👋Wrapping Up 2025 with Gratitude + A Year of Reflections

一 Mariam Karim

| December 29, 2025

💌Note from the Kiosk team

2025—the Year of Community—what a year! We kicked things off with big ideas and a lot of energy about the year ahead.

It was a year of conversations that turned into collaborations, pilots that turned into proof points, and lessons that helped us better understand what hotels in the Middle East really need when it comes to sustainability: clarity, practicality, and solutions that work on-property.

As the year comes to a close, we wanted to share not just what we’ve been up to — but what we’re seeing across the region, and how hotels can use these insights as they plan for 2026.

🔍 What Hotels in the Middle East Should Be Paying Attention To

Across the GCC, we’re seeing a clear shift:
* Sustainability budgets are moving from good intentions to compliance and performance-driven investments.
* Engineering and operations teams are under pressure to prove impact, not just intent.
* Certifications (DST, Green Key, LEED) are increasingly influencing owner conversations and brand reporting.
* Guests expect sustainability to show up in the experience, not just signage.

Hotels that are succeeding are focusing on simple, impact measurable actions — supported by the right suppliers and well-trained teams. This is exactly where our work has been focused this year.

🛠 One Practical Action for Hotels

As you plan for 2026, we recommend one simple step. Review your sustainability spend and ask:
* Which initiatives support certification and compliance?
* Which suppliers are helping teams deliver measurable results?
* Where can operational teams be better equipped to act, not just report?

🎯 Our Mission for 2026

To support hotels where it matters most, our focus for next year is clear:
🌱 100 supplier match-ups
📚 1,000 operational team members trained
🌍 10,000 people inspired through podcasts, workshops, and events

💚 Thank you to our incredible community— your collaborations and energy made 2025 a year to remember!

💥2025 in numbers

A snapshot of the impact our community created together:

🏨 Hotels We Partnered With: 50+ – Actively engaged with Kiosk consultancy.
🌍 Certification Audits Conducted: 42 – Expanding our footprint across the GCC.
♻️ Solutions Listed: 87 – Across 10 categories of validated sustainable products and solutions to help hotels operate responsibly.
🤝 Events Hosted: 3 – Bringing together 200+ hoteliers, partners, and industry leaders together.
🎓 Hoteliers Trained: 88 – Equipped with Hospitality Operational Sustainability Toolkits (HOST) to drive practical solutions and real innovation.
🎙️ Podcast Chats: 7 – Conversations with hoteliers and industry experts sharing honest, on-the-ground experiences.
💌 Newsletter Subscribers: 2800+ – Growing a community of sustainability champions.

📃 Release of the 2025 Responsible Hoteliers Summit White Paper

At the 2025 Summit, we saw amazing ideas, innovations, and best practices come together, all focused on the future of responsible hospitality.

This year’s Summit highlighted one clear message:
Hotels want fewer theories and more real-world examples.

The paper brings together:
✨ Hotel case studies – Real examples of responsible practices in action
🎓 5 Masterclasses – Actionable strategies to inspire change
💡 Expert insights – Trends, challenges, and opportunities in sustainable hospitality

A big thank you to our Partners and Contributors for making this Paper possible!

Read here.

🎤 Sustainability Stories Podcasts are back!

After a short hiatus, we’re back with some new voices. Recorded live at the Summit, our latest podcast conversations explore:

* What actually worked on-property
* How teams overcame operational resistance
* Where hotels found quick wins without heavy CAPEX

Listen to the podcasts here.

✨ Mindful Merriment

Nothing brings us more joy than seeing sustainability in action, especially during the busy holiday season!

Anantara World Islands Dubai, Citadines Metro Central Dubai and Millennium Place Dubai Marina are turning leftover materials into festive decorations, proving that even small choices during the holidays can make a real difference.

Read more.