Working with project partner, Scholars of Sustenance (Thai-SOS) and knowledge partner Futouris, PATA is launching the BUFFET Campaign to drive positive change in the industry.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of food waste in the travel and tourism sectors.
Working with project partner, Scholars of Sustenance (Thai-SOS) and knowledge partner Futouris, PATA is launching the BUFFET Campaign to drive positive change in the industry.
PATA said The BUFFET (Building an Understanding For Food Excess in Tourism) Initiative is about bringing together a coalition of industry partners and PATA members to create and implement a campaign that “challenges our industry, particularly the hospitality sector, to reduce food waste to landfill”.
PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy said with significant growth expected in the industry and especially the Asia Pacific region, “greater waste can be expected”.
Reducing food waste, he said, would reduce the cost for operators in the industry “while benefiting the environment at the same time”.
The main activities in this initiative include the creation of Asia-Pacific focused resources for hoteliers and other hospitality and tourism professionals to drive positive change and ultimately reduce their food waste to landfill.
“While this initiative aims to impact our industry at large, will be focusing additional efforts on hotels and food and beverage providers in Asia, and specific hotel properties in Bangkok in our Bangkok Hotels Project, with the expertise of Thai-SOS,” Hardy said.
PATA is seeking to engage further with hotels who would like to reduce their food waste to landfill, hotels already implementing food waste solutions, potential partners and sponsors, as well as those who would like to help PATA in raising awareness and building a better understanding for food excess in tourism.
Some facts about food waste:
• Food waste is the third biggest contributor to climate change
• One third of all foods produced in the world is wasted
• Additional pressures arise from GHG emissions caused by food production and transportation
• Right now 842 million people do not have enough to eat and with an estimated world population of 9.8 billion people in 2050 resources will be limited and more people will be hungry