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Sustainable Management in the hotel sector: an exploratory study

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Proceedings of the 5th ICQEM Conference, University of Minho, Portugal, 2022

Sustainable Management in the hotel sector: an

exploratory study

Silvia Carvalho1), Cesar Oliveira3), Stella Regina Reis da Costa3), Baptista,

A.L.F.1) 2)

1) Águeda School of Technology and Management (ESTGA), University of Aveiro, Portugal

2) The Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), University of Aveiro, Portugal

3) LATEC, Federal Fluminense University, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Tourism activity increasingly occupies a position of great scale regarding the sector that
moves the world economy the most. However, there are several challenges that this sector
faces in Portugal, subjecting it to great vulnerability, from the seasonality of the business,
environmental issues, job insecurity, lack of qualified professionals, etc. Currently, there
is a growing concern about the preservation of the environment, social inequalities, and
the disparity of wealth distribution that forced the United Nations to challenge the world
with the 2030 agenda and the SDGs to which the tourism sector cannot remain indifferent.
Purpose - Thus, this work intends to start research about the impact of management
systems as sustainability support in this activity, identifying the existing practices.
Design/methodology/approach - For the development of the research method, five hotel
resorts were selected, which responded to a survey, as a way to assess the research
instrument to be replicated a posteriori on a broader basis. The questions were built based
on the current literature review to understand how management systems and sustainability
are represented in Portugal.
Findings - Through the collection, analysis, and processing of the results obtained, there
is a low tendency to implement management systems, due to factors such as the associated
cost and the concern for a return only in the long term and because they do not feel that
individual clients are demanding these systems. On the other hand, they believe that they
are an asset for the effective management of the hotel. Regarding the issue of
sustainability, the trend is growing and there are already hotel developments that have

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implemented sustainable practices. However, the financial return is only achieved in the
medium to long term, which is the main reason why the hotel management does not want
to move forward with this responsibility.
Practical implications - To characterize the hotel sector and its relationship with
management systems. To research and collect good practices to be implemented in any
type of organization, regardless of its size. Through the creation of new strategies
leveraged on excellence models, promoting the use of management systems, to achieve
the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental dimensions).
Value- A new vision of improvement of its management at all levels, also translating into
financial benefits, which may lead the sector to search for more on this theme, thus
translating into a new approach of effective and continuous management for this sector.
Help the hotel industry to engage the United Nations SDGs.
Keywords -Management systems; Hotel sustainability; Hotel developments; Sustainable
practices

INTRODUCTION
Recently, organizations, whether in the public or private sector, have highlighted a high
level of concern regarding sustainability, intending to be able to transmit to future
generations the current world in which we live.
Considering marketing, an essential sales tool for a product and/or service, it is possible
to evaluate this issue in the hotel industry. Since there is a wide range of platforms
(booking, Google, TripAdvisor, among others), that allows a customer to make a
sustainable preference through a wide range of hotel units, where numerous comments
and ratings of each hotel unit are reproduced, this aspect translates into the current digital
transformation that the industry has.
Sustainability is a topic that has long been discussed and addressed by major world
entities, and there are several examples of this, such as the UN - United Nations
Organization. The global pact, in the year 2000, launched by Koffi Annan stated "I
propose that you, the business leaders... and we, the United Nations, initiate a global
compact shared values and principles, which will give a human face to the global market",
thus giving rise to the ten fundamental principles through the global pact that is developed
steps/challenges/objectives/goals to address the social, environmental and economic
adversities, currently summarized in the 17 SDGs - sustainable development goals, which
are part of the 2030 Agenda.

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This action led ISO (International Organization for Standardization) to develop and
update its management systems aligning them with the SDGs. Thus, contributing to the
path of sustainability in organizations. Quoting, "ISO is built around a spirit of
collaboration and believes that standardization plays a key role in transforming our world,
into a more sustainable world." (ISO - Strategy 2030, n.d.).
The tourism sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and especially in
developing countries and regions, has not been indifferent to this issue. Since the 1970s,
tourism has brought considerable pressure in terms of its impacts on the natural, cultural
and social environments (UNEP and UNWTO, 2005).
Knowing that sustainability is the capacity to satisfy our needs in the present without
compromising the capacity of future generations to satisfy their own needs, this work
intends to start exploratory research on the impact of management systems as a support
for sustainability in this activity, identifying existing practices.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Sustainable development and management systems

