Category Archives: green hotels
How to Improve your Hotel or Tourism Business’ Sustainability Performance
Tailored Training Options for hotels, lodgings, resorts, tour operators, MICE venues and companies – tourism and hospitality brands
Divine and Right. Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
Based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council -GSTC Industry Criteria and guided by practical insights from leading sustainable tourism experts, the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) offers tailored curriculum based on your company’s specific needs and goals, and help improve your company’s sustainability practices through tangible actions that fulfill the globally recognized standard of sustainability best practices.
GSTC Industry Criteria (GSTC-Industry)
Paradisus Riviera Maya – La Perla and La Esmeralda: a model of eco efficiency and sustainability.
The GSTC Industry Criteria (GSTC-Industry) have been initially created for the accommodation and tour operation sectors, developed through analyses of 4,500 criteria and 60 certifications systems, and with the input of over 2,000 stakeholders. The latest edition of the GSTC-Industry (updated in 2016) includes separate indicators for hotels and for tour operators, and other sub-sectors can be created (e.g. cruise, MICE, aviation, etc.), enhancing the applicability of the standard to the entire tourism industry.
Architect Arturo Amaya showing the architecture, nature and design, highlighting environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico.
The GSTC-Industry is a globally recognized set of sustainable tourism principles and performance indicators that can be used by tourism businesses to:
· Guide various sustainable business practices, from product development to supply chain management.
· Assist sustainability training and skills development efforts, helping improve employee sustainability performance.
· Communicate to customers and to the media about sustainable business practices more effectively.
GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
GSTC CEO, General Manager, Chairman and Trainers from the Philippines and South Korea.
The GSTC is a UN-endorsed independent organization recognized for our critical role as the global leader in providing guidance for the development and management of sustainability in tourism. Based on our extensive knowledge base, the GSTC STTP offers both global and regional perspectives to help your business achieve your sustainability action goals.
At Rio Secreto, Riviera Maya multi-awarded natural reserve and ecotourism company. From left: #SustainableRivieraMaya CEO Ms. Beatriz Barreal, Society for Sustainable Tourism President & CEO Ms. Susan Santos de Cardenas and Ms. Kristel Arce, PR Manager of Rio Secreto.
FROM WORDS TO ACTIONS, TO LONG-TERM IMPACTS
The objective of the GSTC STTP is not to offer a one-time exercise of reviewing what should be done; rather, we will work with you towards tangible and meaningful goals, focusing on the long-term benefits of sustainable tourism policies and practices and assisting your business to successfully achieve sustainability performance goals over time.
OVERVIEW: TRAINING AND CERTIFICATES
The GSTC offers tailored training options to meet your organization’s specific needs and to accommodate various learning and capacity building requirements based on the desired training outcomes.
ONE OR HALF-DAY SEMINAR
A short small-group session focused on select best practice cases and key sustainable tourism approaches.
Our half-day seminar is ideal for travel and tourism businesses seeking to better understand what it means to become a sustainable tourism destination. Recommended for managers and team leaders, the seminar covers:
- Sustainable tourism practices for the sound business growth and development;
- GSTC Industry Criteria as a framework for your company’s sustainability action plan;
- Benefits of your sustainability actions – for your staff, stakeholders, and customers; and
- Practical insights into sustainable tourism business best practices based on real-life examples and lessons.
Grand Palladium Riviera Maya Hotels – award winning Earth Check certified and GSTC Sustainable Hotel Ambassador
3-DAY INTENSIVE CLASSROOM TRAINING
In-depth training on sustainable tourism standards and best practices, supporting your company’s sustainability strategy and action plan.
Offered as a 3-day-long intensive and interactive training class, our onsite training sessions offer a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the GSTC Industry Criteria and performance indicators. Incorporating case studies and best practice examples relevant to tourism businesses, the training class provides practical insights that will help you make informed decisions on how to implement sustainability actions, and establish viable plans and strategies for your company.
Paradisus Riviera Maya – GSTC Sustainable Hotel member, Trip Advisor’s Eco Leader, Earth Check Certified.
