- Hospitality enterprises are encouraged to adopt circular methods to enhance sustainability, with food waste and energy production identified as vital drivers for transformation.
- A UNEP report for 2024 reveals that food services account for 28% of worldwide food waste.
- The Future Stage at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 includes insightful discussions that challenge the limits of entrepreneurship and technology in the travel industry.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 29 April 2025: Amidst the mounting challenges travel companies encounter, ranging from operational inefficiencies to a surge in sustainability demands, food waste has emerged as an inescapable concern in the travel and tourism sector.
Throughout the “What a Waste!” event, During the “How to Better Manage Food Waste in Tourism” session on the Future Stage at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, specialists emphasized how operational shortcomings, evolving consumer demands, and the increasing need for sustainable business practices are transforming hospitality management.
Delegates discovered that two key sectors, food waste and energy production, present immediate chances for businesses to attain substantial environmental and economic advantages.
Emphasizing the importance of community involvement, Enas Sobhy Ali, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tadweer, addressed how hotels can promote food waste initiatives: “I think one of the main challenges in the hospitality sector is the gap between operations and their effects. Since customer satisfaction is the main focus for the hospitality sector, this can result in overproduction and considerable food waste from hotels. A highly efficient and straightforward approach to tackle this is to begin implementing waste audits and improving the recycling bin system.
As per the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, the global food waste is estimated at 1.05 billion tonnes in the retail, food service, and household sectors combined. In 2022, 60% of the overall food waste occurred at homes, while food services accounted for 28% and retail for 12%, highlighting the crucial necessity for improved and sustainable practices in managing food waste.
Emphasizing the importance of community involvement, Enas Sobhy Ali, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tadweer, addressed how hotels can promote food waste initiatives: “I think one of the main challenges in the hospitality sector is the gap between operations and their effects. Since customer satisfaction is the main focus for the hospitality sector, this can result in overproduction and considerable food waste from hotels. A highly efficient and straightforward approach to tackle this is to begin implementing waste audits and improving the recycling bin system.
As per the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, the global food waste is estimated at 1.05 billion tonnes in the retail, food service, and household sectors combined. In 2022, 60% of the overall food waste occurred at homes, while food services accounted for 28% and retail for 12%, highlighting the crucial necessity for improved and sustainable practices in managing food waste.
Speakers pointed out that minimizing food waste can promote a circular economy within the hospitality industry. Furthermore, innovative models for sustainable energy production are helping operators reduce their carbon footprints. The session additionally provided actionable solutions for hotel owners, operators, and investors keen to integrate environmental stewardship into their core business strategies.
Dr. Amal Albedwawi, Senior Food Safety Specialist at the UAE Food Bank, remarked: “At the UAE Food Bank, a significant challenge we encounter in rescuing and recycling food from hotels and hospitality sectors is the variety of management styles prevalent in the industry. Every hotel functions independently, so we must communicate the benefits of recycling food waste to each manager one by one. We endeavor to help them grasp that we collaborate closely with the Food Safety Department to guarantee that the hotels involved will not face any risks by joining our food bank initiatives.
Echoing the overarching ATM 2025 theme of improved connectivity and innovation, the Future Stage persists in hosting groundbreaking conversations on technology and entrepreneurship. In another part of today’s agenda, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr, gave a talk called “AI Adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy,” discussing how travel companies can effectively utilize artificial intelligence to foster growth and innovation.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at the Arabian Travel Market, remarked: “Challenges related to sustainability, like food waste, need creative solutions and cooperation within our sector.” Through encouraging practical conversations, ATM 2025 equips companies with the expertise and tactics necessary to effect genuine change and protect their operations for the future.
The 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market will carry on tomorrow (30 April) at Dubai World Trade Centre, attracting over 55,000 travel industry experts from 166 nations. Under the theme “Global Travel: Shaping the Future of Tourism via Improved Connectivity,” ATM 2025 offers an essential platform for exchanging knowledge, networking, and discovering new avenues for a sustainable and inclusive travel sector.
Conducted alongside DWTC, ATM’s strategic collaborators consist of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.
For more information, log on to wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html.
