation of modern HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems have also been identified as effective ways to reduce energy consumption. Studies show that energy use in hotels can be reduced by as much as 72% through these upgrades. By enhancing insulation and improving system efficiencies, hotels are able to lower their environmental impact while enhancing guest comfort.
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is playing a pivotal role in this green transition. The university’s Building Environmental Research Group is at the forefront of research on how hotels can integrate sustainable practices into their operations. This research is helping to shape the future of green hospitality in Greece, with a focus on energy-efficient solutions that can reduce costs and benefit both the environment and businesses.
Dr. Vasilis Ntouros from the university’s research group has highlighted the importance of such upgrades, noting that with the right technologies in place, hotels can significantly cut down on their energy use. His research suggests that energy consumption in hotels can be reduced from as high as 430 kilowatt-hours per square meter annually to under 120 kilowatt-hours simply by installing modern insulation, HVAC systems, and smart energy management.
Challenges in the Transition to Green Tourism
Despite the significant progress, there are still challenges in fully transitioning to a green tourism model. One of the major obstacles is the uneven adoption of sustainable practices across the industry. While large hotel chains are increasingly investing in green technologies, smaller hotels may face difficulties due to financial constraints or lack of knowledge about available solutions.
Currently, only 32% of Greek hotels systematically monitor their water usage, and just 25% have recycling programs in place. These statistics highlight the need for further action to ensure that sustainability becomes a widespread practice across the hospitality industry. The limited use of sustainable practices in some areas is concerning, particularly in popular island destinations where resources are scarce and the effects of climate change are most pronounced.
The Role of Government and Funding in Sustainability
To address these challenges, the Greek government, in partnership with European funding bodies, is offering a variety of financial support mechanisms to help hotels transition to more sustainable models. European Union and national funds are available to help hospitality businesses invest in energy-efficient technologies, reduce their carbon footprint, and improve waste management practices. These financial incentives are essential for encouraging hotels to adopt sustainable solutions and ensuring that the hospitality sector remains competitive in the global market.
In addition to financial support, the government is also providing educational resources and training to help hotel owners understand the importance of sustainability and how they can implement green technologies effectively. This support is crucial for creating a more sustainable tourism industry in Greece, and it helps to build the knowledge base required for long-term success.
New Hotel Classification System: Institutionalizing Sustainability
In a further step towards ensuring sustainability in Greek tourism, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Technical Chamber of Greece, is developing a new hotel classification system based on environmental performance. This new classification will allow hotels to be rated according to their sustainability practices, encouraging more businesses to adopt green technologies and sustainable practices.
This new system will help raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry and will create a framework for measuring and rewarding environmental performance. By offering incentives to hotels that meet high sustainability standards, the government is helping to foster a greener, more responsible tourism sector.
Conclusion: A Future of Sustainable Greek Tourism
The transition to sustainable tourism in Greece is not just an environmental necessity but also an economic opportunity. As the world faces the challenges posed by climate change and energy shortages, Greece’s hospitality sector is leading the way by embracing energy-efficient technologies, modernizing infrastructure, and adopting green practices. With continued investment, government support, and the pioneering research from institutions like the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece is well-positioned to become a global leader in sustainable tourism.
As the tourism industry continues to evolve, sustainability will play a central role in shaping Greece’s future as a travel destination. By fostering greener practices, the country will ensure that its rich cultural and natural heritage is preserved for future generations, while also providing travelers with the opportunity to experience Greece in a more environmentally responsible way.
Sue McDonald works at the Whitechapel Centre and has warned about the stress homelessness can have on children
Staff at a homeless charity have warned of the impact living in temporary accommodation can have on children.
The warning comes after Liverpool city council announced plans to launch a new strategy to reduce its use of hotels and bed and breakfasts for homeless families.
There are over 450 children living in temporary accommodation in the city at the moment, with 1700 households placed in bed and breakfasts and hotels, according to the latest council figures.
Sue McDonald, who works at the Whitechapel centre, said children who had to stay in hotel rooms with their families could be privy to unsettling conversations about money and other worries, which could put “a lot of stress” on them.
“They have to go to school and create a façade that everything is normal, when it’s far from normal.” she said.
She added: “The children don’t express themselves verbally about what’s going on, but it’s through all the activities we do with them that we can see this is something that does weigh heavy on their minds.”
Currently, the council refers homeless families assessed as having the greatest need to a homeless centre, based in Toxteth, Liverpool.
Mum Kerry had been placed in five or six different hotels with her toddler before arriving there.
She said one hotel was in the city centre where she was surrounded by “drunk people” and another was in a rural location, with no access to transport.
Alison Connor says losing a home is “traumatising” for children
She said: “We’ve been passed from hotel to hotel, room to room. It’s hard.”
