Sustainability communication handbook for hotels

Templates, exercises, checklists and scorecards to communicate sustainability with proof, avoid greenwashing, and stay aligned with today’s rules.

Available digitally or in print.

We built this handbook as a practical reference for independent and boutique hotels. Open any section, take what is needed, and turn real actions into guest trust and bookings.

The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: Communication — teal cover and inside pages shown across phone, tablets, laptops, and an open booklet.

Free reading Sample

As seen on:

Free reading Sample

A hotel-specific reference for sustainability communication

Created by MAp Boutique Consultancy, a Certified B Corporation, and Rupp Public Relations, this handbook turns sustainability communication into a practical system hotels can apply immediately.

Open laptop with handbook pages and an open printed spread; teal Communication handbook beside

Interior pages of the Communication handbook shown on phone, laptop, and desktop highlighting the ten principles

Open printed spread from the Communication handbook with pop-art illustration; teal cover partially visible

Table of contents for The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: Communication shown next to the teal cover

Practices of Sustainable Communication checklist displayed on smartphone and tablet

Introduction to Communication spread from The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: Communication

Laptop showing communication exercises and templates; smartphone displays the handbook cover

Open spread with the seven Ps and seven Cs diagram and sustainable marketing content

Multiple printed spreads featuring internal communication action steps and checklists

Multi-device mockup showing the Communication handbook cover and interior pages on phone, laptop, desktop, and tablet

What’s inside:

Clear guidance on sustainability communication vs. sustainable communication
7 practical exercises to move from theory to action
Scorecards and checklists to measure, improve, and stay aligned with current regulations
Templates to craft a sustainability story guests believe
Tips for internal and external communication – from team talks to guest touchpoints and public relations
A roadmap to shift from traditional to sustainable marketing
The 10 principles of sustainable communication with best practices from hotels and brands
Case studies and expert interviews showing what really works in hospitality
Handpicked resources for hotels that want to go further

Get the Handbook

What people say about the communication handbook:

“

The handbook helped me shape our communication with guests so that they were motivated to minimise their personal ecological footprint.

THOMAS KERSCHBAUMER, HEAD OF BUSINESS UNIT HOTEL & GASTRO, SENFTER HOLDING (SOUTH TYROL / ITALY)

Portrait of Sainey Sawaneh in a navy blue dress with white polka dots, standing indoors and smiling at the camera

“

This handbook makes it possible to set up targeted communication without greenwashing. A highly recommended support and a much-needed resource.

SAINEY SAWANEH, OWNER OF TRAVEL COMMUNICATION AGENCY HOST.ONLINE (TYROL, AUSTRIA)

Learn WHAT and HOW to Communicate Sustainability

Understand what to say – your sustainability actions and story – and how to say it in a way that is clear, credible, and free from greenwashing.

Start Communicating Now

Follow a proven 7-step framework to create your hotel’s sustainability communication strategy – ready to share your story with guests and partners today.

Equip Your Team with Tools and Resources

From one-person marketing teams to full departments, use templates, checklists, and scorecards that make communication faster, easier, and more consistent.

Learn from Industry Experts and Best Practices

Benefit from real hotel case studies and insights from leading voices in hospitality who are already communicating sustainability successfully.

Write Your Sustainability Story

Practical exercises guide you to craft a unique, authentic sustainability story that becomes the foundation of all your internal and external communication.

Reach Your Communication Goals

Set clear targets, track your progress with scorecards and compliance checklists, and measure success against today’s guest expectations and regulations.

Choose your preferred option

For the cost of an average hotel room night, you can set your hotel on the right course – creating sustainable impact and achieving business success.

As a B Corp-certified company, we encourage you to buy the digital handbook, which comes as a PDF with multiple versions for easy handling and sharing with your team. As a special bonus, you also receive the Introduction PDF free of charge.

You can keep guessing, risk falling into the greenwashing trap, and waste hours reading scattered advice – or get the only hotel-specific handbook that shows you exactly how to communicate with clarity today.

DIGITAL HANDBOOK

After payment, you can access your digital product (PDF file) immediately in your private and secured Community member area for easy, life-long access and download.

Also available in German. Click here.

