LAST WORD

Going green

Sharon Singleton | Managing Editor, AGB

While President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to close down Boracay to tourism for an environmental cleanup may have seemed draconian, it’s perhaps something that integrated resort operators around Asia should take note of.

There’s no getting away from the fact that large-scale tourism projects, even the best managed, can have a detrimental impact on the environment, putting pressure on water resources and generating large amounts of waste, much of it plastic.

The rampant expansion of casino resorts in Sihanoukville in Cambodia is already generating headlines for all the wrong reasons, with reports the newly opened Jin Ding Hotel & Casino on a nearby island is flushing raw sewage directly into the sea, polluting one of the area’s most scenic beaches.

If operators don’t get serious about stepping up their efforts to protect the environments they are operating in there is a real danger that governments will wade in with their own, potentially costly, measures to force companies to clean up the mess.

Many of the larger global players are already ahead of the curve, recognising that green initiatives can also be good for business.

Sands China in February announced it was banning shark fin in all its restaurants in Macau as part of its parent company’s Sands ECO360 strategy.

The plan is designed to promote responsible business operations in the areas of green buildings, environmentally responsible operations, green meetings and events, and stakeholder engagement and outreach.

Wynn Resorts last year appointed Erik Hansen as its first chief sustainability officer. Hansen will be responsible for the development of the company’s global sustainability strategy and energy procurement goals.

He has already been involved in helping Wynn with several large-scale projects, such as the negotiation, build, and opening of the 160-acre 20 MW Wynn Solar Facility in the U.S.

Many of the larger global players are already ahead of the curve, recognising that green initiatives can also be good for business.

While MGM Resorts has its Green Advantage plan, which has helped to reduce carbon emissions by more than 60,000 metric tons of CO2e since 2010. This is the equivalent of taking more than 12,000 cars off the road for a year.

In New Zealand and Australia, IR operators have also been proactive, with SkyCity Entertainment announcing a green fund in February and plans to become carbon neutral in its home country this year and Australia the next.

As operators vye for a coveted casino license in Japan, a focuson environmental protection and sustainability has also featured as a key selling point for many of the bidders.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment, which is building the biggest solar power array in Macau, has said solar and wind energy will feature prominently if it’s successful in its bid for an IR in Osaka.

According to the plans, the walls of the IR will be glass-like solar energy panels upon which video images can be displayed. Wind power facilities will also be included in the City of the Future design.

Caesars Entertainment also highlights its environmental track record in its vision for Japan. It is one of only 30 companies to achieve Triple-A scores in three rankings by the international Carbon Disclosure Project.

Let’s hope that some of these major initiatives taken by global players begin to have a trickle down effect to some of the region’s other fast-developing markets. If not, we could see other governments take Duterte-style measures to ensure the sustainability of their tourism industries.