GSTC Expert Trainer
SUSAN SANTOS DE CÁRDENAS – GSTC Country Representative, The Philippines / GSTC Trainer CEO and President, Society for Sustainable Tourism & Development- SSTDI
Saying “hola” to the iguana, at the Grand Palladium Riviera Maya, Sustainable Hotel Ambassador of Sustainable Riviera Maya.
See her bio in our Society Stewards Page.
Learn more about the STTP-Industry and our programs or how we can help your hotel/resort/lodging/tourism business implement sustainability best practices.
UNWTO has made it clear that with the predicted growth of tourism (1.8 billion international tourists in 2030), embracing sustainability is not an option, but a necessity. – Luigi Cabrini, Chair, GSTC
Eco-Friendly Lodging: Green Tips for Hotels
Guest post by Bryn Huntpalmer of Modernize.
From filling out paperwork to selecting vendors and managing staff, if you own a hotel, you are certainly busy. With so many elements to juggle, environmental friendliness can slip down the ladder of importance. It may seem daunting to address the term “eco-friendly” when it involves company-wide changes, so we at Modernize have a few tricks to maintain a greener environment without sacrificing your guests’ comfort and satisfaction.
Boost Your Energy Efficiency
Let’s face it; hotels require significant energy levels to function, from heating and cooling to laundering and powering electronics. Monitoring utility bills is the first step in making a change. Set a goal to reduce energy consumption and design an action plan.
One of the biggest users of energy is a hotel’s HVAC system. Go eco-friendly by upgrading to an adjustable, green system that will keep both you and your guests comfortable. Innovative HVAC systems are equipped with digital thermostats that guests can set, just like they would at home. The revolutionary “unoccupied” setting is the key to conserving energy. Smart systems can sense when a guest leaves the room, reset to a standard temperature, and then sense when the guest returns and readjust accordingly. This eliminates wasted energy when no one is even in the room to enjoy that cool blast or cozy heat.
You’ll love the lower utility bills, the raving reviews from guests and the clear consciousness of doing your part to protect the world we love.
Stock Your Kitchens with Organic Food
Food can be a decadent part of the hospitality industry, from buffets to room service, breakfast bars and restaurants. Improve the taste and quality of your cuisine by shopping for organic ingredients. Guests will appreciate how much you care and enjoy the deliciousness of your meals. It may seem like a small change, but supplying your business with organic food is actually better for the environment, too.
Organic gardens are more sustainable over time, and farmers don’t use harmful chemicals and nonrenewable energy sources to grow their crops. Agrochemicals, which are often used for non-organic produce, contribute to global warming and water contamination. Supporting organic farmers and local vendors will reduce these harmful effects.
If you are ready to make a huge change, you can even grow your own garden and pull herbs, produce and legumes right from your own backyard!
Recycle and Reuse
Switch to green paper products crafted from recycled material to eliminate paper waste. Unbleached and recycled paper towels, coffee cups, plates and straws are a few of our favorite eco-friendly hospitality products.
Promote recycling in your hotel by training staff and setting up recycling bins in each guest room. Don’t forget to encourage eco-friendly practices by placing recycling bins in the lobby, gym, pool room and other common areas. Order supplies in bulk to cut down on the amount of packaging waste.
Reduce waste by reusing items and donating to the local community. When it’s time to update your hotel’s decor, donate unwanted furniture and linens instead of tossing them out. You can also donate wrapped, unopened groceries to local food banks, benefitting both the planet and your neighbors!
Best Practices for Eco-Friendly Hotels
Establishing green practices is a team effort, so train your staff to be on team Earth. Establish rules for turning lights off when exiting a room, unplugging unused electronics and reducing personal waste levels. Offer incentives for staff who are dedicated to eco-friendly practices, and applaud their efforts regularly.
When choosing vendors for supplies like toiletries, coffee and tea, support local, fair-trade businesses. Keep everything bright and shiny by switching to non-toxic cleaners to improve indoor and outdoor air quality, so that you and your guests can literally breathe easier.