Sustainability is a term that has long been known and debated but has gained great
importance in industry and people's daily lives. Thus, the term sustainable development
is already referred to before the 2000s, when a 'global agenda for change' was convened
in the mid-1980s, seeking to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without
compromising the ability to meet those of the future. Long-term environmental strategies
were developed up to the year 2000, resulting in cooperation between developing
countries at their different stages of development, whether in economic, social, or
environmental terms (Commission on Environment, n.d.).
In essence, the important thing was to create a basis of common objectives and mutual
support, taking into account the various variables, people, resources, environment, and
development, for a better future for a world community.
Sustainability requires visions of human needs and well-being that incorporate non-
economic variables such as education and health enjoyed for its own sake, clean air and
water, and the protection of natural beauty. It must also work to remove the disabilities
of disadvantaged groups, many of whom live in ecologically vulnerable areas
(Commission on Environment, n.d.).

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No single model of sustainability will be found, as economic and social systems and
ecological conditions differ widely between countries. Each nation will have to work out
its concrete policy implications. However, regardless of these differences, sustainable
development must be seen as a global objective.
Although the first wave of sustainable development began long ago, it has not been easy
for corporate businesses to understand, let alone comply with, sustainability practices
(Baker, 2005).
Also, several studies point out that the more an organization values economic and social
issues, the faster they are interested in implementing sustainability. What through the
appreciation of the environment, does not translate into the same willingness to invest in
sustainability, which leads to the conclusion that sustainability is driven by social and
economic issues (Saunila, Ukko, and Rantala, 2018).
Sustainable management activities focus on creating efficiency and value for
organizations. Scholars argue that assessing and enabling appropriate management
interventions can pave the way for future competitive advantage and sustainability
(Cormican et al., 2021).
Many models, methods, and tools can help an organization implement and/or create a
commitment to sustainability. To support today's businesses with the complexity of the
social, environmental, market, and technological trends, International Standards can help
businesses prosper and grow while solving some of the world's biggest challenges and
making a real difference on our planet (ISO - Sustainability, n.d.).
And so, the management systems, emerged as a way to assist the continuous improvement
of organizations, collaborating to the formation of a structure that contributes to the
management of a specific area (Poltronieri et al., 2017).
Through the implementation and certification of management systems, the adoption of
sustainability practices is encouraged, promoting a voluntary approach, which includes,
measures, and reports good practices in the social, environmental, and economic
dimensions of sustainability. The main management systems, which fall under these
dimensions, are ISO 9001 - Quality Management Systems (economic), ISO14001 -
Environmental Management Systems (environmental), and ISO 45001 - Occupational
Health and Safety Management System (social).
The integration of these management systems increases the ability of companies to
achieve sustainability (Boronat-Navarro and Pérez-Aranda, 2020).

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The number of companies applying for an ISO certificate has grown consistently in recent
decades, with some authors arguing that external certificates related to quality
management improve the economic performance of the company, but when the decision
is made, management should be aware of the time it requires and the important amount
of resources, financial and human, that are needed (Han et al., 2011).
Obtaining an ISO certificate is a resource-consuming process. When companies are asked
why these or similar certificates and processes are not implemented, they argue lack of
information, cost issues, and lack of resources as the main reasons (Tang and Lam, 2017).

Sustainable management in the hotel sector

Since 1960, the hotel industry has used sustainability as a pillar to mitigate the
environmental and social impacts arising from the activity, due to the consumption of
natural resources, its effect on the environment, and its economic and social impact on
the communities where such establishments are located (Shanti, 2016),(Mihalič, Žabkar,
and Cvelbar, 2012).
Thus, the concept of a sustainable hotel emerges which is defined as a managed entity
with various socio-economic and environmental management attributes. By incorporating
the notion of sustainable building, these hotels offer eco-friendly products and services
to consumers (Mousavi, Hoşkara, and Woosnam, 2017).
According to studies the sustainability approach by hotels is used as part of their
economic strategy, to obtain competitive advantages, and cost optimization, by reducing
energy and water consumption, is often neglected, social and environmental protection
(Girard and Nocca, 2017).
The effective approach to sustainability, relies on the balance of its three aspects
(economic, social, and environmental), being a challenge for the hotel sector since the
results are only visible in the long term and the customer is not always willing to pay the
value that this practice entails (Mousavi et al., 2017), (Tang & Lam, 2017).
The hotel sustainability may translate into high initial costs, however, it increases the
brand value, which should be disseminated through marketing actions of these practices,
seeking a more environmentally responsible target audience, who is willing to pay more
for this type of hotel (Boronat-Navarro and Pérez-Aranda, 2020). Hotel websites and
media have a huge potential to communicate these products and services effectively and
foster the relationship with their customers, increasing their satisfaction level (Li, Wang,
and Yu, 2015) leading to the economic profitability of the hotel (Khatter et al., 2019).

