Meliá Hotels International has received the Innovation in Environmental Sustainability Award from Telefónica and Agora Next at the Global Travel & Tourism Innovation Summit 2019. The award was received in Madrid by Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, Vice President and CEO of Meliá at the 5th edition of what has become a leading international event for digital transformation and innovation in travel and tourism and which this year focused on responsible innovation and sustainable technology.
The award acknowledges Meliá Hotels International's firm commitment to sustainability. The company has recently seen its emission reduction objectives scientifically validated by Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi), a global alliance driving actions to combat climate change in the business world.
Meliá was also named the Most Sustainable Hotel Company in the World this year after achieving the highest score in the global travel industry in the most recent Corporate Sustainability Assessment made by SAM. The company considers technological innovation a key factor in optimising environmental management in its hotels and has developed an eco-efficiency model and climate strategy which it sees as fundamental to respond to current challenges and contribute to the development of a more sustainable industry.
In the words of Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, “sustainability is one of the most important challenges facing tourism, and technology undoubtedly plays a very important role in facing this challenge. At Meliá we believe that the travel industry is a powerful driver of global social and economic development and we continue to work to lead this ongoing change and develop an increasingly responsible business model. We are very grateful to our partner Telefónica and to AgoraNext for having given us this award and for continuing to support sustainable innovation".
