SUSTAINAB LE TO U R ISM IN AC T ION 2016
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IMPACT REPORT
CONTENTS 4 About National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World 6 Map of the Collection 11 About This Report 12 Protection of Natural Heritage • Biodiversity Conservation • Habitats Restored
A HAWKSBILL TURTLE AT FREGATE ISLAND PRIVATE, THE SEYCHELLES FRONT COVER PHOTO: ELEPHANTS NEAR ZARAFA CAMP, BOTSWANA
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26 Protection of Cultural Heritage
• Heritage Preservation • Supporting Living Cultural Heritage
38 Support for Local Communities 46 Environmentally Friendly Practices 55 Conclusion: Making a Difference 57 Contributing Member Lodges
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SOUTHERN OCEAN LODGE, AUSTRALIA
AB O UT U NI Q U E LODGES O F THE WORLD National Geographic was founded over a century ago to educate people about the world by supporting exploration, discovery, and protection of our planet’s natural and cultural diversity. Launched in January 2015, National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World has drawn together exceptional properties around the world that share the values that have long defined National Geographic. Our lodge members provide guests with outstanding service and experiences while making the choice to tread lightly, to celebrate nature rather than conquer it, to support cultural heritage, and to engage with local communities. The experiences they offer are intimate and extraordinary, connecting guests with their destination in an authentic and meaningful way while helping to protect these treasured places for generations to come. EACH PROPERTY IN OUR COLLECTION WAS HANDPICKED AND CAREFULLY VETTED FOR THESE ATTRIBUTES:
SUSTAINABILITY Protects and enhances nature and culture ENGAGEMENT Connects with and benefits local people and communities AUTHENTICITY Reveals true sense of place EXCELLENCE Provides world-class guest services INSPIRATION Offers unique and enriching experiences
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THREE CAMEL LODGE, MONGOLIA
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T H E COLLECT ION
W I N T E R L A K E LO D G E T U T K A B AY LO D G E
C H U R C H I L L W I L D —S E A L R I V E R H E R I TAG E LO D G E
U N I T E D S TAT E S
C A N A DA
U N I T E D S TAT E S
N I M M O B AY W I L D E R N E S S R E S O R T
C A N A DA
CHURCHILL WILD NANUK S I WA S H L A K E W I L D E R N E S S R E S O R T P O L A R B E A R LO D G E C A N A DA
C A N A DA
A SHFORD C A STLE
IREL AND
FOGO ISL AND INN
T H E R A N C H AT R O C K C R E E K
C A N A DA
U N I T E D S TAT E S
B ENT WOOD INN LO N E M O U N TA I N R A N C H
U N I T E D S TAT E S
K A S B A H D U TO U B K A L
U N I T E D S TAT E S
M O R O CCO
TIAMO RESORT BAHAMAS
B E LC A M P O LO D G E J I C A R O I S L A N D LO D G E
BELIZE
N I C A R AG U A
R O S A L I E B AY R E S O R T DOMINICA
P E T I T S T. V I N C E N T P R I VAT E ISL AND RESORT S T. V I N C E N T A N D T H E G R E N A D I N E S
PAC UA R E LO D G E
CO S TA R I C A
L A PA R I O S LO D G E
CO S TA R I C A
M A S H P I LO D G E
F I N C H B AY G A L Á PAG O S H OT E L
ECUADOR
ECUADOR
I N K AT E R R A H AC I E N DA U R U B A M B A PERU
THE BR ANDO
F R E N C H P O LY N E S I A
I N K AT E R R A H AC I E N DA CO N C E P C I Ó N
I N K AT E R R A M AC H U P I CC H U P U E B LO H OT E L
PERU
R E S E R VA D O I B I T I P O C A
PERU
BR A ZIL
I N K AT E R R A L A C A S O N A
PERU
T I E R R A ATAC A M A H OT E L & S PA CHILE
RUBONDO ISL AND CAMP
TA N Z A N I A
S AYA R I C A M P
TA N Z A N I A
T I E R R A PATAG O N I A H OT E L & S PA CHILE
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T H R E E C A M E L LO D G E MONGOLIA
A R I S T I M O U N TA I N R E S O R T & V I L L A S G REECE
K A PA R I N AT U R A L R E S O R T G REECE
Z H I WA L I N G H OT E L
B H U TA N
B A N YA N T R E E R I N G H A CHINA
S EG E R A R E T R E AT K E N YA
MAR A PL AINS CAMP
SAR AR A CAMP K E N YA
K E N YA
O L D O N YO LO D G E
S U K AU R A I N F O R E S T LO D G E
K E N YA
M A L AY S I A N B O R N E O
A N D B E YO N D N G O R O N G O R O C R AT E R LO D G E TA N Z A N I A
F R EG AT E I S L A N D P R I VAT E T H E S E YC H E L L E S T H E B U S H C A M P CO M PA N Y ZAMBIA T S A R A KO M B A LO D G E M A DAG A S C A R
LIZ ARD ISL AND
A N D B E YO N D M AT E T S I R I V E R LO D G E ZIMBABWE
AUSTR ALIA
A N D B E YO N D B E N G U E R R A I S L A N D M OZ A M B I Q U E
Z A R A FA C A M P
LO N G I T U D E 13 1Ëš
S A B I S A B I P R I VAT E G A M E R E S E R V E
AUSTR ALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
B OT S WA N A
C A P E L L A LO D G E AUSTR ALIA
T S WA LU K A L A H A R I SOUTH AFRICA
B U S H M A N S K LO O F W I L D E R N E S S R E S E R V E & W E L L N E S S R E T R E AT
S O U T H E R N O C E A N LO D G E
AUSTR ALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
G R O OT B O S P R I VAT E N AT U R E R E S E R V E SOUTH AFRICA
Visit our growing collection at natgeolodges.com.