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However, some hotels implement environmental practices as a marketing strategy,

considered false, only to attract new customers (Lyon and Montgomery, 2015).
The implementation of sustainable practices is mostly implemented and shared by large
multinational hotel companies, "receiving guidance from their parent company on their
commitment to sustainability" (Khatter et al., 2019).
With small hotel developments, the implementation of practices is not as visible, for
internal reasons such as lack of skills, resources, and the associated costs. This leads to
the fact that they often do not feel the "need to address environmental sustainability
issues" (Burrows & Rich, 2016), (Hillary, 2004) . Furthermore, there are external reasons
for not feeling the need to implement practices, such as low pressure from customers,
stakeholders, and other motivators.
Studies report that environmental reporting by hotels is a challenge for many and there is
a particular need for smaller hotels to embrace sustainability to keep pace with their larger
counterparts (Chan, 2010).
The implications of not undertaking sustainability actions lie in the fact that in the coming
years, guests are likely to become more environmentally aware and educated, and may
base their decisions to stay at a hotel based on its sustainability policy, along with other
factors they consider when making their choice (Khatter et al., 2019).
Thus, it is possible to realize that larger hotel chains implement sustainable practices more
quickly than smaller hotels, however, from the moment they understand that the
implementation of such practices translates into profitability benefits, even if in the long
term (Doppelt and McDonough, 2017) and a positive image, sustainable practices will be
more widely adopted by hotels. Hotels that do not heed this message run the risk of losing
market share and reputational damage (Carroll and Shabana, 2010).
Certification is a way of offering more information, transparency, and credibility about
the practices of organizations, guaranteeing quality and reliability.
To enable sustainable management in the hospitality sector, the International
Organization for Standardization developed ISO 21401:2018 which refers to
sustainability management systems for accommodation establishments. The document
addresses the environmental, social, and economic requirements for the implementation
of a sustainability management system for this sector, is applied to any type of
accommodation, regardless of its typology, size, or location, and has as objectives the
implementation, perseverance, and improvement of sustainable practices in its processes,
ensuring compliance with the defined sustainability policy (APCER - The ISO 21401

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Standard For Sustainable Hotels - A Modern and Current Vision, n.d.), (ISO - ISO
21401:2018 - Tourism and Related Services - Sustainability Management System for
Accommodation Establishments - Requirements, n.d.).
Thus, taking into account the existence of the aforementioned standard, this translates
into the integration of standards 9001/14001/45001, on the issue of sustainability, into a
single one and focusing on the hotel sector. Also, it should be noted that all the
management systems mentioned, including 21401:2018, follow the same structure, called
Annex SL, however, ISO 21401:2018 is geared toward the hospitality sector. (ISO/IEC
Directives, Part 1 — Consolidated ISO Supplement — Procedures for the technical work
— Procedures specific to ISO, 2022)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This paper presents applied research through an exploratory study with procedures of an
experimental investigation, serving as the basis for a research instrument for the Delphy
methodology, to validate the proposed approach from a practical and conceptual point of
view. In the following scheme (figure1) the key steps for conducting the present
investigation are presented.

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Literature
Review

Survey construction from the

literature review

Applying the interview survey

Analysis of the content of the

answers

Discussion of the answers

supported by the literature

Writing
the article

Figure 1 - Key steps for investigation

Source: Elaborated by the authors

A literature search was used to ground the study and construct the interviews and surveys,
applied to the target audience, in a manner aligned to the objective, with the concern of
highlighting real problems to put into a discussion with people from the area.
In the first stage, the questionnaire was validated through interviews with four hotel
managers from Portugal, regardless of the region. The main objective of this first stage
was to identify possible difficulties with the interpretation of the questions and thus fine-
tune or eliminate those questions. In the final stage, the surveys were sent to five selected
properties.

