Travelers are more aware than ever of the environmental impact of their travels. According to a 2021 OnePoll study by IHG, 67% of Australians think sustainability is important when choosing a hotel and more than 80% globally believe it is important to choose a hotel brand that operates sustainably. responsible.
On the occasion of Earth Day 2022, Friday April 22, hotel and accommodation companies demonstrate their commitment around the theme “Investing in our planet”.
Six Senses prioritizes education
Six Senses Resorts is rolling out a group-wide Grow With Six Senses program called Climate Warriors on Earth Day, following a successful trial at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay.
The Grow with Six Senses program is designed to teach children about the six dimensions of wellness through natural play, and the latest expansion of it focuses on the wellness of planet Earth.
“We all know that children are natives of digital technology. But they really have this approach to sustainability,” said Jennifer Klar, Sustainability Manager of Six Senses Resorts.
“They don’t need to consciously connect with nature because they just play in it, explore it, discover it, they are part of it.”
Climate Warriors focuses on simple, tangible things kids will love to do to fight climate change.
“Planting seeds is a joy, feeling the contrast between the cool, warm soil, the smell of earth and the thrill of seeing seedlings appear days later,” Klar said.
“We try to take an educational approach by inviting our customers to discover everything we do, but in a fun way, outside, not in the classroom. Everything is based on a positive attitude.
Klar believes in the powerful role that younger generations can play in protecting the environment.
“We educate children to inspire and empower our future leaders, parents, decision makers and travelers,” she said.
“Once they understand the importance of conservation, being resource conscious, restoring habitat and reducing waste – and the importance of healthy and happy communities with access to sanitation and water – they will raise their voices and become advocates for positive change.”
TFE Hotels bets on sustainability
On Earth Day, TFE Hotels celebrated a number of its sustainability-focused properties. New Zealand’s first 5 star eco-friendly hotel The Britomart Hotel is one of the leading sustainable accommodation providers in the TFE portfolio.
The hotel’s efficient building design avoids excessive heat gain or loss and means the building will have 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a building that meets the minimum neo building code requirements. -zeelandish.
The hotel allows guests to partially offset their carbon footprint when booking by opting for a Stay Green package, whereby the hotel commits to planting a native tree at sister property, The Landing, located in the Bay of he is.
The Calile in Brisbane has also taken an innovative approach to sustainability, from ethically sourced architectural elements to a minimal plastics policy. The hotel’s circulation spaces are naturally ventilated, reducing reliance on electricity, while the bedrooms use filtered airflow through private balconies. Each room is also set to eco mode, which means the system shuts down when the room is unoccupied. The hotel also uses cork in guest rooms and functional areas in place of carpeting and wallpaper.
“Sustainability innovation has always been at the heart of The Calile brand,” said Rob Unson, Managing Director of The Calile.
“Elements of the building, ranging from architecturally designed natural ventilation, an organic roof garden and sustainable materials, work in harmony with guest experiences, such as our all-electric BMW iX for guest transfers, filtered water stations on each floor and smart technology in the room to reduce energy consumption.
InterContinental invests in the local environment
The InterContinental Hayman Island Resort has focused on protecting the natural environment and surrounding ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef since its reopening in 2019.
“Investing in our planet couldn’t be a more fitting theme for this iconic resort which has placed sustainable initiatives at the very heart of its rebuilding after Hurricane Debbie in 2017,” said InterContinental Hayman Island Resort General Manager. , Arpad Romandy,
“We had the opportunity to design and rebuild using new technologies throughout the resort and have implemented smart room technology in all suites to reduce electricity consumption. Not only has this reduced energy and greenhouse gas emissions, but it has resulted in cost savings of 20-45% per year, and we didn’t stop there.
The water at the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort comes from the specially designed ocean desalination plant. A partnership between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) formed last year means that water usage is regularly assessed to identify areas for improving efficiency on the island.
“Not only does this help Hayman Island’s long-term sustainability strategy and goals, but sharing our results allows other hotels and resorts to see the environmental and financial benefits of our sustainable practices,” Romandy said.
The resort has also partnered with Anything Environmental to reduce waste through recycling. Recycling wet food at the complex ensures that solid food waste is biologically converted into an environmentally friendly, nutrient-rich liquid that drains into the sewage system, reducing landfill waste by more than 450 tons per year.
The resort recently joined the new Whitsunday’s Healthy Heart program to better protect the Great Barrier Reef by decarbonizing the tourism sector to help the Whitsundays become a certifiable sustainable destination.
“We take our guests on an educational journey throughout their stay, so they understand the importance of what we are doing to protect nearby reef ecosystems,” Romandy said.
“We are in the process of launching a new app in addition to the tablets that are already in each suite to support the resort’s paperless rooms. Guests receive reef-safe sunscreen which is a biologically safer alternative to sunscreen and receive a reusable water bottle upon check-in to reinforce the ban on single-use plastics.
Many other InterContinentals are leading sustainability initiatives this Earth Day, including InterContinental Fiji, where guests can help regenerate the reef by reincorporating living coral fragments.
Guests can snorkel in the coral nursery and relocate coral to the seabed or watch the process unfold from the glass bottom boat.
Additionally, at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa, the partnership with Espace Bleu allows guests to experience the coral nursery and do their part to regenerate the reef. When the coral cut becomes large enough to be viable, it is transferred to the coral reefs of Bora Bora. Customers are then able to keep track of their hand-propagated coral once it has been relocated using GPS coordinates.
At the InterContinental Tahiti, vegetable gardens have been planted to showcase local products and promote a local distribution circuit. Hives also allow self-sufficient honey production at the station.
Also in the IHG portfolio, voco continues to lead sustainability initiatives in its hotels. At voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley, guests can experience 70 acres of hands-on agriculture that includes bees, solar panels, animal farms, vegetable gardens, and recycled water that powers the lush estate. The hotel’s sustainable walks allow guests to learn about the estate’s interactive farming practices.
The soon-to-open voco Melbourne Central includes operable windows in all of its 252 rooms, reducing the need for energy-draining air conditioning. The hotel also cultivates plant life in its public spaces through a partnership with Victorian ecological garden specialist Fytogreen.
