Supported by the recovery of global tourism and rising demand for live experiences, mega events have regained strong popularity in recent years. Sustainability has also become an increasingly visible priority in event planning, particularly around transport and mobility, where organizers often place the strongest emphasis through public transit, low-emission travel, and venue access strategies.

Accommodation sustainability is also beginning to receive more structured attention in some major event frameworks. For hotels, this may represent an area of growing relevance as organizers refine their sustainability expectations over time.

One useful reference comes from World Athletics, whose Accommodation Planning – Best Practice Guidance offers one of the clearest examples of how sustainability can be incorporated into hotel selection for major sporting events.

The guidance encourages organizers to consider environmental and operational impacts when evaluating hotel partners. Suggested considerations include:

• Environmental certifications: Preference for hotels with recognized sustainability certifications or clearly demonstrated environmental management practices.
• Location and proximity: Selecting accommodations closer to competition venues to reduce transport-related emissions and travel times for athletes, officials and staff.
• Sustainable food practices: Encouraging responsible sourcing, healthier menus, and reduced food waste in catering operations.
• Reduction of single-use plastics: Limiting disposable plastic products in guest rooms, dining, and event-related hospitality services.
• Laundry and operational efficiency: Reducing unnecessary laundry volumes. For example, washing clothing together where appropriate, as part of broader resource-saving efforts.

In practice, accommodation decisions are often influenced by multiple operational factors. To balance sustainability goals with operational realities, such as capacity, accessibility, athlete needs, security and budget, event organizers are encouraged to work collaboratively with accommodation providers, recognizing that sustainability progress can vary across destinations and hotel categories.

For hotel partners, this presents an opportunity to continue strengthening sustainability practices — not only to align with evolving event expectations, but also to respond to a growing segment of travelers who value visible and credible environmental efforts.