The questions were built based on the current literature review, to understand how
management systems and sustainability are represented in the hotel sector in Portugal,
and also, to facilitate the reading of the results, the interview and survey questions were

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grouped by sections, as presented in table 1. The survey, with 11 questions, was designed
to identify the gaps in the hotel sustainability management model.
The results were organized by content analysis, to indicate the trends of the theme for the
sector, and proposals supported by the literature were presented.

Table 1 - Survey for the hotel sector based on the literature review
Authors
Section Interview questions Question of Inquiry
Association
1 - What is the main 1- Are there challenges in the The tourism industry
challenge in the tourism/hotel industry before in adaption to the
tourism/hotel industry and post-pandemic? covid-19 pandemic:
Covid-19 vs Hotel
Sustainability

before and after the 2- If you answered yes, the case of team
pandemic? With the identify at least one challenge. building activities of
current pandemic 3- With the current pandemic the SMEs, n.d.)
situation, do you think situation, do you think there
there has been more has been more concern about
concern for sustainable issues?
sustainable issues?
2 - Do you consider 4- Do you consider (Mihalič, Žabkar and
sustainability sustainability (economic, Cvelbar, 2012)
Importance of sustainability in the hospitality

(economic, social, and social, and environmental)

environmental) relevant in the hotel sector?
relevant in the hotel And why?
sector?
3 - What value does 5- What value does the hotel (Mihalič, Žabkar and
the hotel sector place sector or the hotel unit to Cvelbar, 2012)
on the issue of which you belong place on the (Mousavi, Hoşkara
sustainability? question of sustainability? and Woosnam, 2017)
4 - What are the social, 6- What are the social, (Mousavi, Hoşkara
environmental, and environmental, and economic and Woosnam, 2017)
economic problems problems affecting the
affecting the tourism/hotel sector?
tourism/hotel sector? 7- Identify one or more
problems (social,
environmental, and economic)
affecting the sector.
5 - Do you believe that 8- Do you believe that the (Mousavi, Hoşkara
Sustainab

Practices
le hotel -

the concept of a concept of a "sustainable and Woosnam, 2017)

"sustainable hotel" can hotel" can increase growth in (Tang and Lam,
increase market the market? And in what way? 2017)

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growth? And in what

way?
6 - Can you list three sustainability practices (economic, (Weerathunga et al.,
social, and environmental) implemented or that could 2020)
be implemented by the organization and that have been (Bacari, Séraphin
successful in the European Community and Gowreesunkar,
recommendations? 2020)
(Alameeri et al.,
2018)
7 - Can leadership, people management, and focus on (Pereira-Moliner et
stakeholders affect the company's competitive position? al., 2012)
8 - Do you agree that management systems can be an (Boronat-Navarro
added value for the sector? and Pérez-Aranda,
2020)
Hotel Management

9 - Do you believe that the SG has a positive effect on (Pereira-Moliner et

the sustainable performance of the hotel sector? al., 2012)

10- Are you aware of the existence of excellence models (Sila and
for the sector, such as the EFQM? Ebrahimpour, 2004)

11 - In your opinion would it be advantageous to (Benavides-Velasco,

implement a management system (e.g. ISO 9001, Quintana-García and
14001, 45001) or a model of excellence? Marchante-Lara,
2014)

Source: Elaborated by the authors

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As previously mentioned in the methodology, questions were asked to four hotel
managers, to refine the questions for the final questionnaire, to be perceptible, and make
clear the objective of each question. Therefore, with the updating of the questions and to
allow a good reflection of the results, sections were defined, as shown in table 1.

Covid-19 vs sustainability
Respondents report that there were challenges before and after the pandemic. The main
challenge before the pandemic was the lack of manpower.
After the pandemic, the issue of (re)hiring qualified human resources remains a challenge
for the hospitality industry. However, the pandemic has added other challenges to the
sector, such as the hygienist of spaces, the use of protective equipment, the non-
profitability of spaces, and their associated double costs.

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However, according to the respondents, most of them consider that there has been a
growing concern with sustainability on the part of companies and clients, mainly in terms
of social and economic issues and, to a lesser extent, in the search for good practices in
Tourism or day-to-day life.
As stated by the author (Pinto Borges, 2021) the tourism industry, suffers some damage
through natural disasters, as well as by unexpected events, which was the case of covid-
19, which led to economic stagnation and now recently with the reduction of covid cases
the issue of rehiring human resources has experienced some difficulties.

