From Waste to Opportunity: How Magic Hotel Group and Open Revenue Consulting Are Redefining Hotel Sustainability in Spain
Finalists in the Smart Travel News 2025 Awards
Sustainable Tourism Strategy: When the hotel industry becomes a driver of change
Open Revenue Consulting and Magic Hotel Group have been recognized as finalists in the Smart Travel News Awards 2025 under the category “Tourism Sustainability Strategy”, with their project THE PLEDGE on Food Waste – From Waste to Opportunity: Pioneers in Hotel Sustainability.
This distinction celebrates their ability to transform the challenge of food waste management into a measurable, replicable, and profitable strategy for the hospitality industry.
A Recognition of Strategy and Impact
The Smart Travel News Awards honor organizations that have successfully integrated innovation across 17 categories highlighting technology, sustainability, and innovation, among others. The awards ceremony will take place on December 3rd in Madrid, where the winners will be announced.
In this context, Open Revenue Consulting and Magic Hotel Group represent a unique success story — a partnership that combines technology, measurement, and corporate culture to tackle food waste from both strategic and operational perspectives.
Food waste today is the third-largest generator of greenhouse gases on the planet and one of the key challenges for the industry.
From Theory to Action: The Birth of a Strategy
In April 2023, Magic Hotel Group embarked on a pioneering project together with Open Revenue Consulting, with a clear goal: to reduce food waste from the very core of its operations.
At the pilot hotel, Magic Cristal Park, under the direction of Rodrigo Arribas and later Mauro Densy, and the strategic leadership of the Open Revenue Consulting team, a roadmap was designed around four key pillars:
1. Technology and Measurement:
Implementation of control systems using smart scales, tablets, and an analytical app (FIT), allowing real-time tracking of food waste throughout its journey — from purchase and reception to kitchen preparation, buffet display, and plating.
2. Internal Culture and Training:
More than 60 employees received specific training on waste reduction and sustainable best practices.
3. International Certification:
Achievement of The PLEDGE on Food Waste GOLD level, making the hotel the first establishment in Spain certified under the world’s most specialized F&B waste management standard.
Measurable Results: A Strategy with Real Impact
In just one year, the pilot project has delivered outstanding results:
- Food waste reduction: up to 46%
- 48 tons of food saved, equivalent to over 100,000 meals
- 120 tons of CO₂ emissions avoided
- Over €200,000 in annual savings
Beyond the numbers, the project has achieved something even more valuable: a cultural transformation within the chain, where sustainability has become part of the team’s identity and a value recognized by guests.
“Every meal counts, but above all, every decision matters,”
explains Rodrigo Arribas, Director of Magic Cristal Park Hotel.
“The key was understanding sustainability not as a slogan, but as a daily management tool.”
Strategy, Sustainability, and Profitability: The New Hotel Equation
For Open Revenue Consulting, this nomination validates an approach where sustainability and profitability are no longer opposites but strategic allies.
“Our mission is to help hotels create positive impact while improving performance,”
says Cristina Blaj, CEO of Open Revenue Consulting.
“We believe sustainability is a tool to optimize processes, reduce costs, increase profit, and strengthen the brand. This project with Magic Hotel Group is the perfect example of that.”
A Replicable Model for the Industry
The Magic Cristal Park case proves that hotel sustainability can be managed with the same precision as revenue or occupancy.
Thanks to THE PLEDGE on Food Waste methodology, implemented by Open Revenue Consulting, the initiative has evolved from an isolated project into a replicable operational model, now being rolled out across other Magic Hotel Group properties and additional hotel chains seeking alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the new Spanish Food Waste Law.
Today, a
sustainable tourism strategy is no longer a matter of reputation — it’s a
true competitive advantage that generates savings, differentiation, and brand value.
A Shared Recognition
This achievement is the result of the collective work of a dedicated team:
Francisco Javier García Cuenca (Vice President, Magic Hotel Group),
Rodrigo Arribas (Director, Hotel Villa España),
Mauro Densy Ordoñez (Director, Magic Cristal Park Hotel),
Tony Pola (Marketing & Communications Department),
Noelia Gutiérrez and Mari Carmen Mayor (Purchasing Department),
and the entire kitchen and service staff.
A special thanks also goes to Juanda Núñez, Laura Domínguez Montalvillo, and the Smart Travel News team for promoting these awards that celebrate innovation with purpose.
Upcoming Webinar: “Food Waste in Hotels: Strategies to Counteract It”
As part of this nomination, Open Revenue Consulting will participate on October 28th, 2025, from 17:00 to 17:45 (CET) in a free webinar focused on food waste management in hotels and restaurants.
The session will bring together three key industry leaders:
- Manuel Vegas, National President of AEDH
- Cristina Blaj, Founder of Open Revenue Consulting
- Felipe Sánchez, Commercial Director at EMILOPI S.L.
They will analyze the main challenges, strategies, and best practices to reduce food waste and move towards a more efficient, responsible, and sustainable tourism industry.
Topics to be covered:
- The causes and impact of food waste
- Prevention and reuse strategies
- Success stories and best practices from the sector
- The role of innovation and guest involvement
An essential event for professionals seeking to turn sustainability into a tool for profitability and differentiation.
👉 Register here to attend live or receive the event recording
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