IATA and World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance to Collaborate on Sustainable Hotel Procurement

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA) have agreed to strengthen alignment on sustainability between the airline and hospitality sectors.

New Sustainability Collaboration
- IATA and WSHA have signed an agreement to strengthen sustainability alignment between the aviation and hospitality sectors.
- The partnership was announced at the World Sustainability Symposium.

Focus on Hotel Procurement
- Initial efforts will concentrate on helping airlines make more sustainable hotel procurement decisions.
- Joint guidance will be developed for airlines sourcing hotel accommodation.

Sustainability Framework
The guidance will draw on:
- IATA's Integrated Sustainability Program (ISP)
- WSHA's Universal Sustainability KPIs Programme
It will cover:
- Sustainability criteria for hotel tenders
- ESG considerations in contracts
- Industry best-practice case studies

Shared Industry Challenges
Airlines and hotels face common sustainability issues, including:
- Responsible procurement
- Environmental management
- Social responsibility
- Supply chain performance
- Sustainability reporting requirements

Expected Benefits
- Better supplier engagement.
- More informed procurement decisions.
- Stronger sustainability performance across the travel value chain.

Future Areas of Cooperation
Potential long-term collaboration may include:
- Sustainability measurement and reporting
- Plastic and waste reduction
- Climate resilience and resource efficiency
- Community engagement and human rights initiatives
- Destination-level sustainability programs across travel and tourism.