The lodges indicated with a yellow dot are new to the collection and are not included in the report. S U S TA I N A B L E TOU RIS M IMPAC T REPORT 2 016
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“When travel is done the right way—the sustainable way—then local people and visitors alike benefit from the power and promise of travel to alleviate poverty, protect nature, and safeguard cultural heritage for future generations.” Costas Christ, Senior Advisor for Sustainable Tourism, National Geographic
THE MILKY WAY OVER THE GOBI, THREE CAMEL LODGE, MONGOLIA
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LOCAL CHILDREN FROM A SCHOOL SUPPORTED BY THE BUSHCAMP COMPANY, ZAMBIA.
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A BOU T THIS REPO RT The National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection demonstrates that sustainability and an extraordinary travel experience can go hand-in-hand. In doing so, it raises the bar for the travel industry and takes an important step towards making sustainable tourism a global standard. To join the collection, each property has undergone an on-site inspection by National Geographic representatives that included a thorough review of their operations based on the pillars of sustainable tourism: PROTECTION OF NATURAL HERITAGE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRACTICES To measure their impact, we asked each of our members* to report on their sustainability practices, ranging from use of renewable energy to protecting endangered wildlife. The pages that follow detail our findings and highlight individual stories about sustainability projects at the lodges. Their combined efforts are encouraging and inspiring, and they are proof that tourism—when done right—can be a powerful force for good in the world.
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PROT EC T I O N O F N AT UR A L HER ITAGE The members of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World directly helped rehabilitate and protect a total of 3,755,819 acres of terrestrial and marine habitat—what we refer to as our collective conservation footprint around the world. This stretches across 27 countries and six continents, and provides guests staying at properties in the collection with access to rare habitats such as Costa Rica’s pristine old-growth rain forest, home to endangered species like the Baird’s tapir, and Mongolia’s Gobi desert, where Asia’s iconic snow leopard roams.
3.7 MILLION ACRES OF LAND AND SEA CONSERVED
MASHPI LODGE, ECUADOR
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PROT EC T I O N OF N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: B I O DI V E RS I T Y CONSERVATION
A BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA NEAR LAPA RIOS LODGE IN COSTA RICA
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24% of the lodges are directly engaged in marine conservation.
72% of the lodges are directly engaged in terrestrial conservation.
72%
24%
60% of the lodges directly manage private nature reserves on land and/or at sea.
60%
82%
82% of the lodges are engaged in direct contributions to biodiversity conservation of flora and fauna.
62%
62% of the lodges are helping to protect critically endangered and endangered species (IUCN Red List), including mega-fauna, marine mammals, birds, and rare and endemic trees and flowers.
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PROT EC T I O N O F N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: BIODIVE RSITY CONSE RVATION
G RO OTB OS PR IVAT E NATURE RESERVE SOUTH AFRICA
Restoring a High-Biodiversity Habitat: Cape Floral Kingdom Located on the coast east of Cape Town, Grootbos comprises 6,425 acres of reclaimed habitat in the Cape Floral Kingdom. A mosaic of abandoned farms and degraded environments when owner Michael Lutzeyer first laid eyes on it in 1991, Grootbos has become a flourishing reserve of unique and endemic lowland fynbos and centuries-old milkwood trees. Several new floral species have been identified on the land. The lodge owners have expanded their efforts to conserve this fragile ecosystem by founding the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy, partnering with 26 other landowners to protect more than 37,066 acres of high-biodiversity habitats. Grootbos also employs local villagers and funds community development programs, including a horticultural college that provides job training for unemployed youth.
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LAPA RIOS LODGE
MASHPI LODGE
Established to protect the area’s unique biodiversity in the early 1990s, Lapa Rios has a conservation easement that ensures the future protection of its 980-acre private reserve. The reserve buffers Corcovado National Park—home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity—and provides a safe haven for rare birds, monkeys, and mammals.
A former logging concession that is now a 3,213-acre rain forest reserve, Mashpi has a resident wildlife biologist who monitors the ecosystem and works on the conservation of its species. The lodge has established a camera-trap system to record the reserve’s unique biodiversity, leading to the scientific discovery of a new frog species on the property: the Mashpi Torrenteer.
COSTA RICA
ECUADOR
NIMMO BAY WILDERNESS RESORT THE RANCH AT ROCK CREEK CANADA
UNITED STATES
In addition to working to protect native wild salmon habitat, Nimmo Bay supports grizzly bear research and raises funds to purchase “bear hunting tenures” to reduce trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest area. They provide a free vacation at Nimmo Bay to any trophy hunter who turns in their bear-hunting license.
