From Guest House to Guest Lecture: Teaching the next generation why Sustainability is Good for Business

This month, Felicity was invited to guest lecture at the University of Queensland, sharing her real-world insights on how sustainable hosting isn’t just good for the planet — it’s good for business. Speaking alongside Professor Ya-Yen Sun, one of the world’s leading researchers in sustainable tourism, Felicity discussed how small, practical actions can change guest behaviour, attract new audiences, and reshape the future of the hospitality industry.

Inspiring the next generation of Tourism professionals.

♻️ Working With Industry and the Next Generation: Why Sustainability Is Good for Business

This month, I had the opportunity to do something a little different — step into the classroom and speak directly to the next generation of tourism professionals. 🎓

I was invited by Dr Ya-Yen Sun, Professor of Sustainable Tourism at the University of Queensland and lead author of tourismemissions.org, to share my experiences running a sustainable accommodation business with her third-year tourism students.

Ya-Yen’s research on tourism emissions has been a huge inspiration for me. Her work actually sparked the idea for the Tourism Emissions Panel I hosted during Sydney Climate Action Week earlier this year. So, to now be invited to guest lecture alongside her — and share real-world insights from the industry — felt like a true full-circle moment.

🌿 The big question: does sustainability really pay off?

Many students admitted they still see sustainability as “doing something good,” but not necessarily good for business.

I shared our story of The Rangers Cottage and walked them through our numbers — and yes, it does pay off:

• Revenue up 16 % on the previous year

• Average nightly rate up 7 %

• Occupancy up to 84 % (our best year on record!)

Guests aren’t just happy to join in — they’re booking because of it. One guest recently wrote:

“Your place looks amazing (and sustainable, which I love). I can’t wait to stay!”

🏡 Getting guests to “do the right thing”

One of the students asked, “But how do you actually make guests care?”

My answer: We can’t make guests engage — but we can make it easy for them to do the right thing.

At our cottage:

• A small sign next to the coffee machine says, “Please leave used coffee pods here — we’ll recycle them.”
  → 100 % of guests now do it.

• Our kitchen compost bin has compostable liners and clear guidance on what goes in.
  → Around 70 % of guests use it.

Simple, clear communication turns sustainability into second nature. Guests feel part of something; they have the choice to take part if they want to or not. There is no lecture about it.

👥 A changing guest demographic

Another great question was about our customer profile.

When we first started, our guests were mostly families or older couples — the “grey nomads.” Since completing the Ecotourism Australia Scorecard and communicating our sustainability story more clearly, we’re now attracting a younger demographic: singles and couples who actively seek sustainable stays.

They’re choosing us not only for location or comfort, but because our values align with theirs.

🗣️ Feedback from Professor Ya-Yen Sun

After the lecture, Ya-Yen kindly wrote to say:

“My students and I really enjoyed your talk, and I followed up with them afterwards. They felt that the experiences you shared were so approachable—not distant or complex like those in textbooks. They could truly relate to the things you’ve done for your place, and many said they felt more empowered, knowing that being sustainable brings many benefits. Thank you very much.”

That feedback meant the world to me. It shows how sharing real, practical examples from within the industry can make sustainability click for students — and help prepare the next generation of tourism leaders to embed it naturally in their work.

🔧 Linking it back to International Repair Day

This week also happens to mark International Repair Day (the third Saturday in October) — a global celebration of fixing, mending, and making things last.

Repairing, reusing, and repurposing are at the heart of sustainable hosting.
At The Rangers Cottage, many of our furnishings are second-hand, repaired, or locally made — from restored timber lamps to vintage cane baskets. Each repaired piece has a story, and guests often comment on the character it adds.

Whether it’s working with industry, collaborating with academics, or inspiring students who are about to enter the hospitality sector, the message stays the same:

Sustainability isn’t a cost — it’s a value proposition.

It saves resources, strengthens communities, and — as our bookings prove — it’s good for business too.