Our Society for Sustainable Tourism & Development Inc.-SSTDI offers Capacity Building and Educational programs for hotels with Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. Training programs include Environmental Conservation, Good Governance, Climate Resilience, to address global challenges of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals: poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and climate change. For Training information and assistance, contact us.
Bryn Huntpalmer is a mother of two young children living in Austin, Texas where she currently works as an Editor for Modernize. In addition to regularly contributing to Home Remodeling and Design websites around the web, her writing can be found on Lifehacker and About.com.
Peru: come, live the legend!
Watch “Peru, Live the Legend” video:
“Peru is often called the quintessential South American destination evoking images of Andean mountains, fabled lost cities, panpipe players, llamas and, of course, the ever-fashionable and functional poncho.” – Blue List, Lonely Planet.
High fashion inspired by Cusco. Photo via Visit Peru.
Peru is everything unexpected: from its vast sandy dunes and deserts all throughout its coasts, stunning uplands in the Andes home to the country’s greatest attraction: the Inca city of Machu Picchu and beyond the intimidating heights, the astounding lush jungles with meandering rivers and vast waterways, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the Amazon River and Basin.
Viewing Nazca Lines – “Candelabro” on the desert.
However, there’s more to Peru than Machu Picchu: this immense wealth of sights and experiences has its roots in one of the world’s richest heritages, with its fabulous archeological gems of six Pre-Inca civilizations, the monumental adobe temples and ruins along the desert coast and mysterious Nazca Lines which can only be viewed best from the sky. Enjoy city life in Spanish-influenced cosmopolitan capitals, with their colonial-era mansions, churches, monasteries, and museums.
Cindy Crawford selfie in Machu Picchu, photo via her Instagram.
THE DESTINATIONS
Lima’s city center – UNESCO World Heritage Site -highlights include balconies & the Plaza de Armas.
LIMA – CULTURE, CRAFTS & CULINARY CAPITAL
Called Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings) by the Spanish conquerors, the capital city of Lima is much more than the gateway to Peru. With the country’s best museums – more than 20 of them, plus striking baroque and renaissance churches, colonial mansions and palaces, world-class restaurants and amazing shopping, Lima deserves more than a quick stopover.
DID YOU KNOW? You can also see Lima from the sky through paragliding! Photo via Visit Peru.
Experience highlights
- Visit remarkable cathedrals, cloisters and monasteries, appreciate some of Peru’s best archeological and art museums, and feel a sense of awe in the city’s elegant old colonial center.
- Savor exquisite Peruvian cuisine in the “Gastronomy Capital of Latin America,” with varied influences from the coast, mountains and the Amazon.
- Experience Lima’s incredibly varied shopping, from exclusive factory visits, to artisan and antique shops, souvenir and handicraft markets offering an endless selection of handmade alpaca clothes and accessories, silver jewelry and decorative pieces, pottery, colonial religious art and wood carvings.
SACRED VALLEY – VALLE SAGRADO – EXPERIENCE LIVING CULTURE
Sacred Valley of the Incas – Valle Sagrado, Urubamba.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas, home of the finest Inca sites offers a glorious beginning to your Cusco visit. The Valley’s sublime climate, overwhelmingly beautiful scenery, picturesque villages, colorful folk arts and crafts and warm, friendly local people all reflect the Peru that visitors travel thousands of miles to see. The valley is also a haven for eco sports adventure such as trekking, horseback riding, mountain biking and river rafting.
Ancient Incan sites: Maras Salt Mines & Moray Rice Terraces.
Experience highlights
- Start your Cusco discovery to acclimatize in glorious sunny weather, either before or after your Machu Picchu visit.
- Perfect base to myriad activities in the Valley: visits to Inca ruins and archaeological sites and gourmet picnics.
- Spectacular location for outdoor adventures such as horseback riding, mountain biking, river rafting or trekking.
- Interactive and socially responsible excursion in a visit to a workshop or community of weavers, pottery, ceramics, among others.
MACHU PICCHU – THE ROYAL INCA RETREAT
Who wouldn’t want to visit Machu Picchu?