Flowing into the Clark Fork River, the Blue Ribbon-designated Rock Creek runs through four miles of ranch property. The ranch organizes an annual river clean-up with other local organizations committed to the conservation of the watershed. The 2015 clean-up resulted in the removal of more than 3,800 pounds of refuse from area rivers, with the majority of the items being recycled.
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PROT EC T I O N OF N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: BIODIVE RSITY CONSE RVATION
OL DONYO LODGE
KENYA
In partnership with the Big Life Foundation, ol Donyo supports anti-poaching efforts in the Amboseli-Tsavo region of Kenya, including funding for the Predator Compensation Fund, which compensates local Maasai for livestock killed by predators and has helped reduce the killing of lions.
ROSALIE BAY RESORT
DOMINICA
Thanks to an island-wide sea turtle education and conservation program begun by the lodge owners in 2002, Rosalie Bay’s beaches welcome endangered leatherback, hawksbill, and green turtles every year. A concerted effort to provide conservation education to local communities, collect data on turtle nests, clean beaches, and protect and monitor turtle activity has resulted in an increase in sea turtle nesting and hatching—from just seven nests in 2002 to more than 100 in 2016.
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FREGATE ISLAND PRIVATE THE SEYCHELLES
Under the guidance of the island’s chief biologist, a conservation team oversees ongoing efforts to restore the population of the Seychelles magpie robin. Once nearly extinct, with only 12 remaining—all on Fregate Island—these distinctive charcoal-colored, white-winged birds have rebounded to a population of more than 200 following concerted conservation efforts, including re-populating several other Seychelles islands to ensure the long-term survival of the species.
INKATERRA MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO HOTEL PERU
Inkaterra’s native orchid garden showcases 372 different orchid species, including many endemic only to Peru and ten that are newly discovered to science. Guests can explore the garden with one of Inkaterra’s naturalist guides, learning about each orchid’s adaptations and observing the birds and butterflies drawn to the blooms. Inkaterra provides ongoing support to orchid research and conservation efforts.
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PROT EC T I O N OF N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: H AB I TATS RE S TORED
A DIVER ON THE BARRIER REEF NEAR TIAMO RESORT, BAHAMAS
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76% of the lodges support active scientific ecological research.
70% of the lodges are actively engaged in ecosystem restoration, rehabilitating degraded terrestrial and marine habitats.
76% 70% 76%
76% of the lodges contributed over US $4.9 million in cash directly to nature conservation in 2014–2015.
62% of the lodges are actively engaged in tree-planting initiatives as part of their ecosystem restoration efforts. Combined, they have planted more than 250,000 trees.
62%
66% 66% of the lodges provided in-kind contributions to nature conservation, with an estimated value of more than US $2.8 million for 2014–2015.
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PROT EC T I O N O F N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: HABITATS RE STORE D
Z A R AFA CAM P BOTSWANA
Saving Endangered Species: Rhinos Without Borders Zarafa’s owner, Great Plains Conservation, has embarked on an ambitious project to save black rhinos that are critically endangered due to the dramatic increase in poaching for rhino horn over the last decade. A partnership with several safari companies, the Rhinos Without Borders project seeks to relocate no fewer than 100 rhinos from neighboring countries to safe havens in Botswana—a country with a strong conservation record and commitment to protecting wildlife. Further supported by a robust anti-poaching monitoring and enforcement program, the Rhinos Without Borders project will help secure genetic diversity for rhinos by drawing together animals from different populations. To date, the project has successfully relocated 40 rhinos to Botswana, and the first births of baby rhinos from that group have already been documented.
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FOGO ISLAND INN
LIZARD ISLAND
Fogo Island Inn works in partnership with the Shorefast Foundation on the New Ocean Ethic initiative, finding innovative ways to improve the health of the ocean and the lives of those who depend on it. Current projects focus on the sustainable development of the cod fishery, the traditional lifeline of the Island, including low-impact fishing techniques that help protect the resource and the marine environment.
When Cyclone Ita hit northern Queensland in April 2014, it denuded Lizard Island of most of its native flora. Since then, Lizard Island, located right on the Great Barrier Reef, has helped replant the landscape with indigenous shrubs, trees and ground cover to restore the natural habitat, which today once again thrives.
LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH
RESERVA DO IBITIPOCA
This private 148-acre ranch, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, has a water-quality monitoring station that provides real-time data on water quality on a section of the North Fork Stream. Lone Mountain Ranch has partnered with the Gallatin River Task Force, a local nonprofit, to help conserve the Upper Gallatin Watershed, home to native trout, water birds, and other wildlife.
Reserva do Ibitipoca has worked to return 11,120 acres of former ranchlands to forest, planting more than 40,000 trees— including the endemic juçara palm—to help rebuild the badly fragmented dry tropical Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot. This effort provided restored habitat for other rare species, including the northern muriqui and the buffy-tufted-ear marmoset.
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
UNITED STATES
BRAZIL
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PROT EC T I O N O F N AT UR A L HER ITAGE: HABITATS RE STORE D
THE BRANDO
FRENCH POLYNESIA
Through its associated nonprofit, the Tetiaroa Society, The Brando has worked with local and government stakeholders to develop a conservation and sustainable use plan for Tetiaroa, a coral atoll once considered sacred to Tahitian royalty and now home to the lodge. This effort includes initiatives to replenish fish and crustacean species in the Tetiaroa Lagoon and to restore the coral reef surrounding the atoll.
SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGE MALAYSIAN BORNEO
To support local farmers as well as protect endangered pygmy elephants, Sukau Rainforest Lodge launched an innovative beekeeping project to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. The honey produced by the Bee Fences project provides an additional food resource for local communities while protecting their cultivated fields from hungry elephants, who instinctively avoid areas with heavy concentrations of bees.
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THREE CAMEL LODGE MONGOLIA
Through a conservation agreement with the local government and Gurvansaikhan National Park, the largest national park in Mongolia, Three Camel Lodge protects a 20-square kilometer buffer area from hunting, poaching, and other environmental threats. The national park is home to such species as the snow leopard and the wild bactrian camel.
TIAMO RESORT
TSWALU KALAHARI
BAHAMAS
SOUTH AFRICA
Located adjacent to the third largest barrier reef in the world, Tiamo is an ambassador for Longitude 181Ëš, a group that promotes marine conservation awareness and education for guests and locals, and works to eradicate invasive lionfish a threat to marine ecology in the Caribbean.
Thanks to the efforts of the owners of Tswalu Kalahari, nearly 250,000 acres of land that was once denuded or overfarmed has been restored to its original arid savannah habitat. The property was recently recognized by the South African government as a nature reserve, ensuring that species such as lions, cheetahs, pangolins, and wild dogs have a vast, protected habitat in which to roam.
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PROT EC T I O N O F CULT UR A L HER ITAGE Cultural heritage forms an important part of the Unique Lodges of the World guest experience, and preserving the planet’s cultural diversity is at the heart of National Geographic’s mission. To protect this heritage is to embrace living culture, including language, music, dance, textiles, art, and handicrafts; and to preserve historic landmarks, monuments, traditional architecture, and archaeological sites—including the sacred sites of indigenous peoples.
US $76 MILLION IN DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITE PRESERVATION
THE INCA CITADEL OF MACHU PICCHU, PERU
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PROT EC T I O N OF CULT UR A L HER ITAGE: H E RI TAGE PRES ERVATION
THREE CAMEL LODGE, MONGOLIA
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88% of the lodges are actively involved in enhancing and protecting cultural heritage.
58% of the lodges are actively supporting preservation of historic monuments, buildings, and archaeological sites.
88% 58% 42%
42% of the lodges used traditional design and construction techniques when building.
52%
52% of the lodges provided US $76 million in direct contributions for the protection and preservation of historic, archaeological, and sacred cultural sites in 2014–2015.
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PROT EC T I O N O F C ULTUR A L HER ITAGE: H E RITAGE PRE SE RVATION
AS H FOR D CAS TLE IRELAND
Sense of Place: Historic Restoration Originally built in 1228, Ashford Castle has witnessed—and played a part—in much of Ireland’s history. Residents of the nearby village of Cong had worked at the castle for generations until the mid-20th century, when the property spiraled into decay as it traded ownership among different investors. Enter the Tollman family, owners of Red Carnation Hotels, who bought the castle in 2013 with the intent of restoring its grandeur and its ties with the community. They invested $75 million dollars to meticulously refurbish the historic buildings, using local craftsmen and all the scaffolding available in Ireland. As they worked to bring back a sense of place to the property, they also reaffirmed a close relationship with the villagers of Cong, who consider the castle part of their heritage and who, once again, make up the majority of employees. The castle is home to Ireland’s first school of falconry, showcases period furnishings from Irish history, and supports local arts—a model of cultural heritage preservation.
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THREE CAMEL LODGE MONGOLIA
Nomads of the Gobi helped determine the location and design of Three Camel Lodge to ensure harmony with the natural landscape. The main lodge was built according to the ancient Mongolian Buddhist architectural traditions, using natural stone and hand-molded roof tiles without any nails or ironwork. Felt and canvas gers—the traditional portable housing of the Gobi nomads—were erected for use as guest rooms, each placed with a customary southward-facing entrance and decorated with locally handcrafted woodwork and furnishings.
ARISTI MOUNTAIN RESORT & VILLAS BUSHMANS KLOOF WILDERNESS RESERVE AND GREECE WELLNESS RETREAT In addition to using the traditional stone construction techniques of the mountainous Zagori region, known for its distinctively layered stone roofs, Aristi provides special support for the Church of Aristi, a formerly abandoned historic site that dates from the 15th century. The lodge has been involved in reconstructing the collapsed bell tower, cleaning its intricate interior frescoes, and providing support to local villagers who maintain the church.
SOUTH AFRICA
Bushmans Kloof is home to some 130 San rock art sites dating back as far as 10,000 years. The lodge maintains and protects these ancient treasures and helps interpret ancient indigenous culture at a heritage center onsite. Their stewardship, along with their efforts to protect endangered wildlife, has earned the reserve designation as a South Africa Natural Heritage site. The lodge also supports community development projects and local culture, providing training and employment for nearby villagers.
