A single-use water bottle, a set of bathroom amenities, food packaging, or the ingredients discarded every day may seem like small details in hotel operations. But when viewed across the hospitality industry, they reflect a much larger question: will hospitality continue consuming resources under the traditional linear model, or move toward an operating approach that creates less waste and more value?
The answer is not only about the environment. Today, sustainable choices also have a direct impact on operating costs, guest experience, brand reputation, and the ability to work with international partners.
At HORECFEX VIETNAM 2026, Gabriel Tan – Member of the United Nations Tourism Panel of Experts and CEO of GUAVA International – will join the industry community to explore how the circular economy can become part of a growth strategy for hospitality, tourism, and service businesses.
As an international sustainability expert, Gabriel has worked with partners across hospitality, tourism, aviation, and service industries. His work focuses on moving ESG objectives beyond written commitments and transforming them into tangible products, processes, and experiences that can be seen in everyday operations.
One important aspect of this approach is that sustainability does not necessarily have to begin with large-scale projects. Transformation can start with how businesses select suppliers, design products, manage materials, reduce waste, and extend the life cycle of resources. When these elements are connected as part of a wider system, businesses can not only reduce their environmental impact, but also control costs and create meaningful points of differentiation for customers.
Gabriel also brings an important perspective: consumers are not only interested in what businesses say about ESG, but also in what they actually experience. A well-designed sustainability initiative can become a compelling brand story, helping guests better understand the values a hotel or hospitality business stands for.
For hospitality businesses, the question is therefore no longer about choosing between commercial performance and environmental responsibility. The real challenge is to identify solutions that can create both forms of value at the same time.
Gabriel Tan’s session at HORECFEX VIETNAM 2026 will offer practical ideas for managers, investors, F&B businesses, and suppliers looking for a sustainability roadmap that can be implemented, measured, and scaled.
Because the circular economy does not only ask how much waste a business can reduce. It also raises a bigger question: how much new value can the hospitality industry create from resources that are currently being overlooked?