Hotel asset managers as catalysts for sustainable change

Purpose This article highlights how hotel asset management practices and governance structures can drive sustainable change and enhance asset value. The approach builds on prior research and industry evidence, translating key insights into actionable strategies for practitioners. Design/methodology/approach This paper synthesizes insights from the author's prior studies on hotel asset management and corporate governance, along with recent industry reports, framed in an organizational change context. A conceptual framework illustrates how asset management decisions, change management processes, and sustainability outcomes interrelate. Findings Effective hotel asset management can advance sustainability and financial performance. Hotels adopting proactive green initiatives often realize higher profit margins and greater market differentiation. Key components – investment planning, operations oversight and stakeholder alignment – serve as levers to implement initiatives that cut operating costs and extend asset life. Misaligned incentives in asset light ownership structures hinder progress, whereas aligned goals and strong leadership unlock improvements. Embedding sustainability into asset decisions through structured change processes improves environmental performance and financial results. Social implications Embedding sustainability lowers energy, carbon, water and waste; strengthens community resilience; improves ESG transparency and compliance; supports fairer owner–operator relationships; elevates brand trust and boosts employee engagement and retention. Originality/value This paper bridges academic research on hotel asset management and sustainability with industry practice, presenting an integrated perspective. It connects previously siloed analyses of environmental initiatives and financial performance by showing how sustainability can be systematically implemented through asset management. A framework and real-world example demonstrate that profitability and sustainability reinforce each other, especially under effective change management.