“Machu Picchu was… the favored country retreat for the royal family and Inca nobility.” – The New York Times
Machu Picchu Historical Reserve is a magical place that fascinates through its vast archaeological remains, geological formations, unique flora and fauna, and spectacular cloud forest. The most remarkable part of the reserve is the archaeological site of Machu Picchu, one of the world’s New Seven Wonders. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, is considered “the Garden of Eden” by Condé Nast Traveller where you will experience life at an exclusive royal Inca retreat for your stay.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Travel+Leisure Global Vision Awards Winner
Experience highlights
- Explore the wonder of Machu Picchu and discover the essence of a Royal Inca retreat.
- Authentic barefoot luxury in whitewashed casitas and villas in a private 5 hectare Andean Garden of Eden, teeming with orchids and hummingbirds.
- Visit the ancient Machu Picchu Citadel in company of a certified English-speaking guide, as well as other attractions in the Natural Reserve.
- At Inkaterra Hotels, included in house excursions such as Bird Watching, Orchid walk, Tea Plantation Visit, Nature Talks, among others, offered on 12-acre grounds.
- UNU Spa
CUSCO -ENDURING FUSION OF INCA MYSTIQUE AND SPANISH SPLENDOR
Cusco, ancient capital of the Incan empire (that’s South America, folks).
Vibrant is the word which best describes Cusco, capital of the vast Inca Empire some six hundred years ago, now transformed as themost important colonial center in the Andes, an axis of exploration and favorite destination for today’s international traveler. Inkaterra La Casona Cusco, an exquisite 16th century colonialmansion, is an exquisite and exclusivemanor, carefully restored to retain its historical heritage. It offers guests contemporary luxury without sacrificing authenticity with the privacy and privilege experienced by those who once lived there.
Inti Raymi, Cusco’s foremost festival. Photo via Visit Peru.
Experience highlights
- Discover a four-century fusion of Spanish colonial and Inca culture, both in Cusco and at Inkaterra La Casona, Hot Listed Best New Hotel by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine U.S., U.K. and Travel+Leisure.
- Enjoy contemporary luxury without sacrificing authenticity, in an exclusive privilege and privacy experienced by those who once lived at the fully restored 16th century manor.
- Explore from Inkaterra La Casona, a destination as well as a hub from which to begin your discovery of the Andes, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu as well as Lake Titicaca.
- Visit Cusco’s landmarks, impressive churches, museums, quaint neighborhoods, artisan workshops and other remarkable Incan archaeological sites.
Inkaterra La Casona, former Incan Royal residence & Peru’s conquerors’ quarters, now Cusco’s foremost luxury boutique hotel.
Suggested Itinerary in Brief:
Day 1 – Arrival in Lima; Overnight
Day 2 – Full Day in Lima
Half-Day City Tour – Peruvian Welcome Lunch; Rest of Afternoon Free
Day 3 – Lima – Cusco- Sacred Valley; Check in at hotel & Acclimatize
Day 4 – Full Day in Sacred Valley – Pisac & Ollantaytambo Tour
Day 5- Fully Day 2 Sacred Valley –Chinchero, Maras & Moray
Late afternoon – Train to Machu Picchu Pueblo – overnight;
Day 6- Full day in Machu Picchu; Overnight in Machu Picchu
Day 7 -After lunch, train ride to Cusco; Acclimatize; Overnight
Day 8 – Full Day Tour & Shopping in Cusco
Day 9 – Depart Cusco for Lima; Overnight Lima
Day 10 – Departure from Lima
For more information on Peru, check out our blogs on Peru. Take a PERU DREAM TRIP by Inkaterra, Peru’s Eco Pioneer and Conservation Leader since 1975; 100% Carbon Neutral travel and stay – any day departure. For more information and travel assistance about our Green Travel Exchange, contact us.
Photo credits: Visit Peru & Inkaterra.
Inkaterra – Sustainable Tourism and Conservation since 1975
Watch the Inkaterra trailer:
In 1975, a Peruvian company called Inkaterra opened a lodge for scientists who came to study Peru’s rainforest, long before eco-tourism was trendy. Inkaterra’s proud legacy of conservation, social responsibility and geo tourism has created an international model, recognized by the World Bank and the United Nations, by providing the sophisticated international traveler with a luxurious, gracious and authentic exposure coupled with social responsibility initiatives for over 30 years now.
