Sustainability: A key tourism driver

At a panel discussion during ITB Berlin 2026, experts examined how businesses can generate value from sustainability data. The session was hosted by Danish consulting firm BeCause.

BeCause is a Copenhagen-based sustainability technology company that provides a data hub and platform for the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Its software centralises and automates the collection, management and sharing of environmental, social and governance (ESG) data to help hotels, tour operators, destinations and booking platforms streamline reporting, compliance and transparency.

During the discussion, it became clear that the definition and concept of “sustainability” remain widely debated, with no unified system of measurement in place.

Jahanzeeb Ahmed, chief commercial officer of BeCause, stressed that sustainability is meaningless if it cannot be measured consistently and translated into results that can be shared across a tourism operator’s network of suppliers and customers. He described sustainability as a key driver of competitiveness, influencing revenue, costs and long-term credibility.

Danielle D’Silva, director of sustainability at Booking.com, emphasised the importance of creating systems and solutions that benefit customers. She advocates a holistic sustainability strategy to guide the development and implementation of a company’s global sustainability agenda. D’Silva said consumers are increasingly willing to accept trade-offs as long as the message is clearly communicated and the benefits of sustainable solutions are understood.

Transparency

Peter Andrews, senior director and chief of staff at the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, supports the Alliance’s “NetPositiveHospitality” concept.

He said consistent data collection is essential to driving sustainability, particularly “if we expect people to pay for something they cannot measure.”

Andrews added that consumers need to understand how standards are aligned, which methodologies are applied, and where an organisation stands in its sustainability journey, based on realistic assessments and transparent benchmarking to ensure long-term credibility.

Sara Diguesi of BWH Hotels emphasised that measurement can only be consistent if a shared message and common standards are applied across a group. She urged tourism organisations to start, no matter how small the initial steps, noting that the process is important and time-consuming when approached correctly.

Dr Renée Nicole Wagner, corporate director of ESG and quality management at Orascom, emphasised that the consistent collection and capture of data must become a way of life. She said sharing this information is essential, not just with customers, but also among staff, to track progress and build trust. Ultimately, she added, transparency becomes part of a tourism operator’s business proposition.