Sustainable hospitality in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: how to develop a sustainable hospitality industry in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia taking the case of Turtle Bay Resort in Hawai'i as a model
Fecha
2014
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Universidad EAFIT
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This research attempts to provide necessary context in order to present recommendationsand to evaluate the need for the development of the sustainable hospitality industry in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta -- This research presents sustainable hospitality as an alternative for economic development, based on the analysis of data gathered at Turtle Bay Resort in Hawai’i and validated by a literature review -- This analysis focuses mainly on the management of important resources: energy, water and waste, following sustainable principles like the ones presented by systems theories, such as Cradle to Cradle (Braungart, McDonough & Bollinger,
2006) and Blue Economy (Dijk, Tenpierik & Dobbelsteen, 2013) -- Sustainable hospitality1 provides an eco-effective alternative, for the sustainable economic development of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Region -- The world has changed -- Today, we live in a world with highly competitive markets and volatile economic environments -- No organization, especially those that rely on limited or declining natural resources, can operate the way they did a decade ago (COSO, 2013) -- The 20th century taught us that economic growth does not necessarily mean social development, and that unbounded growth is unsustainable -- Growing energy demand and damaging greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as CO2 (Carbon dioxide) and CH4 (Methane), reflect the cost and unsustainable requirements of the system that arose from the industrial revolution, powered initially by coal and later by oil (Peura, 2012) -- Economic development must be sustainable and alternatives to an ever growing economy must be explored (Jackson, 2009) -- The time framework presented in this research, from the industrial revolution to climate change (Jackson, 2009) presents arguments for dealing with high energy demand and negative environmental impact -- In particular considering the current context of growing inequality between (Müller-Steinhagen and Nitsch -- 2005) and within countries, mainly in those with relatively recent economic growth, based in many cases on extractive industries and other unsustainable resource intensive activities (Fung, 2009) -- As is the case for Colombia in which sustainable hospitality principles are yet to be assimilated and implemented in its complex socio-economic context -- Sustainable hospitality focuses on reducing and when possible eliminating the negative environmental, social and economic impact resulting from the normal operation of the traditional hospitality sector (EPA, 2013) -- Society needs an economy that stimulates technologies that improve the system -- The hospitality industry can benefit from the rising demand around the world for these technological and ecological solutions by providing clients a sustainable service, for the good of the company’s bottom line, the guests, the employees, clients, suppliers and the surrounding community
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Desarrollo sostenible, Política energética