Importance of sustainability in the hospitality

Regarding the relevance and valuation that the hotel sector has in terms of sustainability,
the respondents state that it is of high importance, since it brings competitive advantages,
and there is also the awareness that resources are finite, and hence they value resource
management. Thus, corroborating with the statement of the author Girard and Nocca,
2017 this indicates that the approach of sustainability is used as part of the economic
strategy of hotels, to obtain competitive advantages. Having the knowledge that people
are entitled to their rights and knowing that we are a service-oriented country and that the
tourism sector represents a good part of the GDP (gross domestic product)
They still refer that Portugal is a step behind other countries when it comes to
sustainability. However, new investors in this sector, when planning their developments,
already include sustainability actions, which, in turn, in hotels with older infrastructures,
the issue of implementing sustainable practices is worrying because it implies higher
investments.
They believe that the factor of the hotel units feeling that sustainability is relevant and is
valued can be a differentiating step so that their stakeholders can feel it too, even though
there is already a high number of customers/employees who are already aware that one
should be sustainable in their daily lives.
In terms of the issues that directly affect the hotel sector, the three aspects (social,
economic, and environmental) were identified, but with a greater focus on social aspects.
Taking into account the literature and the author (Girard and Nocca, 2017), the survey
results disagree with his statement, and according to him, the social and environmental
issue is often neglected, and according to the results, the social issue is taken into great
consideration.

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Thus, the lack of qualified labor was again mentioned, adding that the sector does not
have unions that exert governmental pressure to improve the working conditions of its
employees, that they consider being penalized when compared to other industries, and
that, for this reason, it is considered an urgent issue.
At the environmental level, climate change is identified as a problem for the sector, being
one of the sectors that besides being a "victim" of this problem, is also the sector that
contributes the most to the carbon footprint, thus to the increase of these changes. Still,
on environmental issues, they add that the inflated cost of resources/raw materials is a
barrier for the sector.
About the economic aspect, they mention as a problem the increase in the cost of living,
reduced salaries, investments in technologies, and the lack of allowances, translating into
financial difficulties, which involves a reduced rate of guests.

Sustainable hotel - practices

The revelation of the concept of "sustainable hotel" through the respondents, resulted in
the positive affirmation, that this concept brings with it a competitive advantage for them,
in the sense that, people already have this concern, that at the time of selecting a
destination or hotel, their choice leans towards sustainable units.
However, respondents reveal some difficulty in implementing sustainable actions in more
urban areas, although they add that it is not impossible. They also reflect the fear that if
the added value is not visible or proven, the adhesion of customers may be reduced.
They add, that the factor of a hotel being sustainable is a turning point to attract more
customers, who are more involved in these issues and a way to raise the awareness of
those less informed about this subject, towards an attitude generating attitude, so that it
becomes a cycle and becomes daily care of all.
Thus, these results corroborate what the author Boronat-Navarro and Pérez-Aranda
(2020), states when they refer that there is no pressure from customers for the
implementation of the practices, which generates low customer adherence. Still, Lyon
and Montgomery (2015) confirm that sustainable practices are a way to attract new
customers.
Sustainability practices resulting from the tourism developments were identified, which
claim to be an added value, in the sense that the investment pays off, since in the reduction
of consumption they have gains, however, the initial investment may not be seen with

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good eyes by all. Proving the statement of Doppelt, B., and McDonough, W. (2017),
"such practices translate into profitability benefits, even if in the long term".
Thus, some practices mentioned by hotel units are:
Environmentally: Recycling in all areas; presence sensors; tap water reducers; rainwater
retention systems; biological gardens; solar panels; use of LED lights; controlled
irrigation system; free parking and charging for electric vehicles; elimination of plastic
On a Social level: support of local and national associations (customer comments turn
into monetary value); donation of materials (mattresses, old clothes, TVs); sponsorship
of local events; promotion of the purchase of local products to support the local
community; food donations; cleaning of woods and beaches; professional qualification.
On an economic level: cautious investments; contribution to the local economy; purchase
of recycled goods; selection of local suppliers; tax incentives for companies aiming at
sustainable development

