Another great responsible hotel chain: Alila Hotels and Resorts

Alila Hotels and Resorts is quite a different hotel chain. This Singapore Based group recognizes that travelers nowadays are less self-centered and willing to take part in making the world a much better place….

Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis made it to the Green Globe certification in May 2007.

So what are they doing so special … ? The list of concrete actions includes waste recycling, reduction in water and energy consumption, and community contribution by giving
employment priority to those living in the surrounding areas.
Beyond the hotel operations, both hotels are very much involved in community initiatives. Alila Ubud crafts special tours that introduce and help preserve Indonesia’s traditional textiles. Alila Manggis works closely with local dive operators to build programmes and awareness on protecting the coral reefs.

Both hotels are also active supporters of local programmes that highlight global environmental issues affecting local communities, such as a Bali initative called “Say No to Plastic”, which aims to encourage retailers and shoppers to cut their use of plastic bags.

More on Novotel and Green Globe …

After the news on Hyderabad, I further researched on Novotel and its green approach, quite remarkable I must say …
Novotel began its involvement in the Green Globe certification programme in July 2007, through an initial pilot phase, at 28 hotels in 12 countries across five continents.
The countries involved were: the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Brazil, the Ivory Coast, India, China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
Today Novotel has six certified hotels: Novotel Sharm El Sheikh, Novotel Lyon Part Dieu, and Novotel London Tower Bridge, Novotel Shanghai Atlantis, Novotel Hyderabad and Novotel Benoa Bali.
Each hotel is assessed according to the eight performance criteria of the Green Globe certification programme.
By the end of 2008, the 28 pilot hotels in the Green Globe programme will have passed the assessment stages for their certification. Following this success, Novotel will move on to the second phase of its longterm commitment, by extending this certification process to all its hotels.

Great move, bravo !

Novotel is the 1st Green Globe Hotel in Hyderabad …and not the last green hotel of Accor !

Novotel Hyderabad , from the famous Accor Hotel Group, has just announed to have gotten the Green Globe Certified status under the global Certification programme.

There were 8 criteria looked at such as better waste management, less pollution, and energy and water consumption control.

The benchmarking period lasted for about six months, and the same process will be repeated every year as a maintenance for the criteria.

“We are indeed excited about being the first ever hotel in the city to be Green Globe certified. We chose to demonstrate our commitment to the environment by undertaking Certification – the highest level of the Green Globe programme. The successful completion of the Certification process demonstrates Novotel Hyderabad’s strong commitment to the principles of environmental sustainability. Increasingly organisations are becoming more and more conscious of eco-friendly procedures and are seeking to be associated only with like-minded partners. I am confident that the sustainable development programme at Novotel Hyderabad will offer us an unprecedented edge,”

What is more important is that, by 2010, 100% of Novotel hotels will be participating in the Green Globe environmental certification programme. Novotel has over 410 hotels in the world.

New, international and common criteria for ecotourism ?

Finally there seems to be some move towards a common, international label for eco-tourism …

Some industry heavyweights, including Sabre, UNEP, UN-WTO, CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), IUCN, ICMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites, Rainforest Alliance, CAST (Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism), Conservation International, The International Ecotourism Society, IHRA, Federation of Tour Operators, Conde Nast Traveler, Ecotourism Kenya, Choice Hotels International, Hyatt, Instiduto de Hospitalidade, EcoTrans, VISIT, Expedia, Tourism Concern have joined forces to create and promote a new certification system.

This label would give individual weight to different areas of sustainability so that clients can make choices according to their individual preferences.

Criteria would include sustainable management systems, preservation of cultural and environmental heritage and biodiversity, fair trade and local involvement and energy and emissions management separately.

Sabre, a US based Global Distribution System, also promoting eco-tourism …

“Industry Must Work Together on Sustainability” commented sabre, one of the leading Global Distribution Service (based in the US).

Leilani Latimer, their Director of Sustainability Initiatives, explained that the global travel business must move forward to identify and implement a clear, transparent and verifiable certification system for sustainable tourism.

However she stressed that this would not be good enough. “The value to the general public of a system that is not based on outside certification is nil” She explained.

Sabre also works internally on promoting sustainability. for example they have offset programmeamongst many other sustainability initiatives.

Sabre also owns Travelocity, thus travelforgood, promoting travel as an agent for positive change. The site offers “Change Ambassadors” grants, volunteers stories, podcasts, responsible travel tips and offsets and partners with Earthwatch, GlobalAware and the American Hiking Society.

A joint initiative on responsible travel and eco-tourism in Mekong (Cambodia, Loas, Vietnam)

The three neighbour countries have in fact published the ‘Responsible’ Tourism Guide.

These three fast growing tourism destinations of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have published a guide, a 148-page guide book, stating where and how to enjoy eco-tourism activities in the three countries.

It is quite comprehensive: more than 25 activities in each country have been profiled in ‘The Guide to Responsible Tourism in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam’.

