Asian Trails is taking a significant step forward in its sustainability journey through a strategic partnership with Hotel Resilient – a centralised digital platform designed to equip hotel operators with practical tools to implement, strengthen and promote sustainable practices across daily operations.

This collaboration presents a win-win situation for all involved – hotels improve their operational resilience, acquire a competitive edge in a more sustainability-focused market and gain from a close relationship with a specialist destination management company.

Similarly, Asian Trails enhances its ability to offer more sustainable products by working with properties that actively elevate their environmental and social performance.

Hotel Resilient also recognises members who have achieved sustainability benchmarks, including those endorsed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

These credentials not only enhance hotel reputations but also increase their visibility – for instance, through inclusion in Asian Trails’ sustainability-focused campaigns.

ParkRoyal Collection Pickering, Singapore

With a growing demand for responsible accommodation, hotels that actively participate are more likely to attract business from eco-conscious travellers. According to the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Tourism Sustainability Report 2023, 73 per cent of global tourists prefer to stay in hotels that apply sustainable practices.

For Asian Trails, the platform provides a valuable system to evaluate and rank hotels based on a comprehensive set of sustainability metrics, ensuring alignment with its responsible travel practices.

The Hotel Resilient platform includes a suite of robust tools that support users in enhancing their sustainability profile, such as a carbon calculator to measure emissions; a climate risk assessment tool tailored to each property’s location; an e-learning platform for training in crisis resilience; an audit management system for tracking performance and improving sustainability scores; and an endorsement platform to connect with other responsible travel partners.

Deluxe living at Treeline Urban Resort, Siem Reap

Asian Trails’ Group Sustainability Manager Emi Weir said: “This collaborative approach allows us to save time and effort by accessing shared information via the Hotel Resilient platform.

“The key areas include environmental impact – such as waste and electricity – staff welfare, policy implementation and community engagement. This is especially vital as our portfolio of hotels across Asia continues to grow.

“It is more than a platform that simply labels a hotel as sustainable. It offers a detailed view, allowing us to see areas in which they excel and areas where sustainable actions may be difficult and often this is due to the operating environment.”

Rainforest villa lifestyle at The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi

At the core of the system is a zero-cost Advanced Sustainability Audit – a 70-question survey that takes just over 90 minutes to complete. The data is accessible to all DMCs using the platform, promoting transparency and collaboration.

This process helps hotels identify sustainability strengths they might not recognise independently. For example, a small rural property in Bali was hosting cultural workshops for local artists but had not seen this as a sustainability initiative. With feedback from Asian Trails, the hotel was encouraged to promote this programme – a strong example of community-centred sustainability.

Promoting local arts and artisans at ARMA Museum & Resort, Bali

Another notable outcome is the emergence of properties in ecologically sensitive areas – such as marine reserves, grasslands and wildlife corridors – becoming effective sustainability ambassadors. These hotels adopt eco-friendly practices like eliminating single-use plastics, offering reusable drinking containers and switching to alternatives such as paper, glass, bamboo or aluminium products.

Many also implement energy-saving strategies through LED lighting, smart climate systems, water conservation measures and robust recycling and composting projects.

The Green House at Capella Bangkok

Emi added: “Guests are increasingly eager to contribute to a greener world. It is no longer just about reusing towels or skipping linen changes – travellers now expect a more holistic sustainable experience.

“Thanks to our partnership with Hotel Resilient, hoteliers are better equipped to meet these expectations – often resulting in improved guest satisfaction and more favourable reviews.

“This collaboration is building momentum toward a more responsible travel industry. By working together, stakeholders can advance sustainability practices on a much larger scale – far more effectively than through isolated efforts.”

To learn more about Asian Trails’ sustainability initiatives, visit Responsible Travel

Emi Weir
Group Sustainability Manager, Asian Trails