• Andy De Silva on building sustainability into every hospitality choice

We often talk about Sri Lanka as a hub for tourism; our strong geographic position, incredible cultural heritage, and boundless (within reason) natural and biodiversity resources make the island a South Asian tourism powerhouse. Integral to being a tourism powerhouse, however, is our hospitality industry. 

We are all aware of the new hotels that are opening in Colombo. This year alone, three major players have entered the Colombo hotel circuit. We have also seen the end product – beautiful buildings, diverse restaurants, and luxurious rooms. 

However, there is so much that happens from when a hotel complex is built to when it is able to open its doors, complete with all its amenities. 

This week, The Sunday Morning Brunch pulled back the curtain to look at what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to how the various amenities of a hotel come into place, in a conversation with Hotel Emporium Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andy De Silva.

The hospitality industry is known for luxury and comfort and often this can mean that the environmental costs of hospitality can be overlooked, from single-use plastics to unsustainable resource consumption. 

While sustainability now plays a huge role in how we design new buildings, it can sometimes be a struggle for hotels to maintain that same sustainability in their operations and amenities. Nevertheless, Andy is leading a quiet shift through the Hotel Emporium approach by focusing on eco-conscious amenities. 

From humble beginnings in the late 1990s, Hotel Emporium has grown into a global supplier of eco-conscious amenities, serving over 20,000 hotels and resorts. Andy’s insights highlight the transformative potential of sustainable solutions in addressing the hospitality sector’s environmental challenges.

Why build sustainability into hospitality?

For Andy, this is more of a big-picture responsibility than a business strategy. “Globally, the hospitality industry has a unique role to play in reducing its environmental footprint,” he shared, adding that sustainability was also doubly important in Sri Lanka’s unique tourism landscape.

“Sri Lanka’s natural beauty is its greatest asset. Our beaches, forests, and wildlife attract tourists from all over the world. However, with that comes a responsibility to preserve these treasures,” he said. 

There is also a responsibility to customers, as modern travellers increasingly expect hotels to adopt eco-conscious practices, a trend that Andy sees as both a challenge and an opportunity. 

“Guests are making conscious decisions about where they stay. Hotels that prioritise sustainability can build trust, attract eco-minded travellers, and gain a competitive edge.”

This responsibility is one that the Lankan hospitality industry is keenly aware of. From the large chain hotels to the smaller establishments, many hospitality players attempt to weave sustainability into their practices, and as a nation, Sri Lanka has immense potential to become a global leader in ecotourism. 

However, sustainability comes with operational challenges, and this is also where Hotel Emporium can play a more significant role.

“For smaller hotels, investing in sustainable infrastructure can be a hurdle. Education, partnerships, and affordable solutions are key to overcoming these obstacles,” Andy stated.

Hotel Emporium is already playing a role by partnering with local hoteliers to integrate eco-friendly solutions. “Our goal is to help Sri Lankan hotels adopt sustainable practices that align with their operations while enhancing the guest experience,” he added. 

Building sustainability into daily touchpoints

Andy believes that sustainable practices succeed only when everyone – hoteliers, staff, and guests – is engaged and informed. “Education is critical. You can’t implement change without showing people why it matters,” he noted.

For hotel operators, Hotel Emporium provides consultation and training on sustainable solutions, such as transitioning to refillable dispensers or using eco-friendly materials. Staff are engaged through workshops and awareness campaigns, ensuring they understand their roles in achieving sustainability goals.  

“The hospitality industry produces significant waste and single-use plastics are a major contributor,” Andy explained, adding: “Our aim is to help hotels adopt greener alternatives that are both practical and sustainable without compromising quality or the guest experience.”

“Sustainability is at the core of everything we do,” he stressed, sharing that one of Hotel Emporium’s core products included a hands-free liquid amenity dispenser filling system designed to improve efficiency in hotel housekeeping operations by streamlining the refilling process, as well as reducing waste, operational complexities, and reliance on single-use plastics while promoting hygiene. 

Hotel Emporium’s approach to sustainability also extends to rethinking traditional packaging. For instance, it offers customers the choice of eco pods – an alternative to plastic packaging made entirely from biodegradable materials such as bamboo, sugarcane, and wood fibre. 

With a minimalist and functional design, eco pods balance environmental considerations with aesthetic standards expected in the hospitality industry.

Guests are a vital part of the equation. “We encourage guests to participate in eco-conscious behaviours during their stay,” Andy said. In-room messaging and sustainable amenities, such as reusable aluminium water bottles, serve as gentle reminders that small changes can make a big difference.  

Sustainable alternatives for everyday amenities can include small changes to standard products, including bamboo toothbrushes and cornstarch combs. These items, often modest in appearance, contribute significantly to reducing single-use plastics when implemented at scale. Packaged in biodegradable materials, they provide practical options for hoteliers and appeal to eco-conscious travellers. 

Hotel Emporium has also developed reusable and recyclable bottles crafted from aluminium and glass as an alternative to disposable plastics, aligning with sustainability goals while maintaining a high standard of design suitable for guest-facing settings. 

“Every choice matters, even something as small as a toothbrush,” Andy said. 

Scaling sustainability to strengthen Lankan hospitality

One of Hotel Emporium’s key priorities is scaling its sustainable solutions, ensuring its products can reach hotels not just locally but also worldwide. By providing accessible alternatives to traditional waste-heavy amenities, the company aims to normalise eco-friendly practices without compromising luxury or convenience. 

Hotel Emporium has already made strides in this regard, with Andy most recently being awarded the ‘World’s Leading Sustainability Leader of Tomorrow 2024’ title at the inaugural ‘World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards’ (WSTHA) earlier this year.

Yet for Andy, the true impact doesn’t come from sustainable products but from sustainable partnerships, particularly with developing markets such as Sri Lanka, where he hopes to empower local economies. 

Collaborating with small businesses to source sustainable materials, he sees an opportunity to drive positive change both for the environment and for communities that have untapped potential.

Innovation remains at the heart of Andy’s plans. From creating technologies that simplify sustainable operations to advocating practices that benefit hotels of all sizes, his goal is clear – to remove barriers that prevent hotels from embracing greener choices. 

By investing in education and collaboration, Hotel Emporium is positioned as more than a supplier; it becomes a partner to hoteliers navigating the complexities of a changing world.

Perhaps most importantly, Andy believes that driving industry-wide change requires collective action. By partnering with global organisations and establishing new sustainability benchmarks, Hotel Emporium hopes to amplify awareness of the hospitality sector’s environmental impact while presenting actionable solutions. 

“We want to make sustainability the standard, not the exception. It’s not just about offering greener options but about rethinking how we approach hospitality altogether,” he said. 

As the industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its footprint, behind-the-scenes efforts such as these are driving meaningful change. Andy’s insights shed light on how small shifts, from eco-friendly amenities to collaborative solutions, can help hotels embrace sustainability without compromising the guest experience.