Each activity is aiming at creating income for local people, minimizing potential negative tourism impacts, involving members of the local communities, providing meaningful experiences for tourists, helping people with physical disabilities, conserving natural and cultural heritage, and building respect between visitors and hosts.

“The various recommended activities in the book show the best side of tourism,” expressed Arjun Thapan, the GM of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB sponsored the publication through its Mekong Tourism Development Project.

It is good to see such as initiative helping local eco-hotels, green hotels, eco tours. In fact,international tourism arrivals year-to-date are growing at a rate of more than 13% into Cambodia, 8% into Vietnam and 4% into Laos. So there is a need for sustainability…

A green hotel in Singapore – Siloso Beach Resort in Sentosa

Interesting to see that you can be a high-end, profitable, classy and also green hotel …

The Siloso Beach Resort of Sentosa Island (the resort of Singapore) has quite a number of unique features:

– the resort was built in a former jungle area – but 600 trees were preserved at the time of construction

– only spring water is used for the pool -it is even leading to a pond with fishes – certinaly a good water then !

– the hot water coming out of the a/c system is used for the showers in the guests bathrooms

– there is grass planted on the roof of the 2nd and 3 rd floor of the main building – that’s clearly refreshing the rooms and induces less air/com.

– and finally , they are using old wooden train rails for their terrasses !

Sustainable Tourism and Corporate Social Responsibility (India)

an intersting feed-back from India …. There was a clear accent on eco tourism, sustaiblable travel and green hotels in the 24th Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Annual Convention, on August 7-10 in India.

“Sustainable tourism” is not a discrete or special form of tourism, rather “all forms of tourism should strive to be more sustainable”, said Oliver Martin , the Associate Director — Strategic Intelligence Centre from PATA.

Mr Martin covered a lot of subjects including economic and geo-political drivers impacting the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry.

He highlighted the outcomes obtainable from well managed corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. “Indian operators can implement relatively painless CSR policies,” he said. “These can positively differentiate company brands, enhance corporate reputation, boost employee motivation and decrease bottom line costs.” “The key for your organisation is to develop an internal policy which is both achievable and demonstrates your leadership among consumers, suppliers and partners,” said Mr Martin.

An online travel agency also going for greener policies !

Interesting move from http://www.lastminute.com/, a leading European online travel agency.
They are highlighting on their website a few actions they are taking for a greener tourism. That comprises of promoting the train between Paris and London, and some internal actions such as using a green taxi company and offseting all their “business travel” carbon emissions.
I found this quite remarkable so here is the full text of their website:
” At lastminute.com we wouldn’t claim to be the greenest company on the planet.However, we are striving to be as environmentally friendly as possible, while also giving our customers the information to make informed choices as to how they travel. A great illustration of this is lastminute.com’s relationship with Eurostar. lastminute.com bagged Eurostar’s ‘Top Online Sales Partner Award’ for phenomenal sales of the cross-Channel service from our dedicated Eurostar pages. Following this, lastminute.com has joined forces with Eurostar to highlight the environmental benefits of taking the train between London, Paris and Brussels. Other examples of lastminute.com’s range of green initiatives include: The double award-winning carbon offsetting scheme carbonwise Launched in November 2006, carbonwise gives flight-only customers the opportunity to offset the CO2 emissions from their flying.More than 15% of customers have chosen to offset the CO2 emissions of their flying, which equates to over 15,000 tonnes.All households in the UK would have to turn their lights off for more than two and a half hours to save as much CO2 emissions as lastminute.com’s customers have offset.Carbonwise’s success has seen it scoop the 2007 Agent Achievement Award’s Travel Innovation of the Year and e-retailing body IMRG’s Large Retailer Online Green Award. And at lastminute.com, we do our bit too… lastminute.com offsets the carbon emissions of all business air travel lastminute.com’s corporate taxi company is the environmentally-conscious Climatecars, which emits 60% less CO2 emissions than traditional black cabs We use a green (hydro) electricity tariff in our buildings and offset emissions from our gas usage”
 
 
On last minute you can book any type of hotel, flights – and even lofts in Paris

An initiative in the Sari Pan Pacfic hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia

An interesting initiative from Jakarta, indonesia. The Sari Pan Pacific hotel, part of the Pan Pacific hotel group, has conducted, in April 2008, the Green Globe Program and will distribute trees to their employees to be planted at their homes.

“This Environmental Care Program is our contribution to create a greener living environment. We hope that this program can inspire and motivate people to increase their awareness of caring for their environment and protect the Earth.”said Sisa Primashinta – Public Relations Manager of the Hotel.

This program is actually split within the year. The tress will be given to the employees on the occasion of their birthdays, retirement, weddings etc.

Seven variants of trees will be distributed: Pinus Mercusii, Zorrea, Syzygium polyanthum, Nepheliunt logans, Baringtonia Asiatica, Stelechocarpus burahol and Filicium Decipiens.

This is supported by the Green Globe Environmental Program.