Forum on Sustainable Urban Development: Session "Principles of Sustainable Development in the Hospitality Industry"

Currently, the tourism industry in Russia is steadily developing, new domestic destinations are opening, and regions are actively engaging with the sustainable development agenda. This positive trend not only creates benefits for participants in the tourism services market but also increases the risks of environmental impact and puts pressure on infrastructure. Trends and Drivers of Hotel Industry Development:

• Factors of Attractiveness and Investment Potential of the Tourism Industry
• Forming a Project Concept Considering Environmental and Social Aspects
• "Green" Solutions: Innovations in Energy and Water Efficiency. Economic and Environmental Results of Implementation
• Project Infrastructure: Components of Success

Anna Kulikova shared insights on designing hotels in remote natural territories.

Remote natural territories are becoming more attractive to tourists and investors every year. The landscape, weather, and logistical features of these territories often require the introduction of the most unconventional solutions to fully unlock the tourist potential of the area, ensure year-round traffic, while preserving the pristine nature and ecological purity of the region.

The specific focus of FANTALIS Architects is designing tourist facilities in hard-to-reach natural territories. The team has been developing tourism in remote natural regions of Russia for over 10 years, including in Kamchatka—the most desired destination in modern tourism. And of course, working in such unique, untouched territories that attract tourists always raises the issue of risks of damage to the surrounding ecosystem and the implementation of solutions that minimize them.

• ESG standards in architecture and construction—what is the current situation? (At the moment, there are no standards as such; of course, during design, there are certain points in certification without which it is impossible to pass, but everything beyond these norms is a gray area where everyone acts according to their understanding of the situation).

• How can the hotel construction process be made "green"? (Using the example of work in the Kamchatka region and the design of Aurora and Laguna, explain how ecology, local nature, and landscape were preserved. Preservation of trees, use of eco-friendly materials, use of local materials, active author's supervision, involvement of locals in the work, focusing design not only on tourists but also on locals).

• What problems in the ESG agenda remain unresolved? For the process of designing eco-friendly hospitality infrastructure to be complete, and not just a tick-box exercise, solutions are needed at a higher level. Simplifying the waste disposal process, creating necessary logistics, reducing taxes for eco-friendly businesses. (Here you can talk about attempts within the bureau—working with a sustainable development specialist, implementing reusable solutions to minimize emissions, etc.—but also voice the problems that have not yet been solved).

• What are the prospects for "green tourism" in Russia? Here, discuss that there is a positive trend; it is noticeable both among hotel users and clients that there is a demand for ecology, for preserving these pristine places, a desire to develop and design without causing harm. And everyone does this to the best of their ability, but qualitatively more serious solutions are needed.