On November 25, 2009, the State Council executive meeting decided that by 2020, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 40% to 45% compared with 2005 levels. The State Council's Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Tourism introduced the concept of "low-carbon tourism" and for the first time listed the tourism industry as a "low-carbon" industry as a strategic pillar industry of the national economy.
Low-carbon economy, as an economic model based on low energy consumption, low pollution and low emissions, has emerged in the context of the global **** with the response to climate change, and is considered by experts to be a global revolution involving production methods, lifestyles and values. Low-carbon hotel is also the concept of environmental protection and low emissions implanted in the hotel construction and operation, to become a creative and fashionable. For hotels, the choice of energy saving and emission reduction, low-carbon environmental protection, not only corporate social responsibility, respond to the government's call, but also for enterprises to provide a new perspective to examine the process, positioning, industry, supply chain, value chain, so as to reduce costs, increase efficiency, create value and build their own competitive advantage. It not only highlights the social responsibility of hotel companies, shapes a good social image for the hotel, but also reduces the hotel's operating costs and significantly improves the hotel's profitability.
The introduction of a low-carbon economy into the hotel industry, which is most closely related to the tourism industry, is therefore imperative. In the era of low carbon economy, people's production methods, lifestyles and values are undergoing unprecedented changes. The emergence of low-carbon hotels is in line with the trend of the times. Low-carbon hotels can not only improve the ecological environment, energy saving and emission reduction, at the same time can reduce business costs, improve economic efficiency, for the hotel industry has opened up a new direction of development. Hotel catering industry, the concept of environmental protection and low carbon should be applied to the construction and operation of the hotel, which is not only a response to social responsibility, the response to the government policy, but also enable the hotel to gain a competitive advantage from the low-carbon economy, so as to obtain a higher interest.
Famous economist Prof. Li Development said: Low-carbon hotels not only in the country vigorously promote the development of cultural and tourism industry plays a very important role in the process of promoting the development of the national low-carbon economy is equally essential, low-carbon hotel development potential is huge. Can not make the old conceptualization of the low-carbon economy, there is no standard and requirements, there are two aspects, one is the benefits of low-carbon, the benefits of society, and the second is the country to do, so that enterprises engaged in low-carbon can really get the benefits. At the same time, the Government has to do something, for example, setting standards. Of course, in the future, the state will also increase efforts in this regard, in is a big concept, no details. On the other hand, is the hotel itself can not use some energy-saving energy, such as solar energy, wind energy, can not use clay bricks and so on.