SUSTAINABILITY REDEFINING LUXURY HOSPITALITY

Amir Golbarg, Senior Vice President Operations for Middle East & Africa at Minor Hotels defines sustainability as "the ability to meet our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." These words have become a mantra for Minor Hotels as they continue to make positive contributions towards sustainability one step at a time.

Amir has become an advocate for sustainability even beyond his role as Senior VP of Minor Hotels, he is personally dedicated to making better choices for the environment in which we live, work, and play, and believes this is the only chance we have. He states, “At Minor Hotels, we have developed a strategy that encompasses key areas such as environment, community, guest operations and employees to employ a holistic approach to sustainability to achieve better outcomes. Companies within hospitality can take various courses of action to move to a proactive approach, such as Minor Hotels have done. It means identifying opportunities and implementing changes before they are needed. The first is to set specific, measurable, and achievable sustainability goals. Each hotel should develop a plan to attain or exceed these goals, including a timeline, budget, and responsible parties. Educating employees is also vital when pursuing a proactive approach. As we’ve seen, particularly at our Anantara brand, employees become invested in achieving better standards when they understand the importance of sustainability. It also encourages more employee engagement and improves employee morale as they see the positive impact the company is making.”

Amir goes on to add that hotels need to provide training on reducing energy and water consumption, recycling, and compost, and reducing waste.

“Partnering with local organisations is an excellent way to promote sustainability. Last year, every Anantara hotel and resort globally signed the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge publicly committing to actions that reduce the environmental impact of their properties. Another way to be proactive is to work with governments on developing local sustainability initiatives, as we have done in several countries where we operate. For example, in 2018 we partnered with the government of the Maldives to launch the Blue Carbon initiative, which aims to protect and restore the coral reefs that are a vital part of the country’s ecosystem. The following year we partnered with the Thai government to launch the Green Growth 2050 initiative with the intention of reducing our environmental impact by 50% by the year 2050.”

He also says that sharing their progress with guests, does not only demonstrate transparency but also encourages travellers to think about sustainable tourism and make conscious choices when planning their next journey. This also encourages hotels to celebrate their successes when a sustainability goal is met as it creates momentum and drives teams to achieve more.

“We believe in creating experiences that support and enhance the communities and ecosystems where we operate. Regenerative tourism is a massive part of the future of hospitality, and we’re working to make it a reality through our Sustainable Luxury programme. This comprehensive initiative encompasses all aspects of the Minor Hotels’ operations, from how we source food and products to how we manage waste. It is specifically designed to minimise the environmental impact of our hotels and resorts plus creating positive social and economic impacts in local communities. For example, Anantara is transforming four of its award-winning UAE resorts under the ‘Indigenous Sustainable Luxury’ tagline. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara in Abu Dhabi will become the greenest desert resort in the world. The resort has partnered with Al Ain Water to launch biodegradable water bottles, which will remove 190,000 plastic bottles from use every year. The resort also has a greenhouse that produces over 150 kgs of organic produce every month, which is used in its signature dishes. Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts, a collection of resorts on a private island in Abu Dhabi, will become the greenest island in the region. The resorts are committed to delivering world class experiences while also minimising their environmental impact. The resorts have implemented several sustainability initiatives, including using renewable energy sources, reducing water consumption, and recycling and composting. We aim to go beyond traditional sustainable tourism practices to reduce negative impacts and leave destinations in a better condition than before.”

In all 500 hotels and resorts across 55 countries, the group has implemented sustainable practices around five key principles: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.

Refuse: Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort installed an onsite water bottling plant in 2021, which has saved over 1 million single-use plastic bottles, replacing them with refillable glass bottles.

Reduce: In 2018, Minor Hotels established a set of Sustainability Goals, including reducing their carbon dioxide emissions by 20% over the course of five years.

By 2021, they had already met and surpassed this goal. We have done so by installing LED lighting, smart HVAC systems and solar panels.

