Hilton Surfers Paradise is proud to be leading the way for sustainable travel.
With the pandemic prompting eco-awareness around the world, more and more guests are seeking accommodation and meaningful experiences that don’t cost the earth, preferring to immerse themselves in the destination, while connecting with the local environment. People’s mindsets are shifting as they reassess the way they want to travel now that it’s safe to do so once again. The silver lining after the almost two-year-long pause on travel is that our guests are inspired to make sustainable travel a priority.
In 2018, Hilton launched our ambitious Travel with Purpose 2030 goals, to redefine sustainable travel across the globe. By 2030, we are committed to doubling our social impact and cutting our environmental footprint in half.
In line with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose goals, Hilton Surfers Paradise is proud to be leading the way in the future of sustainable travel, with the implementation of several green initiatives over the past few years.
Our leadership team are strong supporters of the initiatives and works to educate and empower each and every Team Member across all departments from finance to food and beverage, to do their part and make a positive impact. In celebration of Earth Day, we’re sharing some of the initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint and increase our positive social impact.
Hilton Surfers Paradise Lobby
Goodbye Single-Use Paper & Plastic
We have banned the use of all single-use plastic across our dining outlets, rooms, and our meetings and events departments. Yes, this means water bottles too! We’ve made the switch to using water jugs and glasses. In addition, we have implemented paperless check-in and paperless reporting with our back of house and business development teams. We have also banned the use of takeaway coffee cups with our Team Members. Our Team can only purchase a coffee using a keep cup.
Recycling
A major priority for our hotel across all departments, we recycle everything from food scraps to paper, cardboard, plastic, and scrap metals, diverting as much as we can from landfill. Through strategic partnerships with companies both local and global, we reduce our environmental footprint and increase our positive social impact.
Food Scraps
Did you know that food waste represents up to 50% of the waste produced in the hospitality industry? In partnership with the Gold Coast City Council, we dispose of all food scraps, removing them from general waste collection. The scraps are then recycled into compost which is used in our local parks and gardens.
Catch Restaurant Buffet
Bread Tags
We collect all of our plastic bread tags and donate them to a company called Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, who recycle the tags and raise funds to buy wheelchairs for disadvantaged people, mainly in South Africa.
Soap Recycling
In partnership with Soap Aid, we recycle all of our bars of soap that in most cases are only used once or twice. These bars of soap are given a second life and sent to communities around the world that are facing major hygiene challenges.
Amenity Bottle Recycling
In partnership with Beyond Skin Deep, our plastic amenity waste is recycled into premium fencing products that perform better for longer. By recycling these toiletries, we not only reduce landfill, but also give them a second life by providing our farms and wineries with plastic fence posts.
Hotel Amenity Bottles
Linen Donations
When it’s time for us to upgrade, we donate our preloved bedding and linen to refuge homes, rehabilitation facilities, and animal shelters.
Energy Saving
As a large hotel with 178 hotel rooms, and 120 residences, we understand the importance of reducing our carbon emissions. Doing our part, we have made a few changes in the last few years that will make a huge impact on the environment. Since 2018, we have transitioned to LED Lighting and implemented room sensors to reduce energy when the guest is out of the room. We have more recently implemented climate control air conditioning systems that sense when the guest leaves the rooms or opens the balcony door.
Water Consumption
To reduce our water consumption, we have implemented water reduction shower heads, and switched to drought-resistant plants. By reducing our pool towel usage, we save 11.5 tonnes of water from laundering.
Sustainable Food
Our sustainable culture also feeds into the way we purchase our ingredients. In our kitchen, we use only free-range eggs, and sustainably sourced ingredients, including our seafood. Where possible we source ingredients locally, to support our community.
Sustainably sourced ingredients
The Results
Hilton Surfers Paradise is committed to driving responsible travel and tourism across the hospitality industry. Since 2018, we have proudly:
● Reduced water consumption equivalent to 10 Olympic sized swimming pools
● Reduced carbon emissions equivalent to 272 cars off the road
● Reduced energy consumption equivalent to 172 houses powered
● Reduced wasted equivalent to 80 households waste
● Donated 4,706 meals
● Completed 9,166 volunteer hours
● Donated 17,152 bars of soap
● Impacted the lives of 1069 young people
To book your eco-friendly stay at Hilton Surfers Paradise, call our in-house reservations team on (07) 5680 8000, or book online.
