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RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER
Dubai 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. e 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
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 o sets 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 o ered the chance to o set 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.
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.
ETIHAD OPERATES FIRST 2021 ECOFLIGHT
Etihad Airways has operated its first ecoFlight for 2021, continuing research and testing under the Etihad Greenliner programme to assess environmental sustainability initiatives during scheduled services.
Etihad’s fourth ecoFlight departed Abu Dhabi for Rome on April 17, testing a range of flight and engine optimisation initiatives, as well as onboard product enhancements to reduce weight and singleuse plastics, with successful trials to be incorporated into regular scheduled operations.
The flight was operated by the airline’s signature Greenliner aircraft, which is fully o set for all operations throughout 2021 as part of the airline’s mission toward carbon neutral flying.
On board, the trial focused on three key pillars: sustainable products, incorporating initiatives identified on past ecoFlights to reduce single-use plastics, and an overall weight reduction study.
The Rome ecoFlight saw the removal and replacement of 1,731 single-use plastic items from onboard service, with a weight reduction of 108kg, saving 60kg CO2 emissions. It also showcased Al Ain Water’s sustainable plant-based water bottles and Abu Dhabi based startup ‘The Concept’s’ sustainable inflight meal trays made from used water bottles, as well as up-cycled bamboo toothbrushes from the BambuuBrush.
This isn’t about solving only Etihad’s emissions, but about supporting the entire industry to address the biggest challenge we face over the next three decades.
Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive O icer, Etihad Aviation Group
VISTAJET COMMITS TO CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2025
Global business aviation company VistaJet has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.
The company is also calling for change — working with and pushing the industry to go further than the current goal of a 50 per cent reduction of emissions by 2050 set by civil aviation industry bodies, IATA and the global business aviation community.
In 2020, more than 80 per cent of VistaJet Members o set CO2 emissions relative to their flights’ fuel consumption in partnership with South Pole, an award-winning project developer and global provider of climate action solutions.
By o ering its clients a means to compensate for the impact of their footprint, VistaJet says it is supporting an industry-wide push for a greener recovery and channeling important finance to projects that help reduce emissions and improve livelihoods, today.
VistaJet has also partnered with SkyNRG, a pioneer and a global leader in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), to be the first to provide global access to SAF for business aviation. Other initiatives include introducing the Global 7500, the first business jet with an Environmental Product Declaration; optimising routes to reduce fuel burn; and investing in AI technology for optimised fleet management.
The Red Sea Development Company receives Green Finance credit facility
Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project in Saudi Arabia, has closed a SAR 14.120 billion (US$3.76 billion) term loan facility and revolving credit facility with four Saudi banks.
Green Financing accreditation was awarded due to TRSDC’s market leading approach to social and environmental sustainability and the Red Sea Project’s international recognition as a green project. e nancing is the rst Riyal-denominated credit facility to receive Green Financing accreditation. e Red Sea Project will welcome its rst guests by the end of 2022 when the international airport and the rst hotels open. Phase one, which includes 16 hotels, will complete in 2023. By 2030 the destination will comprise 50 resorts across 22 islands and six inland sites, plus luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment and leisure facilities.
