2026 will not be just another year for hospitality. It will be the year when sustainability moves from theory to practice, and compliance becomes the standard. As Sotiris Mylonas, Senior Sustainability & ESG Global Expert, international ESG consultant, and ISHC member, emphasizes in a post, hoteliers and investors who act early—strengthening data governance, compliance, and operational resilience—will be the ones shaping the new era of sustainable tourism.
Mr. Mylonas’ strategic analysis, based on real projects, research, and international regulations, identifies ten dominant ESG trends that will already, from 2026, determine the future of hospitality:
1. Mandatory ESG Reporting under CSRD Framework
The end of voluntary disclosure. From 2026, hotels must provide audited, comparable, and certified ESG data, on par with financial statements.
Action: Adopt a unified ESG data management platform.
2. Human Rights Due Diligence
New European and national regulations make supply chain checks mandatory—from recruitment to subcontractors and suppliers.
Action: Establish a code of conduct and annual social audits.
3. Gender Equality and Integration of Third-Country Workers
Staff shortages increase flows from non-EU countries, while the Women on Boards Directive enforces quotas.
Action: Implement mentoring programs and multicultural integration initiatives.
4. Scope 3 Emissions and Supply Chain Decarbonization
Most hotel emissions come from suppliers. The focus is now on primary, verifiable data.
Action: Mandatory Product Carbon Footprints for all new contracts.
5. Climate Resilience and National Legislation
Natural hazards—heatwaves, floods, fires—become operational risks. Insurers require proof of resilience.
Action: Detailed risk mapping and targeted interventions.
6. Green Financing and Asset Value Protection
Capital now flows to sustainable, energy-efficient hotels. Non-compliant properties are undervalued and harder to finance.
Action: Three-year ESG investment plan with documented ROI.
7. Circular Economy and Zero Waste
New EU packaging legislation (PPWR) mandates recyclability and waste reduction.
Action: Procurement policy with reuse and return criteria.
8. Food Waste Management
Food waste is evolving into a key sustainability and cost indicator.
Action: Weigh and record waste by production point, with weekly F&B reviews.
9. Verified Environmental Claims
Terms like “eco-friendly” or “carbon neutral” cannot be used without certification.
Action: Internal approval process for all ESG communications and claims.
10. Regenerative Tourism and Local Value
The next phase after sustainability: hotels that go beyond “less harm” to aim for a “net positive impact.”
Action: Develop projects in collaboration with local authorities and communities.
New Obligations for Greek Hotels
According to the legal framework, from 2026 a series of requirements take effect:
- Climate Law: mandatory certification of emissions and reduction plan (1.1.2026)
- Water Management: submission of management plan and permit checks (June 2026)
- Licensing: registration in the Business Registry (31.12.2025)
- Electronic Waste and Food Residue Registers: by 30.3.2026
- Fluorinated Gases: mandatory emissions declaration by 30.3.2026
- Health & Safety: Legionella risk assessment by 2027
- Energy: four-year energy audit for large businesses
The essence, as Mr. Mylonas notes, is that “compliance is now the baseline. The real differentiators are resilience, transparency, regeneration, and people.” In any case, hospitality is entering an era where green performance is no longer a competitive advantage, but a survival condition. Leaders who act early will be those defining the decade of sustainable tourism.