“My son didn’t like it, he had no routine, just slung into a room with no facilities, just a kettle.” She added he had no space to play or move around.
She said staying at the centre had been “brilliant” and had “changed her perspective” on her family’s future.
She said “becoming homeless is something that could happen to anyone” and added, “you never know if you’re going to have to leave a domestic violence situation, a fire, flee”.
Kerry said private rented accommodation was impossible for her because landlords expected so much money upfront.
Councillor Hetty Wood, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Homelessness can affect anyone. Families in temporary accommodation, young people leaving care, people fleeing violence, refugees and those facing eviction all need our support.
“This new strategy is about prevention, dignity and long-term solutions. It’s also about listening to people with lived experience and making sure services respond to their needs. Everyone deserves somewhere safe to stay.”
The homeless centre is based in a huge Victorian mansion and offers self-contained flats for up to 16 families.
Alison Connor, centre manager, said losing a home is one of the “most traumatising” things that can happen to a child.
She said: “Often they’ve lost all their pets, all their toys, they’ve moved out of the neighbourhood where all their friends are.
“They may still be going to school but it’s a long way, so they may be turning up late.” She said things like free transport passes for children could help keep them in their old schools, and that consistency in education was essential for maintaining stability in children’s lives.
She added that living in the hotel system can make children feel “removed” from their “old life”.
Alison added it was becoming harder to find suitable permanent accommodation for the families to move into, sometimes taking 200 days to find somewhere for a small family.
She added larger families could be living at the centre for two years “because there’s nowhere for them to go”.
Liverpool city council said the costs of temporary accommodation were projected to rise from £250,000 in 2019 to £28m by the end of this financial year.
According to the research, hotels that succeeded with RPA were those that began with clear and well-defined goals. These goals were often tied directly to strategic business outcomes, such as reducing wait times at check-in, lowering labor costs, or increasing accuracy in guest billing. (Shown here: A team of robots stand ready to assist guests at LUMA Hotel in San Francisco.)
By Orit Naomi, HTN staff writer – 8.2.2025
A new research study offers a comprehensive look at how hotels can successfully implement robotic process automation, or RPA, in their operations. The research is one of the most in-depth qualitative analyses to date on the subject. It focuses on hotels in China and Pakistan, using thematic analysis to identify what industry professionals see as the most important factors at each stage of automation.
RPA refers to software bots that mimic human interactions with digital systems, often handling repetitive tasks like invoicing, check-ins, and updating guest information. These bots use the same applications that human workers do, often navigating user interfaces with keyboard and mouse functions to complete predefined actions. The technology has become increasingly relevant in the hospitality sector, where cost pressure, labor shortages, and rising guest expectations demand smarter operational strategies.
The study, Critical Success Factors for Implementing Robotic Process Automation in the Hotel Industry, is based on 17 semi-structured interviews with hotel executives and IT professionals working in both countries. These individuals, who held titles ranging from IT manager to general manager, were selected specifically for their experience with RPA planning or implementation. Interviews were conducted in the participants’ native languages, Urdu and Chinese, and analyzed using NVivo 14, a widely used tool for organizing and interpreting qualitative data.
What makes this research particularly significant is its phased approach to identifying success factors. Instead of viewing RPA implementation as a single moment of technological change, the researchers broke the process into three stages—before, during, and after implementation—and examined what factors contributed most to success at each point. These factors, often referred to in the study as critical success factors (CSFs), help explain not only why some hotel automation efforts thrive but also why others falter.
In the planning stage, hotels that succeeded with RPA were those that began with clear and well-defined goals. These goals were often tied directly to strategic business outcomes, such as reducing wait times at check-in, lowering labor costs, or increasing accuracy in guest billing. Without this level of specificity, hotels ran the risk of launching automation projects that didn’t align with broader organizational priorities.
Another essential step was identifying the right processes to automate. High-volume, repetitive tasks like entering reservation data or handling invoices were generally the most suitable for RPA. But this wasn’t just about identifying bottlenecks. It also involved deep process mapping, where hotel teams examined each workflow in detail to determine where automation could make the biggest impact.
A third major component was stakeholder alignment. RPA often affects multiple departments, from front-of-house operations to back-office finance teams. In hotels where the implementation went smoothly, there was early and active buy-in across teams. Managers engaged their staff in discussions about how automation could support their work rather than replace it, which helped to mitigate resistance and increase cooperation.
Feasibility studies also played a role in this early phase. Hotels that took the time to assess the technical and financial implications of RPA before implementation were better prepared for the challenges that followed. These assessments helped them anticipate the return on investment and identify any weak links in their IT infrastructure. A final element of the pre-implementation phase was vendor selection. Rather than simply choosing the flashiest or cheapest provider, successful hotels took a rigorous approach to evaluating RPA vendors. They looked for partners who understood the hospitality industry and had proven experience with similar projects.
