ResourcesSingle-Use Plastic-Free Hotels: A Practical Guide to Attracting Eco-Conscious Travellers
Sustainable travel is no longer just a trend -it’s becoming a regulatory and commercial imperative for the hospitality industry.
From 2026 onwards, new EU regulations will progressively phase out single-use plastic amenities and packaging, requiring hotels to transition towards reusable and refillable systems.
In line with this year's World Environment Day, which focuses on the need for urgent climate action under the theme 'Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Future,' it is ever-more important that hoteliers address the environmental impact of their operations, particularly when it comes to reliance on single-use plastics.
Plastics are not only a major source of pollution, but also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions throughout their life-cycle. Taking action to reduce or eliminate them is therefore a key step toward decarbonisation and long-term resilience in the hospitality sector.
At the same time, traveller expectations continue to evolve. Sustainability is now a key booking driver, with guests actively seeking and favouring eco-friendly stays.
With global initiatives like Plastic Free July accelerating awareness and demand, there has never been a better moment for hotels to take action.
Why do guests prefer plastic-free hotels?
Sustainability has shifted from a “nice to have” to a decisive factor in booking behaviour. Today’s travellers increasingly prioritise eco-friendly accommodation — and are willing to pay more for it.
A plastic-free hotel is no longer defined solely by eliminating visible single-use items, but by redesigning operations around reusable, refillable systems and minimising plastic use across the entire supply chain, and implementing circular economy practices within their establishments.
At the same time, distribution platforms and corporate travel buyers are favouring properties with clear sustainability credentials, making plastic reduction not only an environmental priority but also a driver of visibility, conversion and revenue.
- People now expect the brands they engage with to reflect their values. This includes how hotels address sustainability. According to Statista, 81% of travellers state that sustainable travel is important to them, and 74% want travel companies to offer more sustainable options. Furthermore, 65% say they’re more likely to book accommodation with recognised sustainability certifications.
Also worth noting: 56% of people consider reducing single-use plastics a personal priority, and these habits often extend to their travel choices.
- Beyond meeting guest expectations, ignoring plastic pollution can have reputational consequences. A hotel’s credibility may suffer if there is no clear commitment to reducing plastic waste. That’s why sustainability - particularly when it comes to plastic - isn’t just good ethics; it’s good business.
What’s changing in 2026: new EU rules for hotels
From 2026, hotels operating in the EU will need to comply with new regulations targeting single-use plastics in hospitality.
These include:
The removal of single-use toiletry bottles
Restrictions on single-use packaging such as condiment sachets
A shift towards refillable and reusable systems
Waste reduction and reuse targets across operations
This means that transitioning away from single-use plastics is no longer optional - it’s essential for compliance and long-term competitiveness.
How can plastic-free initiatives benefit your properties?
Whether you manage a boutique hotel or a major chain, transitioning away from single-use plastics takes effort - but the benefits are considerable.
Helping the planet is reason enough, but there are other compelling advantages:
A clearly defined sustainability strategy can differentiate your hotel from competitors.
Certification through recognised programmes boosts your visibility and credibility among eco-conscious travellers.
Your property could become eligible for our Certified Hotels Programme, giving you access to increased visibility across our global network of travel distributors.
In addition, governments around the world are introducing stricter regulations around plastic usage. By taking proactive steps now, you’ll stay ahead of compliance requirements and avoid costly last-minute changes.
However, all these benefits depend on communication. If you don’t clearly share your sustainability initiatives - including the elimination of single-use plastics - you may miss the opportunity to connect with your ideal audience.
As mentioned in our article on the importance of certified sustainable hotels, only one third of hotels are communicating their sustainability efforts, such as implementing alternatives for single-use plastics. To make an impact, you need to let travellers know what you’re doing - and why it matters.
No matter what the size of your hotel, small actions can make a big change. Are you lacking in ideas? Keep reading, as we provide you with some valuable tips.
Practical steps for hotels to embrace sustainability
There’s one thing that you should take into account to help you reach your goal in the most seamless way possible: it’s necessary to educate your suppliers and employees to better understand how important this purpose is and how they can easily commit to it.
For example, you could start by creating a working group where employees from the departments using single-use plastics participate. In this working group, it would be beneficial to identify all single-use plastics in your operations and try to propose alternatives.
But it doesn’t stop there: it’s also important to chat with your suppliers and explain your aim to reduce plastic in your properties. They may be able to help you with the task by giving you ideas of which options they have available, such as multi-use items or products made of responsible materials.