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PROT EC T I O N OF CULT UR A L HER ITAGE: HE RITAGE PRE SE RVATION
ZHIWA LING HOTEL
BHUTAN
When the owners of Zhiwa Ling learned that the old timbers from a 450-year-old Buddhist monastery were slated to be burned, they rescued the giant beams of wood and constructed a Bhutanese temple within the main building. A local monk now conducts daily rituals in the temple, and guests can join him or meditate there on their own. In addition, Bhutan’s master craftsmen were employed to design and craft their entire property as a tribute to Bhutan’s fine architectural traditions and cultural heritage.
INKATERRA LA CASONA
PERU
Located on the Plaza Nazarena in Cusco, La Casona was originally constructed in the 16th century, and was at one time the home of Simón Bolívar. The restoration of the building took five years, and care was taken to preserve the original architecture and stonework. The interior was meticulously appointed with artifacts and furnishings dating from pre-Columbian to colonial times, as well as locally made Andean textiles, all of which help to introduce guests to Peru’s rich cultural history.
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KAPARI NATURAL RESORT GREECE
With little space to build on the dramatic volcanic island of Santorini, villagers traditionally tunneled into the hillsides, creating intricate arched cave houses that stayed warm in the winter and cool in the summer. When Kapari’s owner inherited his family’s 300-year old cave house—in ruins—he followed historic design and construction methods to create a lodge that embraces the heritage of the island’s past.
TIERRA PATAGONIA HOTEL & SPA CHILE
Located on a gentle hillside next to Lake Sarmiento, bordering Torres del Paine National Park, Tierra Patagonia is seamlessly integrated into the landscape. The design ensures the least amount of disruption possible to the surrounding environment, taking wind patterns, animal trails, and native vegetation into account. From a distance, the lodge is almost imperceptible within its vast, wild surroundings, with native wildlife grazing comfortably nearby.
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PROT EC T I O N OF CULT UR A L HER ITAGE: S U P P O RT I NG L I VING C ULTURAL HERITAG E
TRADITIONAL SOUTH AFRICAN DANCERS AT BUSHMANS KLOOF
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88% of the lodges support living cultural heritage, including local musicians, artists, dancers, and craftspeople.
88%
84% of the lodges enhance their guest experience with on-site performances by local community groups, that offer art, music, dance, and theater.
84% 70%
70% of the lodges provided more than US $940,000 in direct funding and more than US $540,000 in additional in-kind contributions to support local artisans, musicians, dancers, artists, and other cultural traditions in 2014–2015.
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PROT EC T I O N OF CULT UR A L HER ITAGE: SU PPORTING LIVING CU LTU RAL HERI TAG E
PETIT ST. VINCENT PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES The lodge provides funding for the annual Grenadines Wooden Sloop Regattas, honoring the craftsmen of the Southern Grenadines who hand-build wooden Carriacou sloops, a traditional skill that has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Petit St. Vincent’s support of these sailing races helps ensure that the fine craftsmanship of this age-old trade—and the history and culture of seafaring in the Grenadines—continues into the future.
PACUARE LODGE
COSTA RICA
To support local community members concerned about losing their traditional knowledge of architectural building and design, Pacuare donated land, labor, and materials to support construction of a community center that now serves as a gathering place, a workshop for revitalizing traditional handicrafts, and a source of local pride for the indigenous Cabecar people who live there.
BANYAN TREE RINGHA
KASBAH DU TOUBKAL
In addition to inviting guests to stay in restored wooden Tibetan farmhouses to experience the area’s cultural heritage, Banyan Tree Ringha works closely with nearby communities to support ethnic Tibetan culture; guests are also invited to participate in traditional fireside dancing and singing ceremonies.
This Moroccan kasbah was in ruins when the current owners purchased it, determined to restore it as a cultural landmark on a hilltop beneath North Africa’s highest peak, Jbel Toubkal. The lodge considers itself a Berber hospitality center, and is run by local community members who surround guests with traditional food, music, and experiences that introduce them to the Berber way of life.
CHINA
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MOROCCO
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WINTERLAKE LODGE UNITED STATES
What began as an Alaskan hunting lodge now serves as a conservation gateway to a remote wilderness, under the guidance of the Dixon family. In the winter, Winterlake is a main supporter of Alaska’s iconic Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The lodge, which sits along Mile 198 of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, houses and trains its own team of dogs and serves as the Finger Lake checkpoint for the race, offering a welcome stop to weary mushers.
TUTKA BAY LODGE
TIERRA ATACAMA HOTEL & SPA
UNITED STATES
CHILE
Preserving local culinary traditions and espousing sustainable food production is fundamental at Tutka Bay Lodge perched on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. The lodge’s renowned chef, who operates her own on-site cooking school, is passionate about sourcing local ingredients; promoting Alaskan heritage cuisine; and partnering with local artisanal farmers, foragers, and fishermen to support and promote a community-based food economy.
For centuries, the desert village of San Pedro de Atacama was a waystation for cattle drivers en route from Argentina to the coast, and Tierra Atacama rests inside the original adobe clay walls of a cattle corral. Minimizing disturbance to the land out of respect for the indigenous people who predate the town, Tierra Atacama has carefully restored its traditional gardens, including native algarrobo and chañar trees, and revitalized centuries-old irrigation canals.
