As tourism businesses face a host of challenges – from operational inefficiencies to increasing demands for sustainability – food waste is emerging as a key issue for the hospitality industry.
As part of the thematic session “What a Waste! How to Better Manage Food Waste in Tourism”, held on the Future Stage of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 exhibition, industry experts highlighted how the shift to more efficient operations and the satisfaction of young, environmentally conscious travelers are reshaping the future of hospitality.
As the speakers highlighted, two key areas – food waste management and energy generation – offer immediate benefits, both environmentally and financially, for tourism organisations seeking to operate more sustainably.
Enas Sobhy Ali, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tadweer, highlighted the importance of local engagement and transparency in hotel operations. “One of the main problems is the disconnect between operations and impact,” she said. “Overproduction of food in hotels, driven by absolute customer satisfaction, often leads to significant waste. Implementing waste controls and strengthening recycling systems are simple but effective solutions.”
According to the UN Food Waste Report 2024, an estimated 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally across the retail, foodservice and household sectors. Of this total, 60% came from households, 28% from catering and 12% from retail – percentages that highlight the urgent need for more efficient and sustainable practices in tourism.
Dr. Amal Albedwawi, Food Safety Specialist at the UAE Food Bank, pointed out that the diversity in the administrative approach of each hotel is an obstacle to the uniform implementation of recycling practices: “We try to explain to hoteliers that we work with the Food Safety Authority to ensure that their participation in our programs does not involve any risk whatsoever.”
The discussion on the circular economy, waste recovery and energy production is part of the broader dialogue on technological innovation and environmental responsibility that characterizes this year’s ATM.
On the same stage, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr, presented on “AI Adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy,” explaining how artificial intelligence can be transformed from a theoretical concept into a strategic growth tool for tourism businesses.
Danielle Curtis, ATM Director for the Middle East, said: “Food waste and other environmental challenges require innovative solutions and collaboration. ATM 2025 creates the right environment for realistic dialogue and meaningful action.”
The 32nd edition of ATM concluded on April 30 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with more than 55,000 tourism professionals from 166 countries.
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