The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Secretariat, in collaboration with the GIZ project “Cool Contributions – Fighting Climate Change II”, hosted a webinar titled “Green Cooling in Hotels: Reducing Emissions in the Tourism Sector” on 14 March 2023.

The webinar addressed the significant climate impact of the hotel sector, which accounts for approximately 20% of total tourism-related emissions, with cooling systems representing more than 50% of energy consumption in hotels located in tropical regions. The session highlighted the potential of green cooling solutions—highly energy-efficient cooling technologies using natural refrigerants—to reduce emissions, energy use, and operational costs.

The programme included presentations on the climate impact of tourism and hotel cooling, an introduction to green cooling technologies, mitigation options through smart and sustainable cooling solutions, and a best-practice case study on the Green Cooling Roadmap for the Jetwing Hotel Group (Sri Lanka). The webinar concluded with an interactive discussion and Q&A session.

The event targeted officials from Ministries of Tourism of IORA Member States, as well as private-sector stakeholders from the hotel industry, and contributed to raising awareness and promoting practical measures to support low-carbon and sustainable tourism development across the Indian Ocean region.