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SU PPO RT F O R LO CA L CO M M UN IT IES Caring about people is a fundamental aspect of our lodges’ commitment to sustainable tourism. All of our lodges are engaged in their communities, providing not only employment, but also opportunities in education, health, and small business development. Sourcing locally goes beyond supplies and jobs to building for the future—from Kasbah Du Toubkal’s five-percent guest levy, which supports a community development fund administered by local villagers who decide how best to invest in their community, to Reserva do Ibitipoca’s decision to turn over ownership of their lodge to local employees, empowering them to utilize their tourism success as a vehicle for improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.
MORE THAN US $3 MILLION PROVIDED TO FUND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
A SCHOOLGIRL WATERS A SAPLING AS PART OF A SCHOOL PROJECT SPONSORED BY THE BUSHCAMP COMPANY, ZAMBIA.
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SUPP O RT F O R LOC AL CO M M UN IT IE S
CRAFTING TRADITIONAL FURNITURE ON FOGO ISLAND, CANADA.
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70% of the lodges provided more than US $3 million in direct funding to community development initiatives in 2014–2015, including education, health care, and small business development initiatives.
76% of the lodges employ at least 70% of their staff from their local communities.
76%
70% 64% 64% of the lodges provided an additional US $1.3 million in in-kind contributions to community development initiatives in 2014–2015.
54%
54% of the lodges source 60% or more of their supplies—food, amenities, handicrafts, and furnishings—from their surrounding communities.
88% 40% 40% of the lodges grow onsite or source locally at least 70% of the food that is served at their lodge restaurants.
88% of the lodges directly contribute to community development projects, from education and health initiatives to small business development and support.
86% 86% of the lodges directly support community education initiatives, from building classrooms to providing scholarships.
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S UPP O RT F O R LO CA L CO M M UN IT IE S
T H E B U SH CAM P CO MPA NY ZAMBIA
Benefiting Local Communities: Investing in Future Generations Through its own Charity Begins at Home initiatives and in partnership with the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund, The Bushcamp Company contributes US $300,000 annually to local community development projects. To improve educational opportunities, sponsorships are provided annually to over 300 students up to university level. A meal-a-day program provides nutritious meals to nearly 2,000 children daily, and 3,000 treated mosquito nets have been distributed to local villages to fight malaria. In addition, Bushcamp’s Commit to Clean Water project has provided 40 deep boreholes to date to local communities, improving health, providing irrigation for village gardens, and freeing women from the arduous task of collecting and carrying water over long distances. The Bushcamp Company and its partners support education, improve health care systems, and generate a sustainable source of economic income for the communities of South Luangwa.
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SARARA CAMP KENYA
Protecting nearly a million acres of remote wilderness, Sarara is 100% community-owned by the indigenous Samburu people of Northern Kenya. Serving as an ecotourism model that protects nature and sustains the well-being of local people, Sarara has provided funding for 900 educational scholarships, supports five schools, and has established 42 women’s microenterprise groups.
FOGO ISLAND INN
CANADA
Partnering with the Shorefast Foundation to revitalize the centuries-old craft culture of Fogo Island, one of Canada’s oldest settlements, the inn showcases and supports traditional crafts such as furniture making, quilt-making, and rug-hooking, using local resources. Beginning in 2015, the Foundation led the restoration of the Society of United Fishermen’s Hall, returning it to the community as a local gathering place.
CHURCHILL WILD—SEAL RIVER RIVER HERITAGE LODGE CANADA
Each year, a small group of dedicated international runners laces up for the Polar Bear Marathon, racing in support of the Sayisi Dene First Nations. Churchill Wild actively supports the run, which serves as a fundraiser for local community development projects. Each runner is provided with a mobile support team, staffed by local volunteers.
GROOTBOS PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE
SOUTH AFRICA
In partnership with the Grootbos Foundation, the lodge is actively and intimately engaged in training and capacity-building in their community, including offering a variety of athletic programs to multi-cultural groups of young people. These programs serve as an entry to not only sports training, but also life skills, HIV education, female empowerment, environmental education, and enterprise development—with a goal of poverty alleviation and community upliftment.
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S UPP O RT F O R LO CA L CO M M UN IT IE S
INKATERRA HACIENDA URUBAMBA
PERU
Located in the Sacred Valley, the lodge partners with local farmers to grow native vegetables and legumes, including native red, black, and brown quinoa; Urubamba giant corn; and a wide variety of native potatoes; along with herbs for culinary and medicinal use. Guests are invited to pick their own produce for earth-to-table meals.
RUBONDO ISLAND CAMP
KASBAH DU TOUBKAL
In addition to their support for the Rubondo Island National Park’s chimpanzee habituation project, all vegetables at the lodge are sourced directly from local village market gardens established as microenterprise development projects by Rubondo in partnership with local communities. To date, the project has benefited some 2,000 villagers, including women and children.
Two local organizations, the Association Bassins d’Imlil and Education for All, that Kasbah Du Toubkal was instrumental in creating and continues to financially support, created special boarding houses in nearby towns to provide young women with the opportunity to pursue secondary school education, an option previously unavailable in the area.
TANZANIA
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SAYARI CAMP
TANZANIA
Sayari has implemented a market-garden project, “Taste of Serengeti,” in five villages bordering Serengeti National Park, providing ongoing mentoring and support from a trained agriculturist to create a reliable source of income, as well as water wells to provide for community needs and irrigation. This enables the camp to source 70% of its vegetables from local villages and provide support for microenterprise development.