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Canopy Walk – a learning experience about the Amazon Rainforest, its flora and fauna.
Inkaterra through its NGO Inkaterra Foundation (Inka Terra Asociacion –ITA) carried out ecological endeavors at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, on the Tambopata National Reserve in Peru’s Southern Amazon rainforest and at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel, in the Machu Picchu National Reserve in the Southern Andes. ITA was founded to conserve the environment, ecosystems, cultural and archaeologicalnatural resources, Peru’s cultural identity and apply sustainable development.
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica – where ecological research and conservation started.
Through ITA, Inkaterra’s ongoing programs include Research, such as sponsoring international scientists and local experts who conduct ecosystem studies, biodiversity, flora and fauna inventory andconservation status, etc. This has resulted in the identification of 372 species and the discovery of 8 new species in the Machu Picchu cloud forest, as well as several publications and field guides.
Inkaterra is included in the Harvard Business Case Study for Sustainable Tourism
Inkaterra Conservation Projects include the Inkaterra Canopy & Anaconda Walk at Reserva Amazonica, with constant monitoring of wildlife assessments and endangered eco systems, as well as the Rolin Island Fauna Rescue Center and the Butterfly House in Puerto Maldonado. Likewise, the Spectacled Bear Rescue Project in Machu Picchu provides vital support for protection of the endangered Andean bear species. Natural corridors and carbon fixing along the Madre de Dios River of the Southern Amazon rainforest and the Andean cloud forest in Machu Picchu are carried out in a total of 17,000 hectares of reforestation projects.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Travel+Leisure Global Vision Awards Winner
Environmental and eco best practices include evaluating surrounding landscapes, flora, fauna, water, air, sounds and solid waste.Infrastructure was constructed in keeping with the local nature in both Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica’s Ese-Eja styled cabañas and Inkaterra Machu Picchu Andean casitas. Quality assurance along with ecological safety measures are ensured with the proper use of water resources,water waste management, air quality maintenance through proper utilization of gas stoves, non usage of aerosols and ground keeping in general. All Inkaterra eco-excursions such as Bird watching, Orchid Trail, Nature Walks, among others, are led by highly trained, knowledgeable and conscientious expert eco guides-interpreters.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel guests taking part in Organic Tea picking and process their own tea bags.
Cooperative projects with the local community includes the Gamitana Farm, a comprehensive model farmhouse for self-generating eco-agri business. It also operates Concepcion, a community house restored for volunteers, local and international researchers and a national volunteerand education program.
Inkaterra, multi-awarded, globally acclaimed by travel & tourism events and publications worldwide.
In April 2007, Inkaterra became Peru’s first carbon-neutral travel organization by integrating renewable energy onsite, and offsetting emissions from all of its accommodation and tour related activities, including fuel use and electricity generation. Inkaterra acknowledges that all travel generates unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions that affect global warming. Inkaterra actively educates their clients and guests to do so as well with the opportunity to of a carbon neutral accommodations in the Andes and the Amazon, which offer a wonderful experience for the conscientious traveler.
Inkaterra World Travel & Tourism Council, Tourism for Tomorrow Award Winner in Conservation, 2012.
Take a PERU DREAM TRIP by Inkaterra, Peru’s Eco Pioneer and Conservation Leader since 1975; 100% Carbon Neutral travel and stay, any day departure.
For more information and travel assistance on sustainable trips and Green Hotels stay, check our Green Travel Exchange or contact us.
Our Society for Sustainable Tourism & Development Inc. -SSTDI offers Capacity Building and Training programs to public and private stakeholders, host communities and grassroots in sustainable tourism development & stewardship to include Good Governance, Climate Change Mitigation , Disaster Preparedness and Management. Waste to Energy projects are offered to LGUs for their ecological solidwaste management and renewable energy solutions. For more information and assistance, contact us.