Hotel management
Regarding hotel management, respondents believe that leadership, human resource
management, and focus on stakeholders are considerable aspects that affect the
competitive position of hotels.
Concerning the questions of whether respondents know and feel that it is advantageous
to implement management systems and/or excellence models, their knowledge of
management systems is noted, whereas about excellence models this knowledge is not so
present/discussed within this sector.
Therefore, all respondents revealed that the issue of management systems implementation
and management models are an added value for the sector. They mention that it is
necessary to verify which existing models translate into advantages for the hotel industry,
depending on the strategic objectives of the hotels. They also add, those management
systems such as NP EN ISO 9001/14001/45001 are generic models, but that can add value
to their hotel units, and in turn have a positive effect on the sustainable performance of
hotel units, as stated by Boronat-Navarro and Pérez-Aranda (2020), who argue that the
integration of management systems increase the ability of companies to achieve
sustainability.
And the one that would make the most sense to be implemented, in this context of
sustainable hotel management, would be ISO 21401:2018 which is directed to the issue
of sustainable hotels.

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The respondents pointed out that the implementation of these management models is
something costly and laborious, and that many hotel units do not have the capacity, either
in human or financial resources, to bear these costs. And for such implementation to be
carried out, support is necessary. Thus, as he states Han et al., 2011 when deciding to
implement/certify a company, it is necessary to be aware of the time it will require, as
well as the importance of the financial and human resources that will be necessary.

CONCLUSION

This work intends to start research on the impact of management systems as a support for
sustainability in this activity, identifying the existing practices.
Through the collection, analysis, and treatment of the results obtained, there is a low
tendency to implement management systems (quality, environment, and safety), due to
factors such as the associated cost and not feeling their demand from customers. They
consider these systems to be generic models, but that they can add value to their hotel
units, and in turn have a positive effect on sustainable performance. However, they also
state that the implementation of these systems is excessively expensive and only brings
returns in the long term.
On the issue of sustainability, the trend is growing and there are already hotel
developments that have implemented sustainable practices.
The new ISO 21401:2018 - Tourism and related services - Sustainability management
system for accommodation establishments - Requirements, specifying, will perhaps assist
implementation, more focused on sustainability practices in this sector.
In this study, some practices used have already been evidenced, such as:

 Environmentally: Recycling in all areas; presence sensors; tap water reducers;

rainwater retention systems; biological gardens; solar panels; use of LED lights;
controlled irrigation system; free parking and charging for electric vehicles;
elimination of plastic
 social level: support of local and national associations (customer comments turn
into monetary value); donation of materials (mattresses, old clothes, TVs);
sponsorship of local events; promotion of the purchase of local products to support
the local community; food donations; cleaning of woods and beaches;
professional qualification.

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Proceedings of the 5th ICQEM Conference, University of Minho, Portugal, 2022

 economic level: cautious investments; contribution to the local economy;

purchase of recycled goods; selection of local suppliers; tax incentives for
companies aiming at sustainable development

This study also concluded that hotel units are more aware of sustainable development
issues, as a cost reduction tool and consumers are increasingly aware of these types of
practices, which may influence their choice.

LIMITATIONS

As this is exploratory research, the sample size is small, but it shows the trends of
sustainability management in this sector through the perception of its managers.

FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

With a view to future research, it is suggested to deepen the questions to other hotel units,
taking into account that the sample of this study is reduced and presents a low result of
the representativeness of hotel units in Portugal. These interviews serve as a basis for
applying the Delphy methodology to about 12 experts in the field, such as professionals
from the hospitality industry, academia, and the public sector.
In addition to increasing the sample for the study of this theme, and with the identification
of the new ISO 21401 standard, future studies are designed to verify the implementation
of the standard and whether it meets the expectations of the sector.

REFERENCES
Alameeri, A. et al. (2018) “Sustainable management practices in UAE hotels,”
International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research, 12(4), pp. 440–466.
doi:10.1108/IJCTHR-10-2017-0100/FULL/PDF.
APCER - A norma ISO 21401 para Hotéis Sustentáveis - uma visão moderna e atual (no
date). Available at: https://www.apcergroup.com/pt/newsroom/1807/a-norma-iso-
21401-para-hoteis-sustentaveis-uma-visao-moderna-e-atual (Accessed: April 13, 2022).
Bacari, C., Séraphin, H. and Gowreesunkar, V.G.B. (2020) “Sustainable development
goals and the hotel sector: case examples and implications,” Worldwide Hospitality and
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