HOTEL UPDATE Zighy Bay creates Carbon Neutral Rate Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman (pictured) has partnered with Co2nsensus, a British company that measures and offsets the carbon emissions produced during a guest’s stay, in a GCC first. After calculating the amount of carbon produced per guest per night, the resort has pledged to donate $10 per room per night to a wind power plant based in Turkey, at no additional cost to guests. Visitors are also offered the chance to offset their flights. This ‘Carbon Neutral package’ joins other environmental and social initiatives at the resort, from growing organic food and contributing to community healthcare to recycling 80 per cent of waste on site.
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Dubai invites visitors to ‘Get into the Green Scene’
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ubai Sustainable Tourism (DST), part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has launched ‘Get into the Green Scene’, an initiative designed to promote the city’s sustainable attractions and highlight the ease of incorporating sustainable practices into everyday life. Targeting visitors and residents, it includes a sustainability calendar featuring a series of environmental days throughout the year and ways in which people can engage within the theme of that calendar day. Included are simple but fun, eco-conscious actions that promote the city’s natural spaces and hidden gems. It also spotlights advocacy organisations, partners and stakeholders that are working towards a more sustainable planet. The launch of ‘Get into the Green Scene’ is aligned to the UAE’s ‘Year of the 50th’ campaign, with sustainability one of four strategic pillars highlighted to advance the country, support wellbeing and livelihood, as well as proactive development and opportunities. DST’s sustainability calendar, which features eight environmental, wildlife and eco-tourism days throughout 2021, can be found at: dubaitourism.gov.ae
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July 1 sustainability deadline for Dubai hotels Dubai Tourism has issued a directive mandating that all of the emirate’s hotels comply with the 19 Sustainability Requirements for Hotel Establishments by July 1, 2021, which include sustainable management approaches, performance metrics, energy, food and water management plans, guest education, employee training initiatives, the presence of sustainability committees within hotel establishments and corporate social responsibility programmes for local communities. They must also submit their monthly carbon emissions calculations.
Radisson’s new green goals Radisson Hotel Group has released its 2020 Responsible Business Report highlighting the group’s latest corporate responsibility targets as outlined in its strategic five-year plan. It includes the reduction of the company’s carbon and water footprint by 30 per cent by 2025, aligning with science-based emissions reduction targets, removing single-use plastics, and continuing to drive best practices in water stewardship and responsible consumption behaviours.
