Irish Tourism Sector under spotlight as Fifty Shades Greener unveils new sustainability event

The global tourism sector accounts for 7.3% of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Less Shades, More Action explores how hospitality businesses can build green skills within their teams to cut emissions and reduce costs.

Hospitality businesses who invest in green upskilling can achieve up to 30% return on investment through energy savings alone**.

The EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive will require hospitality businesses to verify green credentials from September 2026.

Similarly, the Government’s Tourism Policy Framework 2025-2030 aims to reduce the average carbon emissions associated with each visitor bed night by 60% by 2030.

Fifty Shades Greener, the leading sustainability training and certification provider, today announces a new sustainability event, placing Ireland’s tourism sector firmly under the spotlight. The event will take place on Tuesday 28^th April at Dublin’s Mayson Hotel.

With the global tourism sector accounting for 7.3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions annually, Less Shades, More Action will explore how hospitality businesses can cut their carbon footprint and operational costs through green upskilling and people-led action.

While emissions reduction can often centre on building upgrades or design changes, Fifty Shades Greener focuses on empowering the people involved in the day-to-day operations of a business. According to the company’s own research, by upskilling and training their staff on sustainable practices, hospitality businesses can achieve up to a 30% reduction in energy usage and costs*.

Fifty Shades Greener’s event will explore how people-first sustainability improves margins, culture, and operational resilience for hospitality businesses. With the Irish Government introducing measures in 2025 to reduce the average carbon emissions per visitor bed night by 60% by 2030, the timing could not be more pressing. To support this goal, specific targets have been set for tourism businesses to complete environmental audits and implement emissions reduction measures.

In a similar vein, hospitality businesses, along with all other industries, will also need to comply with the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive. The law, which was transposed by all EU member states by the 27^th of March this year, seeks to protect consumers against unfair commercial practices, specifically greenwashing. The directive will become full applicable from the 27^th of September 2026, forcing organisations to validate their green credentials and ban vague environmental claims to discourage dishonest marketing.

With comedian, Barry Murphy, set to MC the event, guests will also hear from Dr Karl Thomas, founder of training company, Creatovation; Dr Susan Gill, Manager of Climate Strategy and Skills, SOLAS; and Jason Conlon, Assistant HR and Sustainability Manager, Mespil Hotel. The event is open to all members of the hospitality sector including general managers, green managers, designers, educators and sustainability advocates.

To register for the event, visit www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/less-shades-more-action

Raquel Noboa, Founder, Fifty Shades Greener, said: “Hospitality businesses across Ireland are built on the very landscapes and cultural heritage that draw visitors in. Yet there is a growing disconnect between profiting from that natural beauty and taking responsibility for protecting it.

The fact is that hospitality businesses have a responsibility to act. Implementing green upskilling and training for staff offers a practical solution – that benefits both the environment and businesses’ bottom line. This event is an opportunity for the hospitality sector to learn and move from awareness into action. Small steps, taken by the right people, can have a meaningful impact.”

**This statistic was calculated using Fifty Shades Greener’s Data Portal for CO2e management and is based on averages from 280 hospitality businesses over 4 years.