Purpose – This study seeks to examine motivations, challenges and strategies implemented to sustain environmentally friendly practices in Macau hotels and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on such practices.

Design/methodology/approach – Executives in sustainability departments of hotels in Macau were purposefully targeted for the in-depth interviews. Ten executives were interviewed eitherface-to-face or via video call.

Findings – The findings revealed that hotels in Macau implement sustainable practices. The main motivation for their implementation was the need to protect the environment, compliance and business-driven reasons. The major challenge involved the implementation costs. The pandemic had a limited impact on the implementation of these practices.

Practical implications – The study recommends that the Macau government should establish clear environmental policies and regulations for hotels with guidelines and support systems. Hotels can also benchmark their performance and collaborate on sustainable practices, develop innovative financingmechanisms and cost-efficient waste recycling practices, organize customer education and engagement programs to promote environmentally friendly practices and incorporate crisis management and resilience strategies into environmental strategies.

Originality/value – The current study denotes that the “sustainable development” concept is crucial in Macau because the largely gaming-driven hospitality industry has been developed over the last decade, significantly impacting environmental degradation. This study examined how hotels respond to these environmental challenges and how their responses can be sustained in the long term. The authors suggest the environmental practice indicators that can be helpful for the hospitality industries in Macau. Social and economic implications are discussed based on the findings.