We talk to Bob Garner, owner of Casal dei Fichi, about how manageable sustainable changes benefit the environment and help you tap into a growing market of eco-conscious travellers.
Thanks for joining the conversation
Thanks for sending in your questions for our AMA: “How to adopt a more sustainable vacation rental business”
Here’s a recording of our chat with Bob. Or, head over to our blog to read a summary of the juiciest details. We’ve also picked out the AMA highlights and their timings below.
Key takeaways:
“The survey data really shows a demand from the consumer for a greener way to travel and stay. If you’re not preparing your organisation to be greener, then there’s a market that you can’t tap into. […] Don’t you want to tap into that growing market that’s only ever going to get bigger?” – Bob
“You’re never going to lose by being more sustainable. Nobody’s going to decide not to stay with you because you’re running sustainable holiday accommodation.” – Bob
“I always say it’s a little bit like a drug – you get addicted to it. You put some little things in place, you get some positive feedback, some repeat bookings, some lovely reviews, you might get an award, or an article in the press.” – Bob
“We tend to think, “What can I do?”, “What should I be doing?”, and sometimes it’s better to facilitate by passing money onto the experts.” – Andy
“When you start to do this, you need to talk about it. You need to be out, and proud, and bold, and shouting it from the rooftops, because it’s something to be proud about.” – Bob
AMA highlights:
- 00:09 – An intro to Bob Garner
- 01:38 – How does sustainability benefit accommodation operators?
- 02:31 – The growing market for sustainable holiday accommodation
- 04:03 – A brief intro to communicating your sustainable credentials
- 05:48 – Booking.com’s sustainable travel stats
- 06:21 – When sustainability is the deciding factor
- 07:24 – Bob’s simple starting points for making a difference
- 11:23 – Sustainable action as a positive reinforcer
- 12:32 – How to earn Booking.com’s green credential
- 15:21 – Bob’s examples of the people who are already acing it
- 18:06 – Knowing when to leave it to the experts
- 20:17 – How to communicate your sustainable changes to guests
- 23:54 – Having a lasting impact on your guests