Here are a few practical changes to begin your plastic-free transition:
7 Essential tips for eliminating single-use plastics in hotels
Remove plastic water bottles. Offer refillable glass or metal bottles, and install modern water bottle filling stations for guests - fast, efficient and eco-friendly. Modern versions of these stations can refill a one-litre bottle in 10 seconds to minimise queues, whilst other stations cut off the water after 20 seconds to prevent wastage.
Switch to bulk bathroom amenity dispensers. Offer shampoo and gel packaged in wall-mounted refillable dispensers to ensure alignment with EU regulations on hotel amenities.
Offer non-plastic slippers that are washed in-house and reused. For commonly provided single-use items such as stirrers, shoe shiners, razors, combs, sewing kits, and plastic packaging materials, move from single-use items to sustainable alternatives, or consider providing these items on demand to reduce waste.
Use recyclable paper for wrapping bathroom amenities, reusable bathroom cups, reusable fabric laundry bags, and paper containers for takeaways, among others.
Offer biodegradable rubbish bags that are more environmentally friendly alternatives. Make sure that they’re truly biodegradable.
Choose tableware and cutlery made from durable, biodegradable materials and rethink food and beverage packaging. For example, cut down on plastic straws and replace them with bamboo.
- Engage suppliers, not just operations. Most single-use plastic items are being distributed by suppliers, and one of the most effective ways of implementing large-scale changes is at the source. Encouraging suppliers to change their packaging designs, for example, ensures that these sustainable alternatives are actioned in a trickle-down manner.
For extra support, consider partnering with sustainability consultants who specialise in reducing single-use plastics in hospitality settings.
Why Plastic Free July matters for your hotel
July represents a unique opportunity to accelerate your sustainability strategy.
Plastic Free July is a globally recognised initiative that mobilises millions of travellers and businesses around reducing plastic waste. For hotels, it’s a key moment to:
Showcase sustainability actions
Increase visibility among eco-conscious travellers
Align with global demand peaks for responsible travel
By taking action now, you position your property at the forefront of a movement that is gaining momentum across the entire travel industry.
Today, you can join 6,300+ hotels in our portfolio already marked as single-use plastic-free, alongside 18,000+ certified sustainable properties benefiting from increased visibility and demand across our network.
Getting started is simple - and the impact is immediate. Our Partner Portal will be your ally: to gain a prime position in front of over 60,000 travel agents and their clients, mark your hotel as single-use plastic free by following these steps:
Log into the Partner Portal
Select ‘Hotel Info’ and click on 'General Information'
After clicking ‘About Hotel’, scroll to the section titled ‘Things to Keep in Mind’
Tick the ‘Single-use Plastic Free’ box
Log in today and update your hotel in just a few clicks - and make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to stand out during Plastic Free July.
Final considerations
You can take one step further when it comes to communicating your commitment to sustainable practices. HBX Group’s Certified Hotels Programme aims to identify and provide enhanced visibility to partner hotels that are certified and accredited according to the rigorous criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) or that have sustainability programmes aligned to these criteria.
Travalyst, a global coalition of travel businesses and brands, is also helping to streamline and scale the provision of sustainability information to meet growing demand for sustainable travel from travellers and the business travel world alike. Travalyst also constitutes our certification criteria, as a benchmark within the industry.
Have a look at this step-by-step guide on how to join this certified sustainable hotel initiative, and begin to cater to a real demand by helping travel bookers to identify those properties committed to sustainability.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll be visible under the ‘Sustainable Certification' filter in our Booking Engine. But this won’t be the only benefit - you’ll also be eligible for relevant, sustainability-focused campaigns, in which we will push sustainable hotels to our clients.
Still need to register your hotel with us? It's easy, free, and in a short time, your property will be seen by a worldwide network of 60,000 travel distributors.
Environmental Awareness and Hotels: Our Collaboration with Hyatt
One of the key challenges that sustainable travel and tourism faces is bridging the gap between awareness, intention, and action.
To help address this, Hyatt and HBX Group have partnered to co-create a guest-facing awareness campaign designed to integrate sustainability into the hotel experience. Built around the idea small actions, big impact, the content translates sustainability into five everyday areas:
- Water– mindful usage
- Energy–reducing unnecessary consumption
- Waste–recycling and limiting single-use items
- Food–minimising food waste and supporting local options
Nature–respecting biodiversity and surroundings
This collaboration with Hyatt and HBX Group reflects the broader industry dynamic, where partnerships across the tourism value chain become essential to meaningful change within the industry. Initiatives like this can extend beyond individual impact and contribute to a more consistent sustainability approach and narrative across businesses, destinations, and travel experiences.
Watch the full campaign video, here:
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