ABSTRACT:Lonavala, one of Maharashtra's most visited hill stations, draws large numbers of domestic tourists looking for weekend and short leisure trips, and that puts real pressure on local ecological systems, especially around waste generation and disposal. This paper looks at how hill resorts in Lonavala are adopting smart waste management systems, and how those systems affect guest engagement, satisfaction, and perceived sustainability of the destination. As experience-economy thinking pushes hospitality providers to bring more meaning and value into a guest's stay, many are trying to build environmental practices into the experience itself rather than treat them as background operations. The study looks at IoT-enabled waste segregation bins, sensor-based waste level monitoring, composting units, and digital tracking dashboards used by select resorts in the region, and assesses their operational efficiency and environmental impact. It also asks how aware guests are of these sustainability efforts, and how much they actually take part — through in-resort communication, gamified activities, and incentive programs like discounts for waste segregation or eco-point redemption. The paper uses a mixed-method approach: resort case studies, guest surveys, and interviews with hospitality managers. Primary data came from 200 respondents across weekend leisure travellers, family vacationers, corporate retreat guests, and long-stay wellness guests, analyzed using percentage analysis, Likert scale analysis, and chi-square testing. Early observations suggest guests engage more when sustainability efforts are visible, interactive, and rewarding, rather than passive or purely operational. The findings offer practical guidance for hill resort operators trying to balance innovation, environmental responsibility, and guest satisfaction, and propose a framework linking smart waste management adoption to destination image and repeat visitation — positioning Lonavala as a possible model for sustainable hill tourism in India
KEYWORDS: Smart waste management, sustainable hospitality, guest engagement, hill resorts, Lonavala, experience economy, eco-friendly tourism, IoT in hospitality, sustainable tourism, resort sustainability practices
SMART WASTE MANAGEMENT AND GUEST ENGAGEMENT IN HILL RESORTS: A STUDY OF SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY PRACTICES IN LONAVALA
UNNATI DIDWANIA, VANSHIKA AGARWAL