Tourists are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment and are looking more and more intensively for destinations that implement pro-environmental measures.
Travelling in an eco style is no longer just a fashion, but is becoming a necessity. Eco, however, does not have to mean giving up luxury. It is important that the stay of tourists spending time in the countryside does not contribute to the devastation of the environment, and that sustainable development and ecological activities form the basis of the activities of hotels in rural areas. Working on the awareness and sensitivity of rural tourism hosts provides an excellent basis for the development of ecotourism. This is the case in many countries of the European Union, as rural tourism, especially agri-tourism, provides an excellent base for developing offers that meet the expectations of ecotourists. For this to happen, however, and at the same time to ensure the safety of the natural environment, it is necessary to involve naturalists much more widely than before. This is because only the substantive supervision of professionally prepared people allows for the environmentally safe preparation of offers and, at the same time, the increase of competences and awareness of tourist staff.
One of the most environmentally impactful tourism sectors is the hotel industry, including those in rural areas. On average, 160 to 200 kg of carbon dioxide is produced per hotel room per year and water consumption ranges from 170 to 400 litres per guest, per day for a 5-star hotel. In addition, hotels produce an average of 1 kg of waste per hotel guest, per hotel day. Ecology in the case of hotels can already be thought of at the stage of planning and designing buildings to be environmentally friendly. Local materials, wood, stone can be used in their construction. An intelligent and energy-efficient energy, water and sewage management system can be created. Other pro-environmental measures include using wind energy and solar to power the building, equipping the hotel only with recyclable items after use, segregating rubbish, avoiding products packaged in single-use plastic, preparing food based on local products, feeding the garden with rainwater, using grey water to flush toilets and many more. An ecotourist is a tourist whose leisure activities do not have a negative impact on the surrounding environment and do not cause its destruction, seeks out beautiful landscapes, places of outstanding natural and cultural value, is interested in the visited region, its history, heritage and traditions, respects local customs and inhabitants of the countryside, enjoys tasting the local cuisine, participates in local festivities, buys from local producers, small shops, fairs, and also likes to spend time actively and use more ecological means of transport, where possible.
Using solar energy to power a hotel building run as part of rural tourism
According to calculations by the European Environment Agency, a one-star hotel consumes approximately 157 kWh per square metre per year. However, the amount of energy consumed by a hotel or restaurant increases with the standard of the establishment - in the case of a four-star hotel, it will already be 380 kWH per square metre. As with other commercial and service establishments, one of the main culprits is concern for air quality - heating, air-conditioning and ventilation account for more than 60% of all energy consumption. A way to avoid the black scenario and huge electricity bills could be photovoltaics. This is a method of extracting electricity from solar radiation, in a quiet, environmentally friendly and, importantly, cheap way. It is one of the most popular renewable energy sources in the European Union - photovoltaics for the home, photovoltaics for the farmer or photovoltaics for businesses are all in high demand in Europe. For a hotel or restaurant, especially those in rural areas, the benefits of photovoltaics are primarily:
Although the list of benefits that can be achieved with a photovoltaic installation is very long, many businesses, especially smaller ones operating in rural areas, are held back by the upfront costs of the investment. However, investing in photovoltaics in a hotel or a farmer-run restaurant is a step into the future that combines care for the environment with modern technology and economic efficiency. The implementation of such a project is an important part of an environmental strategy that can serve as a model for others in the industry.
Literature/Resources
Photovoltaics for hotel, guesthouse. RES benefits
Solar energy - utilisation and development prospects - HydroGlob
Rural tourism in the eco-tourism trend - Sozosfera - environmental protection
Solar powered hotel - Z.I.P.E.
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