Sustainable Tourism Project

The Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP) and the Arrábida Energy and Environment Agency (ENA) are leading the "Sustainable Tourism" project. This initiative is funded under the Energy Consumption Efficiency Promotion Plan approved by ERSE – the Portuguese Energy Services Regulatory Authority – and included in the Sustainable Tourism Plan by Turismo de Portugal. Its aim is to promote energy efficiency in the hotel sector in Portugal while addressing current sustainability and competitiveness challenges within the industry.

This strategic partnership for the sector focuses on the development of an Energy and Environmental Monitoring and Management Platform – the T+S Platform. This platform automatically collects data on electricity, gas, and water consumption, as well as hotel production data from a business perspective. It allows hotels to analyze, evaluate, and report on their energy performance status and trends, while also comparing their performance with similar establishments.

The project initially involves five pilot hotels associated with AHP: Grande Hotel do Porto, Lisbon Marriott Hotel, Pestana CR7, Salgados Palace, and Terceira Mar Hotel. These establishments were chosen based on their unique characteristics and distinct consumption and operational profiles. The tools and practices to enhance their energy performance will be implemented and tested in these locations.
Following this pilot group, the goal is to extend this project to all AHP members. This aligns with the work already underway through the HEART Program, which aims, among other objectives, to empower the hotel industry with tools to become increasingly sustainable in a measurable and objective way.

By laying the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable hotel industry, the "Sustainable Tourism" project promises to positively impact not only the participating hotels but the entire Portuguese hospitality sector.