Sustainability Tourism
5 Things to Look for in a Sustainable Hotel By Jennifer Flowers
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s a growing number of hotels around the world weave sustainability and social impact into their operations, travelers in search of a responsible stay have more options than ever before. But in the face of widespread greenwashing—say, a heavily promoted towel reuse program and little else—and a lack of universal standards, it can also be daunting to find a genuinely sustainable hotel. With that in mind, here are five key things to look for when you’re choosing a hotel, from its impact on the surrounding community to its sourcing of produce and building materials. While running a sustainable hotel is an ever-evolving process that requires constant fine-tuning based on factors such as resources and technology, these insights will help you determine whether the property you choose is on the right path—and truly walking the walk. 1. Your hotel benefits the local economy and landscape. When it comes to hotel profits, the stakeholders matter: Is the revenue staying within the community, or is it mostly going to a foreign investor? In Canada’s centuries-old Great Bear Rainforest, the First Nations people of Kitasoo/Xai’xais in British Columbia are the owners of the oceanfront Spirit Bear Lodge, and they employ close to 10% of the community—which means your travel dollar stays put. In subSaharan Africa, Beks Ndlovu, the Zimbabwe-born owner of the multi-country African Bush Camps, is one of the few Black lodge owners in the region, setting an example for the next generation of hospitality entrepreneurs on the continent. Ndlovu, who grew up in a village near Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, where he now operates his flagship Somalisa Camp, recently opened Khwai Leadwood, his 16th property in Botswana’s wildlife-filled Okavango
▲Khwai Leadwood. okavangodelta.com
Delta; all camps charge a conservation levy of $20 that funds the community and conservation work of the company’s nonprofit arm, African Bush Camps Foundation. When a hotel isn’t locally owned, look for ways that the business is benefiting residents in significant and long-term ways. In Kenya, Maasai families
28 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | Nov 2021
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