Biodiversity and Tourism: What Are the Challenges and Solutions for 2025?
In the face of the climate challenge, biodiversity is emerging as a major issue in the tourism sector—and particularly in hospitality. Three leaders, Philippe Wolff (Hôtel Verte Vallée), André Heintz (Heintz Hôtellerie) and Séverine Pétilaire-Bellet (Hostellerie de Levernois), looked back at their actions and positioning in relation to biodiversity. Between economic performance, customer expectations and environmental responsibility, where do we stand in 2025 and how can we reduce our impact?
Biodiversity: the hotel industry facing up to its responsibilities
“Every tourist activity, including ours, has a significant impact on the environment,” recalls Philippe Wolff, director of the Hôtel Verte Vallée in Munster (Haut-Rhin). “Our business is energy-intensive, especially with wellness facilities. It’s up to us to implement solutions to use energy intelligently.” For her part, Séverine Pétilaire-Bellet, director of the Hostellerie de Levernois in Burgundy, stresses the importance of integrating biodiversity into day-to-day management: “We called in an ornithologist to identify the species present across our 7-hectare park and to adapt our landscaping—such as switching off certain streetlights—so that they can thrive as much as possible in their natural habitat. Biodiversity is never taken into account enough, but I feel that every business owner is taking an increasingly benevolent view of the subject.”
For André Heintz, partner at the Heintz Hôtellerie group, integrating biodiversity into the CSR strategy is also an economic lever: “The Clef Verte labels obtained by our establishments strengthen our visibility on various booking platforms and respond to a growing demand for more sustainable tourism. But customers’ awareness is not always followed by purchase, hence the importance of pairing our commitments with clear communication.”
Initiatives to preserve ecosystems
The actions taken by these hoteliers show that preserving biodiversity can translate into a range of measures.
At Verte Vallée, Philippe Wolff has reduced his establishment’s gas consumption by 30% over the last 3 years thanks to condensing boilers and a heat recovery system. The hotel is also equipped with a device to limit water waste: “When the guest turns on the shower tap, there will be hot water right away. That means you don’t have to let the water run for several seconds until the hot water arrives.” In the same vein, the Heintz group has installed flow restrictors on its water points.
For its high-end villas, the Hostellerie de Levernois has chosen to replace bathtubs with large hammam showers to limit water waste: “It was a challenge in a 5-star property, but we wanted to reduce the impact on water without compromising the guest experience,” explains Séverine Pétilaire-Bellet. She has also made decisions to preserve her natural areas. A heritage orchard was created to protect fruit varieties: “Some pear and apple tree varieties are somewhat on the verge of disappearing. So, in a small part of our park, we decided to replant them in a small part of our park in order to preserve them.” Tree replanting is also being carried out with the Office national des forêts to adapt the park to climate change.
While there is no shortage of practices, the difficulty for hoteliers is measuring the impact of their actions on biodiversity. “We know how to count kWh or m³ of water, but measuring the effect of our actions on biodiversity remains complex. In fact, to my knowledge there is no single indicator: biodiversity is local, multidimensional (fauna, flora, soils, etc.) and therefore varied. Unlike carbon, we do not have a universal ‘reference price’,” emphasizes André Heintz. This requirement is strengthened by regulations, notably the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which requires companies to report on their CSR actions.
How can we meet customer expectations while reducing our impact?
All the hoteliers interviewed note a shift in behavior. “Guests are receptive to our commitments and our actions, but they want to keep their comfort,” explains Philippe Wolff. “It’s up to us to put solutions in place without constraining the experience.” Séverine Pétilaire-Bellet, for her part, has observed a growing awareness in recent years: “Twenty years ago, guests systematically threw their towels on the floor. Today, they fold them to reuse them. They also understand the value of recyclable bottles or alternatives to plastic.” She adds that small touches can sometimes have more impact than a sophisticated service: “when you give a kilo of tomatoes to a guest, you feel like you’re giving them gold,” smiles the director of the Hostellerie de Levernois.
Everyone agrees that the CSR approach must be gradual and collective. “Every decision must take environmental impact into account, even if it involves an additional cost,” recommends Philippe Wolff, while Séverine Pétilaire-Bellet highlights the contribution of young people’s perspective: “You have to involve your teams, especially the youngest, who are very sensitive to these issues,”. To conclude, André Heintz emphasizes the need to prepare before taking the plunge: “Moving from good intentions to a real CSR strategy means identifying your stakeholders and defining a concrete action plan.”
As the testimony of the three entrepreneurs shows, sustainable tourism is no longer an option, but a necessity in 2025. The hotel industry must, in addition to reducing its impacts, seek to make a positive contribution.
Teddy Coppey
