Every day, hundreds of hotel sector workers in Lanzarote travel dozens of kilometers to get to their jobs. The vast majority of them must resort to the private car since, in many tourist areas, public transport is not an option.
Considering that in the Canary Islands tourism represents 36.8% of the regional GDP employing more than 350,000 workers - which represents 80% of the total in the archipelago - it faces a structural challenge in terms of labor mobility.
To respond to this reality, “Hotels in Motion” is born, a pioneering initiative promoted by Hoop Carpool, a Spanish startup that promotes carpooling (car sharing). Its objective: to offer a sustainable, economic and accessible solution to improve the daily commutes of hotel staff.
Mobility, a silent challenge of Canary tourism
In an environment as dependent on the car as the archipelago, where many hotels are in isolated locations or difficult to access without their own vehicle, “Hotels in Motion” becomes a strategic response for the well-being of employees and the operational efficiency of the sector. A proposal that seeks to connect people, facilitate access to employment and promote a culture of real sustainability.
This initiative becomes even more important with the entry into force of the new Sustainable Mobility Law, which will require companies to implement sustainable transport plans, penalizing those that do not adopt concrete emission reduction measures.
“The mobility of the hotel sector is a challenge that affects both the operational efficiency of hotels and the well-being of their employees. With Hotels in Motion, we offer an accessible, sustainable and economic alternative to transform the way workers travel, improving their quality of life and contributing to the sustainability of the sector," says Paloma Martín, CEO of Hoop Carpool.
How does it work?
The program is aimed at hotels and companies in the sector that want to be more sustainable and are located in areas with little public transport and a high dependence on cars. Through a 100% subsidized platform (valued at €15,000), companies will be able to internally activate a carpooling app that includes technical support, communication tools and real-time impact monitoring.
Each employee who shares a car will receive an economic bonus per trip, thanks to the Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs) granted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, which reward efficient mobility actions with a direct economic return. The annual savings per worker can exceed 900 euros, in addition to generating social and environmental benefits.
To participate, companies must complete the form with basic information about their organization. Once the application is received, the “Hotels in Motion” team will evaluate the application and, if selected, companies will only have to communicate the initiative internally and activate their staff through the Hoop Carpool app.
DEMS Seal and participation
Companies that activate at least 10% of their staff on the platform will be able to obtain the DEMS Seal (Distinctive of Excellence in Sustainable Mobility), which publicly recognizes the environmental commitment of organizations. In addition, the three most active companies will participate in a national call where they can present their achievements in sustainable mobility.
With “Hotels in Motion”, Canary Islands is positioned as a pioneering territory in collaborative mobility for tourism, demonstrating that more efficient, inclusive and environmentally friendly mobility is not only possible, but urgent.
