Airmaker: Empowering Sustainable Tourism by Connecting Travelers to Hotels with Transparent Carbon Footprints and Supporting Local Businesses

¹MPhil in Environment Science, Science Unit, Lingnan University, China

A Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for IBCOL 2023

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

Abstract

In response to the pressing need for sustainable travel, this proposal outlines a comprehensive solution aimed at increasing public and local business participation in carbon neutrality and improving hotel ESG disclosure performance. The solution is based on the development of blockchain technology in the Web 3.0 era. The project will focus on three key components:

1. Direct Carbon Footprint Tracking: This crucial component of our solution involves real-time data collection from local power plants regarding the electricity consumption of hotels. Blockchain technology is efficient and suitable for building a transparent and tamper-proof ledger of carbon footprint data. These data blocks are securely stored on blockchain servers, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the information. By directly linking with the power plants, we eliminate the need for hotels to self-report their energy consumption, thus reducing the risk of inaccurate or manipulated data.
2. Carbon Information Analysis: To make sense of this data, hotels need to employ sophisticated analytics tools that consider occupancy rates, peak usage periods, and the overall trends in carbon footprint changes. This analysis provides valuable insights into a hotel's environmental impact and energy efficiency. It enables hotels to identify opportunities for optimization, set emission reduction targets, and enhance their ESG performance.
3. Green Information System (Hotel Guests & Nearby Businesses): Beyond internal improvements, hotels share the insights gained from carbon emissions analysis with neighboring businesses through our Green Information System. This system highlights peak emission periods and other relevant data. Armed with this information, local businesses can strategically time their promotions and offers. These targeted incentives are then distributed to hotel guests via their Web3 wallets, creating a win-win situation.

These components form an organic system that empowers hotels to generate actionable data for enhancing their ESG performance and energy efficiency. It also provides tourists with the ability to trace the electricity sources powering the hotels they choose to stay in, fostering transparency and environmental responsibility. Simultaneously, nearby businesses participate in the promotion of green tourism, thereby contributing to the development of both Web3 technology and sustainable travel practices.