How Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, Quebec is Meeting Rising Guest Expectations Through Innovative Waste Management With Clean the World in Canada
The Property
Nestled between the mountains and the mighty St. Lawrence River, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu is a grand, historic resort in La Malbaie, Quebec, offering an unforgettable escape. This French-Château-style masterpiece, perched dramatically on a cliff, blends old-world luxury with breathtaking natural beauty. With its rich heritage, impeccable service, and majestic scenery, the property delivers a truly memorable getaway for discerning travelers.
For over a century, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu has been an iconic Charlevoix establishment committed to sustainable development. The property incorporates eco-responsible practices into all operations, from water management to waste reduction. By favoring local and seasonal products, the hotel supports the local economy while reducing its carbon footprint, embodying hotel excellence while respecting the environment.
The Challenge: Tourism Growth Meets Environmental Responsibility
Canada’s tourism industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to Destination Canada, Canada’s tourism sector generated a record-breaking $59 billion between May and August 2025, a six percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. Most notably, domestic tourism rose seven percent, with revenue from international travellers remaining strong, particularly from overseas markets which increased by 10 percent.
Quebec specifically welcomes over 4 million tourists annually, including more than 1.2 million from 75 countries outside Canada, generating $1.63 billion in annual tourism spending. The province’s 2025-2030 Sustainable Tourism Growth Strategy aims to make Quebec a prosperous and sustainable tourist destination, with over $16 billion in tourism revenue supporting nearly 407,000 jobs across approximately 24,000 businesses.
This exponential growth in tourism directly correlates with increased hotel room stays, which means significantly more waste. With over 1,450 hotels across Quebec and thousands more across Canada, the hospitality industry faces mounting pressure to manage amenity waste responsibly while meeting growing guest expectations for sustainability.
What Guests Really Want: The Sustainability Disconnect
A recent survey by Clean the World reveals a significant gap between guest desires and their confidence in hotel environmental commitments:
- 88% of travellers factor sustainability into their hotel booking decisions
- 7% believe most hotels do little to recycle bathroom amenities
- 51% take leftover amenities home, with 57% citing lack of trust in hotel disposal practices
- Over 50% want information about their stay’s environmental impact after checkout
The takeaway is clear: hotels that embrace and transparently communicate robust sustainability practices gain a competitive edge. Guests want to see tangible environmental action, not just promises.
The Solution: Thinking Ahead with Clean the World
Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu recognized this challenge early and took proactive steps. Prior to partnering with Clean the World, the hotel mentioned, “Before Clean the World, we were collecting soap and giving it away to our staff”, a well-intentioned but limited approach that didn’t address the full scope of amenity waste or create measurable community impact.
Through Accor’s recycling partnership, the hotel learned about Clean the World’s comprehensive Hospitality Recycling Program. In March 2024, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu began participating in Clean the World’s FULL-BULK program, managing both soap and plastic-bottled amenity waste through Clean the World’s proven, scalable, and impactful solution.
This wasn’t just about waste diversion; it was about creating measurable, tangible social and environmental impact and setting a precedent for other hotels in Quebec to follow their lead.
The Impact: Measurable Results Since March 2024
Since partnering with Clean the World, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu has achieved remarkable results (as of October 29, 2025):
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Impact Category
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Total Achievements
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|---|---|
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Total Waste Collected
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3,874 lbs (1,757 kg)
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Total Soap Collected
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10,111 bars
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Carbon Footprint Reduction KG C02e
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605 Kg
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Water Saved
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3,683 Gallons
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Note* C02e and water saved metrics based against a new bar of soap having to be produced, impact data supported by Greenview.sg
These metrics represent more than waste diversion; they demonstrate real impact.
Leadership Perspective
“As General Manager, I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s dedication to our Hospitality Recycling Program. For us, recycling is more than just a task—it’s a core value. Our ‘Ici On Recycle’ certification is a testament to the genuine effort we make every single day to minimize our environmental footprint.
This program is vital to our hotel. It not only aligns our operations with the sustainability expectations of our guests and community, but it also fosters a culture of responsibility among our staff. Most importantly, our partnership with Clean The World extends our impact beyond our property. By recycling discarded soap and hygiene products, we take our commitment a step further, providing essential support to those in need around the world.
Being a responsible global citizen is a true reflection of our mission. This is recycling with a purpose.”
— Emmanuel Perot, General Manager, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu
The Bigger Picture: Canada's Hotel Industry Opportunity
Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu’s success comes at a pivotal moment for Canada’s hospitality sector. According to Horwath HTL’s Canada Hotel Chains Report, Canada’s hotel industry includes:
- 7,137 total hotels (2,034 chain + 5,103 independent)
- 448,538 total rooms (245,138 chain + 203,400 independent)
- 60% occupancy with $182 ADR and $109 RevPAR
- 45 new hotels with 5,315 rooms expected in 2025
With Canadian hotel revenue per available room growing 4.7% in Q3 and 52 new hotels projected for 2027, the industry’s growth trajectory is clear. But with growth comes responsibility.
Every hotel room generates amenity waste. Multiply that across hundreds of thousands of rooms, and the environmental challenge becomes staggering. Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu demonstrates that hotels don’t have to choose between growth and sustainability, they can achieve both through strategic partnerships like Clean the World.
The Path Forward: Meeting Guest Expectations
Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu’s partnership with Clean the World exemplifies forward-thinking hospitality leadership. In an industry where 88% of guests prioritize sustainability, hotels can no longer afford to treat amenity waste as an afterthought.
The hotel industry stands at a crossroads. Hotels’ like Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu are setting the standard. They’re not just managing waste, they’re creating measurable social impact, meeting rising guest expectations, and positioning themselves as sustainability innovators.
As tourism continues its record-breaking trajectory across Canada and Quebec, the question for every hotel isn’t whether to act, but when to lead.
Don't Get Left Behind
Join Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, and other leading hotels in creating measurable environmental and social impact. Your guests care. Show them you do too.
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