INKATERRA HACIENDA CONCEPCIÓN PERU
ROSALIE BAY RESORT
DOMINICA
In addition to sourcing ingredients for their daily menus from One of the pioneers of ecotourism in Peru, Inkaterra works closely their own organic garden, Rosalie Bay works with local islanders to create special farm-to-spa treatments. Ingredients with local communities to support poverty alleviation and are selected for their different natural healing properties, and are promote conservation. At Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción, this effort includes establishing brazil nut microenterprises to develop combined and created into oils, scrubs, masks, and creams, as well as custom-made treatments for guests. supply chains for local food products, and community environmental education workshops.
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EN VI RO NM E N TA LLY F R IEN D LY P R AC TICE S A cornerstone of sustainable tourism is to minimize the environmental footprint and negative impacts of a tourism enterprise on the environment. All of our lodges are actively engaged in environmentally friendly operations, from conserving energy and water to reducing waste, recycling materials, repurposing products, and cutting carbon emissions. Through collaboration and innovation, the lodges in this collection continue to look for ways to lighten their footprint in the fragile natural and cultural environments where they are located.
MORE THAN 3 MILLION POUNDS OF WASTE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILLS
THE BRANDO, FRENCH POLYNESIA
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E NV I RO NM E N TALLY F R IEN D LY PRAC T I C ES
NIMMO BAY WILDERNESS RESORT, CANADA
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100% of lodges are actively engaged in efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, with 60% of lodges diverting more than 3.4 million lbs (1.5M kg) of waste from landfills in 2014–2015.
58%
58% of the lodges use solar energy, ranging from solar panels on individual rooms to heat hot water to providing 100% of the lodge’s energy from solar power.
50% of the lodges have converted more than 75% of their lights to low-energy LED lighting.
100%
50%
80% 80% of the lodges offer reusable water bottles.
46%
48% 48% of the lodges recycle at least 75% of their filtered STP water.
62% 62% of the lodges use renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydro, and biofuels.
46% of the lodges have eliminated the use of plastic water bottles. An additional 26% of lodges have reduced their use of plastic water bottles by more than 50% in 2014–2015.
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T H E B R A NDO
FRENCH POLYNESIA Green Power: Renewable Energy from the Ocean’s Depths In order to minimize environmental impacts, The Brando has implemented innovative sustainability strategies to provide all of the resort’s energy needs through renewable sources. Solar panels line the small airstrip that delivers guests to the resort, providing heat for all of the resort’s hot water, with additional generators powered by local coconut biodiesel. A Seawater Air Conditioning system (SWAC) provides energy-efficient power to cool the lodge’s 35 rooms. The system involves pumping deep ocean sea water through a series of pipes and an exchanger, reducing energy consumption for air conditioning by 90%, and overall energy use by 70%. This innovative technology is now being considered by cities such as Honolulu to reduce energy costs in downtown business buildings and hotels.
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NIMMO BAY WILDERNESS RESORT
BENTWOOD INN
CANADA
UNITED STATES
When the Murray family embarked on building Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort nearly 40 years ago, the most available source of power was the waterfalls that thundered noisily from the top of Mount Stephens into the bay nearby, carrying rainfall and snow melt. Furnishing the labor themselves, the family installed a Pelton water wheel, which still provides the lodge with 85% of its energy needs.
Constructed from reclaimed 200-year-old timber harvested after the great fire in Yellowstone National Park, the inn is an Audubon Society-certified wildlife-friendly lodge. Bentwood is a founding member of 1% For The Tetons, established to engage local businesses to commit 1% of revenue toward sustaining the natural and cultural heritage of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, by providing grants to nonprofit organizations.
LONGITUDE 131°
CAPELLA LODGE
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIA
This tented lodge in Australia’s outback was designed so that it can be entirely dismantled and removed if necessary. The tents are built on stilts, and native vegetation provides the landscaping. Energy-efficient design enhances thermal and acoustic insulation, and solar panels provide energy to heat water. The main lodge area, the Dune House, was built into the side of a sand dune to maximize natural insulation, further reducing energy needs.
Recycling waste is an important part of Capella Lodge’s daily environmental management, including the separation of compost materials, cardboard and paper, glass, plastic, aluminum and rubbish. Plastic bottles have been completely eliminated from the property and replaced with reusable Nalgene water bottles for guests.
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MARA PLAINS CAMP
KENYA
This camp is 100% off the grid, with all of its power—for both guests and staff—provided by solar panels (a back-up generator is available for emergencies). Earning Eco Tourism Kenya Gold certification in 2015, the camp diverted seven tons of waste from landfills in 2014–2015, and additionally composted all of its bio-waste. The lodge’s lighting is entirely LED, and its wastewater is filtered and recycled for landscape irrigation.
SABI SABI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
SEGERA RETREAT
SOUTH AFRICA
KENYA
Sabi Sabi was a pioneer in using gravitational filtration dams and wetlands to recycle wastewater, and the reserve has received environmental awards and recognition for its efforts. Wastewater is pumped through three sets of dams that are each lower than the previous one; and the water then filters back into the underground river system after having been cleaned through the natural wetlands filtration process.
