Circular practices in the hotel sector: a case study in Spain

Abstract

[eng] Circular economy is more than a set of different sustainable practices, it tries to elaborate and implant into society a new system of values in which to settle on. It breaks with current consumption patterns and offers solutions with zero waste generation as a maximum objective. This paper explains what the idea of circular economy consists of, which are its objectives and its application in Spain, specifically in the tourism sector. Then, it analyzes the information obtained from a survey to eight different hotels. Results show which are the true interests of companies related with circular practices and which of them are more and less implemented. All companies around the world are facing a situation never seen before, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of relating, of living and consuming. The hotel sector is especially sensitive to these changes since the mobility of most world’s inhabitants is being limited. This research tries to answer these questions: How the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in the implementation of circular practices? And what barriers have they encountered?