2024 Sustainability in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Roundtable

10:00am - Session 1: Are We Building for the Past or Future? Green Financing in Hotel Development and Investment Lead. Jeanne Varney Hotel and lodging accommodations comprise a significant share of infrastructure in the travel and tourism industry, and commercial real estate accounts for nearly a fifth of energy usage, 40% of CO2 emissions, and 88% of potable water consumption in the US alone. Development and investment decisions today will determine the industry’s future success and viability, and while there has been increased recognition of the need to account for climate-related investment risks and new tools developed to assess and manage that risk, the complexity and inertia within the industry are impeding change. Is financing in the travel and tourism industry investing for climate realities? What new financial vehicles exist or are in development to incentivize climate smart hotel development and green investment to contribute to the adaptation and mitigation…