Reuse: In many of the hotels and resorts, the teams clean and reuse cooking oil, collect and recondition soap from hotel bathrooms for use at the back of house, garden waste and coffee cakes are used as compost in the hotel vegetable gardens and used linen is made into cloths and grocery bags. This has prevented thousands of tons of waste from going to landfill.

Repurpose: They have also invested in innovative solutions to process and repurpose waste, including the installation of Food Digester machines. These act like a human stomach to turn food waste into grey water for use in fertilising and landscaping. This allowed one resort to reduce their carbon footprint by 86 tons in one year, which is the equivalent of removing 19 gas-powered cards from the road.

Recycling is a fundamental practice at all Minor Hotels’ properties worldwide. Wherever possible, the group sources locally produced and sustainable products and services, which includes food, beverages, bathroom and room amenities.

“We are setting group-wide, measurable short- and longterm science-based targets to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050. This means that we will reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions to zero and any remaining emissions will be offset by investing in projects that reduce those emissions elsewhere. Since 2018, we have our own set of Sustainability Goals, which respond to the UN’s 7 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are tracked and updated regularly. To achieve net zero carbon, we are consolidating our carbon inventory by combining all our business units into a single list, which will allow us to better track emissions and identify opportunities to reduce them. Since 2021, we have already exceeded our goals of reducing energy, water, and carbon emissions by over 20%. While we continue setting science-based targets, we have also introduced short term targets to reduce these intensities further by using the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index as a guide.”

Amir says that they are showing guests that their sustainability initiatives can enhance their stay, without compromising their comfort. He adds, “Of course, cost and time factors are involved, from installing energy-efficient appliances to implementing new practices in front and back-of-house operations. However, from our current forecasts, we expect to see a positive ROI from these in the next five years.”

In fact, he believes that sustainability and luxury can go hand-in-hand. For luxury brands, sustainability is not just a way to differentiate but is demanded by an ever-growing portion of increasingly environmentally conscious consumers.

Consider the experience at a hotel restaurant - using locally sourced materials for décor and cooking with organic ingredients doesn't mean that the experience will be any less premium. Using glass water bottles instead of plastic in guest rooms can actually enhance the guest experience, not just from an environmental perspective. Many luxury travellers are looking for hotels and resorts that make a difference in the world. Sustainability has changed the definition of luxury.

“While we must provide guests with quality high-end amenities, we must also focus on minimising our impact, preserving that luxury for future generations. Guests now expect high quality yet eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, and luxury hotels can bring guests into the journey of sustainability by educating them on initiatives such as recycling and plastic reduction. Changes such as refillable bathroom amenities and sheets made with organic cotton don’t take away from the guest’s experience. It's about achieving a balance between luxury and sustainability, which guests now expect. For future Minor Hotels’ projects, the focus is on indigenous sustainable luxury. We will provide this by using sustainable materials, building in ideal locations, and protecting local flora and fauna. We believe that this approach will create a truly unique and unforgettable experience for our guests. Sustainability is proving to be an essential strategy for luxury brands that helps attract customers and builds a positive brand image.”

In general, more travellers have increasing awareness and concern for the world and communities they visit. This means they are conscious of their choices when it comes to travel and the places they stay. They drive demand for sustainable accommodation and experiences, seeking less explored destinations and more immersive adventures.

The green economy is creating new job roles. Those who have adopted sustainability initiatives are increasing brand loyalty with their customers, while companies that take longer may have already begun to feel the impact.

“At Minor Hotels’, we’ve seen that our sustainability initiatives lead to improved efficiency and cost savings, dispelling the idea that sustainability is expensive. Eventually, every hotel and resort will have greener initiatives in place. The travel business is one of the fastest-evolving industries in the world, and it will continue to adapt to meet the growing trend in sustainability. At Minor Hotels, we’re proud to be a leader in this area and will continue to set standards in hospitality for sustainability and creating a sustainable future for all.”