Segera is proudly run entirely on solar energy and is 100% free of plastic water bottles. All water used at the lodge is recycled through a Biobox system for further use in cleaning and irrigation, while an annual environmental audit tracks and helps to reduce Segera’s carbon footprint—part of the lodge’s ongoing commitment to address climate change.
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SIWASH LAKE WILDERNESS RESORT CANADA
Reduce, reuse, recycle is the daily mantra at Siwash. A 6KW solar photo voltaic array sends energy to a power bank of 48 deep cycle batteries, providing 100% of electricity when the weather is fair and 96% annually. Plastic water bottles have been eliminated, biodegradable cleaners are used, and gray water drains back into the ground through a natural water filtration system that supports water conservation.
SOUTHERN OCEAN LODGE
LAPA RIOS LODGE
AUSTRALIA
COSTA RICA
Senior students at the local Kangaroo Island Community Education Campus, with support from Southern Ocean Lodge as their largest market partner, established a community aquaculture project producing sustainably harvested barramundi fish. Southern Ocean Lodge also supports the school though educational initiatives.
“Twigs, Pigs, and Garbage” is the name of Lapa Rios’s sustainability tour, which showcases numerous green practices, including a biogas production system. Local pigs are fed kitchen scraps and leftovers, and their waste is collected into a biogas converter, which produces enough methane gas to fuel the stove in the staff kitchen. The pigs eventually also provide food for staff, completing a sustainable circle of production.
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AN OXPECKER AND GIRAFFE IN ZAMBIA’S SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK
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M AK ING A DIFFE RE N CE In 1950, there were 25 million international tourists. Fast forward to 2016, when more than one billion people set out to see the world—a number that is expected to double by 2030. Travel and tourism is now one of the world’s largest industries, employing one out of 11 people on the planet. With this growth comes an even greater responsibility to harness the power of travel as a force for good. Each of our travel choices makes a big difference. And that impact is at the heart of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection. These very special places offer a wonderful vacation that contributes to biodiversity conservation, heritage preservation, and the well-being of local people. By offering meaningful travel experiences rooted in the principles of sustainable tourism, these lodges are helping to lead the way to a brighter travel future.
AB OU T THE AUTH O R Costas Christ is one of the pioneers of ecotourism, having helped to officially define the term for the first time and serving as a founding member and former chairman of the International Ecotourism Society. Now a senior advisor for sustainable tourism at National Geographic, Costas has traveled to more than 130 countries and lectured and published widely on tourism’s impact on the world. Costas was recognized by the IAMEco-Warrior project alongside conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, ocean explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle, and CNN founder Ted Turner as a visionary working towards a sustainable future for the planet. He was the lead author of Tourism and Biodiversity: Mapping Tourism’s Global Footprint (UNEP 2003) and a contributing author to Wilderness: Earth’s Last Wild Places (CI 2002). His stories appear regularly in National Geographic Traveler magazine, where he is also an editor at large.
Learn more at natgeolodgesimpact.com
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PACUARE LODGE, COSTA RICA
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CONTRIBUTING MEMBER LODGES 50 LODGES, 1,179 ROOMS The following lodges were members of the collection as of September 2016 and contributed to this report. Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas Ashford Castle Banyan Tree Ringha Bentwood Inn The Bushcamp Company Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat Capella Lodge Churchill Wild—Seal River Heritage Lodge Cuixmala Fogo Island Inn Fregate Island Private Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Hacienda de San Antonio Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Inkaterra La Casona Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel Kapari Natural Resort Kasbah Du Toubkal Lapa Rios Lodge Lizard Island Lone Mountain Ranch Longitude 131° Mara Plains Camp Mashpi Lodge
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort ol Donyo Lodge Pacuare Lodge Petit St. Vincent Private Island Resort The Ranch at Rock Creek Reserva do Ibitipoca Rosalie Bay Resort Rubondo Island Camp Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve Sarara Camp Sayari Camp Segera Retreat Siwash Lake Wilderness Resort Southern Ocean Lodge Sukau Rainforest Lodge The Brando Three Camel Lodge Tiamo Resort Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa Tswalu Kalahari Tutka Bay Lodge Winterlake Lodge Zarafa Camp Zhiwa Ling Hotel
Learn more at natgeolodgesimpact.com
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“Ignorance breeds environmental destruction. A life long mission for me personally is to erode that ignorance with knowledge and understanding about conservation. One of the best ways to do that is through sustainable tourism. If you have visited a unique place in the world with an expert naturalist guide, your outlook changes. Many of our guests become inspired to be ambassadors for protecting the place they visit. When I started Great Plains Conservation it was all about this single endeavor; to attract people to our camps and lodges so they can be exposed to sustainable living alongside nature in the most fulfilling way and join us as partners in conserving the planet.” Dereck Joubert, Founder and CEO of Great Plains Conservation, filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
REFRESHMENTS UNDER AN ACACIA TREE NEAR KENYA’S OL DONYO LODGE, A PROPERTY OWNED BY GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION BACK COVER PHOTO: A VIEW OF LORD HOWE ISLAND
2016 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IMPACT REPORT
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