Sustainability
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
As a collective, we make a difference around the world.
1. We believe independent hotels embody sustainable hospitality
Local hotels are an integral part of their local community and foster a sense of place and authenticity. Guests in an independent hotel know their stay directly impacts the community by protecting the cultural heritage; supporting local jobs; and caring for the surrounding environment. This ensures future generations can continue enjoying the adventure and transformation that travel brings. To us, sustainability is an integral, long-term and ever-evolving mission.
Local hotels are an integral part of their local community and foster a sense of place and authenticity. Guests in an independent hotel know their stay directly impacts the community by protecting the cultural heritage; supporting local jobs; and caring for the surrounding environment. This ensures future generations can continue enjoying the adventure and transformation that travel brings. To us, sustainability is an integral, long-term and ever-evolving mission.
2. We want our guests to know how to actively contribute
We shine a light and give voice to our hotels’ initiatives As a guest, you become a part of their sustainability: reducing consumption, emissions and waste, nurturing natural ecosystems, funding and conserving the arts, supporting education and equal employment opportunities and supporting local businesses, including homegrown foods that go straight to your table.
We shine a light and give voice to our hotels’ initiatives As a guest, you become a part of their sustainability: reducing consumption, emissions and waste, nurturing natural ecosystems, funding and conserving the arts, supporting education and equal employment opportunities and supporting local businesses, including homegrown foods that go straight to your table.
3. We build upon our ecosystem of like-minded industry partners
Our partners, from a wide range of industries and sectors, are connected with hospitality. We assess their mode of operation, general conduct, sustainability policies and vision to align them with our own.
Our partners, from a wide range of industries and sectors, are connected with hospitality. We assess their mode of operation, general conduct, sustainability policies and vision to align them with our own.
Independent, local hospitality is sustainable hospitality. Our Great Hotels of the World Members are doing great things and making a world of difference. Shining a light and celebrating their outstanding initiatives is our small way of contributing towards a great future where generations to come will continue to benefit from the transformative power of travel.
Economic Sustainability in Hospitality
Winner: Onyria Quinta da Marinha - Girl Move Academy
The Onyria group financially supports the Mozambican Girl Move Academy which promotes female education and leadership through an intergenerational circular mentoring model, recently recognized by UNESCO as the best program for education for girls and women. Onyria Group also welcomes girl movers to its companies, integrating them into management teams to share knowledge and contribute to their training in the field of high management.
The Onyria group financially supports the Mozambican Girl Move Academy which promotes female education and leadership through an intergenerational circular mentoring model, recently recognized by UNESCO as the best program for education for girls and women. Onyria Group also welcomes girl movers to its companies, integrating them into management teams to share knowledge and contribute to their training in the field of high management.
Environmental Sustainability in Hospitality
Winner: The Chedi Lustica Bay: Glass Revive
The waste reduction initiative began with a focus on managing waste streams efficiently. One of the biggest challenges faced was the excess glass destined for landfills. Following a team brainstorm, a collaboration with Zero Waste Montenegro was born and the The Chedi Lustica Bay began to supply jars to jam and olive oil producers in the region. In the process they discovered that wine producers were struggling with the cost of wine bottles, sometimes even having to import them from Serbia to make the costs more manageable.
“During our journey of waste reduction, we discovered the art of turning waste into worth for our community”.
The waste reduction initiative began with a focus on managing waste streams efficiently. One of the biggest challenges faced was the excess glass destined for landfills. Following a team brainstorm, a collaboration with Zero Waste Montenegro was born and the The Chedi Lustica Bay began to supply jars to jam and olive oil producers in the region. In the process they discovered that wine producers were struggling with the cost of wine bottles, sometimes even having to import them from Serbia to make the costs more manageable.
“During our journey of waste reduction, we discovered the art of turning waste into worth for our community”.
Social Sustainability in Hospitality
Claris Hotel & Spa - Cultural Heritage and Social Commitment
According to UNESCO, a country's cultural heritage constitutes its identity, promotes cohesion between communities and contributes to the construction of open, inclusive and pluralistic societies. Claris Hotel & Spa proudly works to maintain and protect a vast art collection comprising figures from Mesoamerica and Central America, human representations of Western Mexican culture, and statues of the Costa Rican war in the on-site museum room as well as English furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, Turkish kilims, mosaics and sculptures from the Roman Empire, Egyptian engravings commissioned by Napoleon, and works by Catalan artist Josep Guinovart distributed throughout the hotel.
According to UNESCO, a country's cultural heritage constitutes its identity, promotes cohesion between communities and contributes to the construction of open, inclusive and pluralistic societies. Claris Hotel & Spa proudly works to maintain and protect a vast art collection comprising figures from Mesoamerica and Central America, human representations of Western Mexican culture, and statues of the Costa Rican war in the on-site museum room as well as English furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, Turkish kilims, mosaics and sculptures from the Roman Empire, Egyptian engravings commissioned by Napoleon, and works by Catalan artist Josep Guinovart distributed throughout the hotel.
Technology for Sustainability in Hospitality
Winner: THE BALÉ Phnom Penh - Tread Lightly
Tread lightly is an ongoing project. Phase 1 is focused on energy and waste. An initiative that strongly expresses the hotel’s responsibility for the environment, and genuine commitment to alleviating the impact of its energy consumption and natural sources.
Included in the initiative is the installation of timers for water pumps and motion sensors for light bulbs in public areas to reduce unnecessary electric usage. “We estimate that this has reduced our electricity consumption by 2% per month and we are actively looking for other critical areas where motion sensors can be more effective.”
Sustainable Events
Ilunion Hotels: Blind Dining
The Blind Dining Event was created with the aim of allowing our stakeholders to Step into the shoes of people who overcome obstacles every day and to raise awareness of the need to promote accessible tourism.
The experience: on entering the hotel, clients are blindfolded and the experience begins. They live a different experience, where they have to test all their senses. After a short tour of the hotel, they are accompanied to the dining room where they will enjoy a special “blind menu”, made especially for the occasion. This experience helps to understand how people with disabilities live their day-to-day lives.
The Blind Dining Event was created with the aim of allowing our stakeholders to Step into the shoes of people who overcome obstacles every day and to raise awareness of the need to promote accessible tourism.
The experience: on entering the hotel, clients are blindfolded and the experience begins. They live a different experience, where they have to test all their senses. After a short tour of the hotel, they are accompanied to the dining room where they will enjoy a special “blind menu”, made especially for the occasion. This experience helps to understand how people with disabilities live their day-to-day lives.