CHF 148.00

PRINTED HANDBOOK

Learn more

*VAT charges might apply per the billing address.

For your security, all orders are processed on a secured server.

What happens after your order

MAp Boutique Consultancy The Sustainable Hotel Secure Checkout

1: Secure checkout page

Click the purchase button above and you’ll be taken to a secure checkout page.

2: Login to your account

Complete your order and check your email for your login instructions.

3: Enjoy your new handbook

Get the handbook

What powerful hotel sustainability communication delivers

Here’s what credible, greenwash-free communication unlocks for your hotel:

More bookings from sustainability-minded travellers who trust your story
Compliance made simple – get ahead of regulations and reporting requirements
Clear differentiation from competitors with a unique sustainability story
Stronger support from partners, local communities, and key stakeholders
Positive visibility through media coverage, recognition, and sustainability awards that amplify your impact

Meet the experts behind this handbook

In this handbook, we’ll share with you all the expertise we at MAp and Rupp have gained from working with independent and boutique hoteliers globally on their marketing and communication initiatives. Plus, we’ve interviewed some of the brightest minds that are shaping the future of hospitality, and they contribute their personal learnings and insights just for you.

Rachel Jones

Rachel is a Public Relations professional based in Brisbane, Australia. After working both client-and agency-side in both London and Sydney, she is now the co-founder and director of her own PR and marketing agency, Helm. Helm is a purpose-driven agency that works with like-minded travel and hospitality brands to help them realise their purpose-led potential, partnering with them as they steer towards a more positive and sustainable future.

Andrew Dixon

Andrew spent the first 20 years of his career working in banking and finance, eventually arriving in Singapore, where he stumbled across the unspoilt beaches and islands of nearby Indonesia. Together with some friends, they developed Nikoi Island and then subsequently Cempedak Island as boutique resorts using bamboo and driftwood and without air-conditioning. Working closely with the local communities, they have also established a foundation that has focused on improving education standards in the local villages, which impacts the lives of 10,000 villagers.

Natascha Rupp

Natascha is the founder and managing director of Rupp PR, a global communications consultancy specialising in sustainable travel and tourism. She's our expert for sustainable PR, marketing and communications.

Featured Partner

Rupp PR is an independent full-service communications agency focusing on sustainable travel and tourism. Based in the DACH region, the firm helps hotels and hospitality brands raise awareness and increase guest inquiries within their target markets.

It is independent and international, creating tailored communications strategies and executing marketing tactics to guide clients' visions forward – without compromising creativity. Most importantly, the Rupp PR team loves what it does.

Discover more

Communication Handbook

Who is this handbook for?

It is for independent and boutique hotels that want to communicate sustainability credibly, with proof. It is especially useful if you are already doing sustainability work but are unsure what to say, how to evidence it, or how to avoid greenwashing.

What will I be able to do after using it?

You will be able to structure your sustainability story, choose claims you can evidence, and communicate consistently across key touchpoints, from your website and offers to guest communication and public relations. You will also have a clear approach to reduce greenwashing risk and stay aligned with today’s rules.

What is inside the handbook?

Practical guidance, templates, exercises, checklists and scorecards. You will find tools to craft a sustainability story guests trust, align internal and external communication, and build an evidence-led communication system you can reuse.

Do I need to read it from cover to cover?

No. It is designed as a reference. Open the section you need, use the relevant tools, and apply them immediately.

How does it help me avoid greenwashing?

It helps you separate actions from claims, link every claim to proof, and choose wording that is specific and verifiable. The scorecards and checklists make it easy to pressure-test your messages before they go public.

Does it cover regulations and current requirements?

Yes. The handbook is built to help hotels communicate in a way that stays aligned with current rules and expectations. It gives you a practical structure to keep claims credible as requirements evolve.

Can I use this with our agency or public relations partner?

Yes. Many hotels use it to brief agencies, align messaging, and speed up approvals. It helps everyone work from the same evidence and the same story framework, so communication becomes consistent and faster to produce.

Is this hotel-specific or could I find the same advice elsewhere?

It is hotel-specific. The examples, templates and structure are built for hospitality realities such as guest touchpoints, seasonal offers, on-property operations, and how hotels are assessed by guests, partners and media.