Food Waste Reduction Drives Circular Economy Initiatives In Tourism At ATM 2025

Travel companies are grappling with numerous challenges, including operational inefficiencies and the rising demand for sustainability. Among these, food waste has emerged as a significant issue in the travel and tourism sector. Experts at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 highlighted how evolving consumer expectations and sustainable practices are reshaping hospitality management.

During the session titled "What a Waste! How to Better Manage Food Waste in Tourism" on the Future Stage at ATM 2025, industry leaders discussed strategies to tackle food waste and energy generation. These areas present immediate opportunities for companies to achieve environmental and economic benefits. The session provided practical solutions for hotel owners, operators, and investors eager to incorporate environmental stewardship into their core business strategies.

Enas Sobhy Ali, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tadweer, emphasised local engagement's role in driving food waste initiatives in hotels. She stated, "I believe that one of the key challenges that facing in the hospitality industry is the disconnection between operation and impact. As the priority for the hospitality industry is customer satisfaction, this can lead to overproduction and significant food waste from hotels. One of the most effective and simplest ways to address this is to start introducing waste auditing and enhancing the system for recycling bins."

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 revealed that approximately 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted globally across retail, food service, and household sectors. In 2022 alone, households accounted for 60% of this waste, while food services contributed 28% and retail 12%. This data underscores an urgent need for more efficient food waste management practices.

Speakers at ATM 2025 noted that reducing food waste can foster a circular economy within the hospitality sector. Additionally, innovative models for sustainable energy generation are helping operators reduce their carbon footprints. Dr. Amal Albedwawi from UAE Food Bank highlighted challenges faced when rescuing and recycling food from hotels due to varied management approaches.

Dr. Albedwawi explained, "As the UAE Food Bank, the main challenge we face when it comes to rescuing and recycling food from hotels and hospitality entities is the many different management approaches within the industry. Each hotel operates separately from one another, so we need to explain the merits of recycling food waste to each manager individually. We try to make them understand that we work closely with the Food Safety Department to ensure that the participating hotels will not undertake any risk by participating in our food bank programmes."

Innovation and Connectivity at ATM 2025

The Future Stage at ATM 2025 continues hosting discussions on technology and entrepreneurship under its theme of enhanced connectivity and innovation. Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr, spoke about leveraging artificial intelligence in travel businesses during her address titled "AI Adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy". Her insights focused on using AI for growth and innovation.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at Arabian Travel Market, remarked on sustainability challenges like food waste requiring innovative thinking within the industry. She commented, "Sustainability challenges, such as food waste, require innovative thinking and collaboration within our industry. By facilitating practical discussions, ATM 2025 provides businesses with the knowledge and strategies they need to implement real change and safeguard their operations for the future."

The ongoing Arabian Travel Market event at Dubai World Trade Centre welcomes over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries under its theme "Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow's Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity". This platform enables knowledge sharing, networking opportunities while unlocking new avenues towards a sustainable travel industry.

With inputs from WAM