The study was supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Accor, Radisson Hotel Group, American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), STX Group and EY. It assessed how hospitality businesses can work together to increase access to renewable energy, strengthen long-term resilience and support the industry’s transition towards net-zero operations.
According to the findings, collective purchasing is a viable approach that can provide greater energy price stability, improve access to renewable electricity and increase resilience in a changing energy market. Following the completion of the study, WSHA has issued a Call to Action inviting organisations from the hospitality, travel, energy and finance sectors to participate in the next phase of the initiative.
Glenn Mandziuk, Chief Executive Officer of WSHA, said: “Hospitality businesses are operating in a rapidly changing energy environment, characterised by increasing demand, market volatility, energy security concerns and growing expectations around climate action.
This initiative is not simply about reducing emissions. It is about helping the industry secure access to renewable energy, improve long-term energy resilience, manage energy costs and accelerate progress towards climate commitments. The feasibility study demonstrates that there is a credible pathway forward. The next step is bringing together organisations that want to help turn that opportunity into action.”
A collaborative procurement model
The study notes that energy costs remain a significant operational expense for hospitality businesses. While individual companies seek greater energy resilience and protection from market volatility, they often face challenges in accessing renewable electricity independently.
According to the analysis, a collaborative procurement model could provide participating organisations with greater purchasing scale, facilitating access to renewable energy markets while supporting long-term price visibility and reducing exposure to energy market fluctuations.
The study also identifies additional benefits, including stronger operational resilience, faster progress towards decarbonisation targets and increased opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration across the sector.
Christopher Imbsen, SVP Advocacy & Research at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), said: “As demand grows and competition intensifies, energy security and cost predictability are now business-critical for hotels worldwide. This feasibility study shows that by joining forces, hospitality businesses can hedge their energy costs and access renewable energy opportunities with a scale and pricing power that would be out of reach individually – and with a simpler operational structure. It’s a pivotal opportunity to strengthen resilience and accelerate our decarbonisation trajectory together.”
Evan Konwiser, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Amex GBT, said: “American Express Global Business Travel is supporting the travel industry in its decarbonization journey with this brand-new initiative designed to unlock renewable energy for the hospitality industry and beyond. We look forward to advancing this project together with our hotel partners to increase and improve access to renewable energy and clean electricity.”
Austin C. Wentworth, Head of North America at Strive by STX, said: “STX Group has played a pivotal role in advancing decarbonization initiatives across the hospitality sector, serving as both a trusted advisor and implementation partner. Building on this experience, we are proud to deepen our commitment to the industry by helping turn ambitious sustainability goals into measurable, lasting outcomes.”
The study concludes that, although participation in the feasibility assessment does not commit organisations to future implementation, the collaborative purchasing model could be expanded across the wider travel and tourism value chain, including accommodation providers within global supply chains. According to WSHA, the approach could contribute to strengthening the resilience, competitiveness and sustainability of the global tourism industry.
Tags: Glenn Mandziuk, WSHA Austin C. Wentworth, Strive by STX Christopher Imbsen WTTC
