Sustainable Innovation and Management for Green Hotels

Dear Colleagues,

The hospitality industry plays a significant role in the global economy, but also contributes substantially to environmental degradation through energy and water consumption, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions (Bohdanowicz et al., 2011). As environmental awareness grows among consumers, investors, and regulatory bodies, the transition to sustainable practices in hotel management is no longer optional—it is imperative.

This Special Issue on “Sustainable Innovation and Management for Green Hotels” aims to explore the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and strategic management within the hotel industry. It welcomes theoretical, empirical, and case-based contributions that examine how hotels adopt and implement green technologies, circular economy practices, and sustainable service innovations to reduce environmental impact while enhancing guest experience and business performance (Chan & Hsu, 2016).

The Special Issue is open to multidisciplinary approaches and welcomes studies from diverse geographical contexts—including both mature markets and developing tourism destinations—offering global insights into the drivers, barriers, and impacts of sustainable innovation in hotel management.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Adoption and implementation of green technologies in hotel operations;
• Energy and water efficiency measures in hospitality facilities;
• Green building design and sustainable architecture in hotels;
• Certification systems and environmental standards (e.g., LEED rating system, ISO 14001, Green Key);
• Circular economy approaches in hotel waste and resource management;
• Digital transformation and smart technologies for sustainability monitoring;
• Integration of sustainability into hotel marketing and branding strategies;
• Sustainable guest experience;
• Eco-innovation in hotel service design and delivery;
• Environmental performance measurement and reporting in hotels;
• Green human resource management (training, motivation, and retention);
• Leadership and organizational change for sustainability in hospitality;
• Stakeholder collaboration and partnerships for sustainable hospitality;
• The role of customer perceptions and satisfaction in green hotel adoption;
• Economic impacts and business case for sustainable hotel practices;
• Case studies of sustainable hotel management in different regions;
• Comparative analysis of sustainability practices between independent and chain hotels;
• Sustainability challenges and opportunities in small and medium-sized hotels;
• Regulatory frameworks, incentives, and policy tools influencing green innovation;
• Sustainable innovation in post-COVID hospitality recovery strategies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

[1] Bohdanowicz P, Zientara P, Novotna E. International hotel chains and environmental protection: an analysis of Hilton's we care! programme (Europe, 2006–2008)[J]. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2011, 19(7):797-816.

[2] Chan S E, Hsu H C. Environmental management research in hospitality[J]. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 2016, 28(5):886-923.

Prof. Dr. Christina Beneki
Dr. Naoum Mylonas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• green hotels
• sustainable innovation
• environmental management in hospitality
• green technologies
• hotel sustainability certification
• sustainable service design
• eco-friendly operations
• digital transformation in hotels
• green human resource management
• sustainable customer experience