As a hospitality business owner, you may already be thinking about the greenspace around your business and how you can get the most out of it.
Hospitality greenspace design is often the first impression your business makes, and a little planning – and planting – can go a long way when it comes to creating an ambience and visual impact that’s in-keeping with your business and your brand.
In addition to this, your greenspace can play a key part in supporting the surrounding environment, too – creating a sustainable ecosystem where plants and wildlife can thrive.
We’ve partnered with leading Scottish garden designer, Lynn Hill, to find out more about how creating a greenspace that’s kinder to customers and your environment could be within your reach.
It’s fair to say that sustainability is a key challenge for the hospitality sector. You may already be working to make your business more sustainable, as greener choices have been proven to influence customer choice, satisfaction and loyalty when it comes to travel and hospitality options. These key factors can give your business a competitive edge – not to mention a host of benefits…
Well-designed greenspace can have a positive impact on everything from your business’ visual appearance to your guests’ experience. In terms of environmental impact, even the smallest spaces can help to capture carbon to mitigate global warming; increase biodiversity; reduce pollution; prevent flooding – bringing both a sustainability and business benefit at every step.
These spaces can also have a hugely positive impact on your customer experience. Greenspace has been proven to have an impact on our mental and physical wellbeing – from providing customers with space to stretch their legs, or sit and reflect, or simply to enhance their surroundings.
If you consider some of the best hospitality experiences you have had, it’s likely that greenspace has played a part – from outdoor restaurants planted with fragrant plants and herbs to elegant garden vistas. These factors can all have a real impact on customer experience and retention.
“My advice is to consider your greenspace as early as possible when it comes to scoping-out a new hospitality initiative. My experience shows that the most fruitful development processes are those which understand that the inside and outside of a built space work in tandem with one another. Therefore, any ambitions that you have around your environmental credentials must combine the built environment with the outdoor space – enabling you to maximise every opportunity.
“You understand your business and your customer better than anyone, so it’s important that you consider how your greenspace can work hard to support and complement both of these elements. Consider how the hospitality sector has culturally transformed its approach to food and drink sustainability by championing provenance, sustainable supply and waste reduction – all commonplace practices now. Pioneering greenspace approaches will be next – so watch this space.”
Feeling inspired to revitalise your business’ greenspace, or ready to look into building a hospitality business that’s kinder to customers and the planet? Please get in touch with Lynn Hill Garden Design for more advice and support.