You’ve decided to go green in your hotel operations or maybe you’ve been green for a while now. Yes, it might be saving or costing you a little more money but you think it’s the right thing to do.

Great. Do your guests know that?

You’d be surprised. “While 81% of hotels have some green programs, almost a quarter don't communicate that fact to their guests, said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Alison Croyle,” CNN noted recently.

A good place to start is to communicate your green commitment in the way that resonates best with your clientele. Green Hotelier recommends tailoring your green pitch to the type of business your property wants.

When it comes to corporate customers, some businesses are determining hotel policy based, in part, on how green their suppliers are. For these clients you need to be able to communicate, clearly and accurately, maybe through audited third parties, how you do things like stock green amenities where possible, follow green laundry practices and the like.

Other travellers will simply regard your green initiatives as a way to shortchange them, provide a less than optimal experience in the name of “saving the planet.” It’s good to communicate that your green policies improve the quality of the experience your property offers, that green usually means higher quality amenities and service and that yes, if they do want their towels and sheets changed daily they can have that.

Some travellers don’t mind green hotels, but don’t want it overemphasized. If you cater to guests who simply want to relax and forget about the world and all its cares, they don’t want to feel like they have to be as careful as they are at home about how long their showers are.

And then there are those who really care about finding green hotels. For these travellers, you want to make sure you’re as green as possible - if there’s a green amenity you can replace a conventional one with, it would be a good idea to do so.