The water footprint assessment of hotel type1 in Bangkok

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate hotels type 1 in Bangkok to: (1) assess their water footprint, (2) study their water management, and (3) propose a water management guideline. Questionnaire was employed to reveal water management of 54 hotels type1 and to assess water footprint of 19 hotels type 1 through the calculation based on Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI) Methodology. The informants were representatives of 54 hotels type 1 in Bangkok. The level of water consumption was also obtained from Metropolitan Waterworks Authority. Interviews with policy makers using the concept of external factors of PESTEL Analysis and key informants from Green Hotels using the concept of internal factors of McKinsey 7S Model were conducted to determine key factors leading to efficient water use. The data obtained for the guideline were analyzed according to the descriptive method of the McKinsey 7S Model.

The findings were as follows. Policy makers revealed that in Thailand environmentally-friendly labels and awards have attracted little awareness and recognition, especially among small- and medium-sized hotels. The key factors leading to the successful application of water footprint included executives, and promotional measures to encourage motivation. The factors that posed obstacles to the application of water footprint was the unpreparedness of employees both in terms of knowledge and the number of employees, as well as communication requiring simple language for acknowledgement and understanding. Furthermore, green award-winning hotels formulated water preservation policy as part of their overall policy platform; hotel owners and executives were essential to success; knowledge of water conservation through training for new and old employees; use of technology, water-saving equipment, and guidelines and methods of water preservation; and most Green Hotels were interested in water footprint assessment. Moreover, water footprint assessment of hotels type 1 in Bangkok (volume of the use of water of one guest per night) indicated that more than half of the water use of hotels was poor according to the benchmark for fresh water use in guest room based on good = less than 300, fair = 300-350, poor = greater than 350 liters per guest night (The International Business Leaders Forum’s Tourism Partnership, n.d.).