Environmental protection programs and conservation practices of hotels in Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the general nature of environmental protection, waste management, purchasing, energy use, and conservation practices of hotels in Ankara, Turkey. It explored the extent of environmental protection practices so the hotel industry could evaluate its position on environmental issues and so that other interested parties, including academics, can obtain fresh information for a distinctive part of the world. The data were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. The study found that the policies and practices of Ankara hotels generally lack attributes relevant to environmental protection and conservation, and that hotel managers mostly lack the necessary environmental knowledge and interest to meet the basic objectives of social and environmental responsibility. It is thus necessary to develop an integrated system of policy and practice that involves not only the hotel management and staff, but also all parties concerned with environmental protection and sustainability, and to re-evaluate and reconsider national, local, and hotel policies and training activities.