Once implementation began, a different set of success factors came into play. One of the most consistent themes was the value of a dedicated project team. These teams, typically made up of cross-functional members from IT, operations, and management, were responsible for executing the rollout, addressing problems as they arose, and ensuring the project stayed on track. Their presence allowed hotels to maintain accountability and keep momentum throughout the implementation period.
Another major factor was process standardization. Automating a process that is inconsistent or varies across departments is a recipe for failure. Standardizing workflows prior to automation helped ensure that bots were operating within a clearly defined structure. This not only reduced the chance of errors but also made it easier to scale the system later on.
Successful projects were also built around detailed project plans that included timelines, deliverables, and contingency strategies. Without such planning, teams often found themselves reacting to issues in real time, which delayed implementation and undermined confidence. Documentation of workflows was equally important. Clear records of what the bots were doing and how each process was structured allowed for easier troubleshooting, future upgrades, and training of new team members.
Scalability was the final piece of the implementation puzzle. Hotels that adopted flexible, scalable RPA architectures were better positioned to expand their use of automation over time. These systems could adapt to increasing transaction volumes or additional use cases without requiring major redesigns. By contrast, hotels that built rigid, one-off solutions often faced costly rework when their needs evolved.
After the rollout, the focus shifted to long-term performance and sustainability. Continuous monitoring was essential. Hotels that kept close tabs on their RPA systems, tracking them in real time and using dashboards to spot irregularities, were able to catch and resolve problems before they affected guests or operations.
Measuring success was another key post-implementation activity. Rather than assuming the technology was working as expected, high-performing hotels used metrics like error rates, time saved, cost reductions, and customer satisfaction scores to evaluate impact. This data helped justify the investment and guided future improvements.
Staff training did not end once the bots went live. Ongoing education ensured that employees remained proficient in using RPA tools and confident in adjusting their workflows accordingly. Some hotels even offered refresher sessions and advanced workshops to help staff discover new ways to work alongside automation.
Support systems also played a role in sustaining success. These included internal helpdesks, technical documentation, and escalation protocols for dealing with unexpected issues. The most successful hotels treated their RPA platform like any other mission-critical system that needed regular maintenance, updates, and reliable support.
Finally, routine maintenance ensured that the system continued to perform at a high level. This included software updates, performance audits, and system backups. Without this upkeep, even well-designed RPA systems risked falling out of sync with evolving operational needs.
This study offers a detailed roadmap for any hotel considering or currently implementing RPA. The key takeaway is that success depends not just on the technology itself, but on how well it is integrated into the broader organization. Planning, cross-departmental collaboration, staff engagement, and long-term monitoring all play a critical role. The research also makes it clear that context matters. Factors like national infrastructure, cultural attitudes toward technology, and organizational readiness can shape the adoption process in different ways. For hoteliers navigating today’s competitive and increasingly digital landscape, the findings offer not just lessons but actionable guidance.
By highlighting what works—and what doesn’t—at each stage of the process, the study gives hotel managers, IT leaders, and industry consultants a practical blueprint for RPA success. In a sector where guest expectations are rising and labor efficiency is more important than ever, that’s knowledge worth having.
Emirates and IHG Hotels & Resorts sign MOU to explore collaboration, incentives and support travel needs of SMEs
The Voice of Chandigarh News:
Emirates and IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore joint collaborations on programmes designed to meet the travel needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across global markets. The signing ceremony was attended by Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ Executive Vice President for Passenger Sales and Country Management; Matthew Jones, VP-USA, Emirates; Ashraf Baytam, Senior Manager Global Business Travel, Emirates; and Ryan Plemmons, Vice President, Global Sales Strategy, IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Together, Emirates and IHG will explore ways to reach and engage with SMEs through value-added benefits and exclusive rewards to facilitate business travel. The hotel group will provide enhanced travel incentives and seamless integration with its extensive portfolio of hotels and resorts around the globe.
Present at the signing ceremony was Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President for Passenger Sales and Country Management, who commented: “With the SME segment playing a crucial role in fostering economic growth and creating jobs, Emirates is committed to supporting them with solutions and value-added propositions to meet their travel needs. We are pleased to collaborate with the leading hotel group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, to explore programmes that will be mutually beneficial to our valued customers. Together we aim to extend valuable benefits to our customers in the SME sector, while expanding our customer base in this very important segment.”
Mark Sergot, SVP, Global Sales, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Emirates to redefine business travel for Small and Medium Enterprises worldwide. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to delivering exceptional value, seamless experiences, and exclusive rewards tailored to the unique needs of SMEs. By combining IHG’s hospitality expertise with Emirate’s global connectivity, we are unlocking new possibilities to empower businesses and drive growth across international markets.”
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