NEW YORK—Emirates Hotels & Resorts’ long term commitment to sustainability and the environment through its hotels and resorts portfolio was recently rewarded with one of the most prestigious global awards in the travel and tourism industry. Emirates was honored with the Conservation Award at the 2010 World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit, held this year in Beijing. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are the WTTC’s highest-profile global accolade, recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism development, conservation and biodiversity protection.
Within the Emirates Group, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts (EH&R) portfolio encompasses three major conservation projects spread across three continents: Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai; Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia; and the forthcoming Cap Ternay Resort & Spa in the Seychelles.
“Emirates has taken environmental commitments seriously, and our resorts and their conservation work form a central focus of our corporate environmental policy,” said Hans Haensel, divisional senior vice president, Emirates Destination and Leisure Management. “Our philosophy centers on the two most critical global environmental issues: biodiversity extinction rates and carbon emissions reduction, in which we are continuing to search for ways to improve environmental performance across the whole organization—on the ground and in the air.”
“The Conservation Award is one of four award categories, and is presented to hotels and tourism organizations which have demonstrated developments and operations which have directly contributed to conservation of natural habitats, biodiversity, and wildlife protection,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president & CEO of WTTC. “Emirates Hotels and Resorts is a pioneer in this space, clearly demonstrated through their commitment to sustainable development practices which is directly linked to the economic well-being of local people and support of cultural heritage across all properties.”
Commitment Evident at Property Level
Emirates receives this award in recognition of more than 10 years of valuable work resulting in its first resort, Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, designed and built following the principles of environmentally sustainable development. The experience and the technology advances contributed to even greater efficiency, which has continued at the recently opened Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia, the first hotel in the world to be certified carbon neutral by an internationally accredited organization.
Around these global issues, the resorts have implemented large-scale projects aimed at biodiversity protection; through habitat rehabilitation, wildlife protection, and reintroduction of threatened species into protected reserves. Ongoing collaborative research is also in place at each destination, efforts which have been acknowledged by such organizations as UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the World Heritage Committee.
Through guided experiences guests are completely exposed to the history, habitat, wildlife, and natural heritage of each destination, as well as Emirates’ own conservation work, in a meaningful, well documented, manner.
“This award recognizes the increasing awareness of environmental sustainability in tourism, where it is no longer an option, but a basic expectation,” added Hans Haensel. “It is only with a commitment to protect our naturally beautiful locations across the world, such as Al Maha and Wolgan Valley, that our industry can continue to grow and thrive.”
Go to Emirates Hotels & Resorts.
