Money, time, and effort invested in adopting sustainable practices not only protect the planet but also positively impact the companies’ financial bottom-line, as proven by Newport World Resorts.
The operators of Newport World Resorts – the Philippines’ biggest integrated resort (IR) with 3,580 keys in eight hotels; 100 restaurants; 18,000m² retail space; 8,000m² event spaces; 1,788 theatre seats; and 30,000m² gaming space manned by 6,500 employees – got together in 2021 and launched I Love Earth (ILE) with a holistic and concrete sustainability programme.
Today, the IR is reaping huge benefits from its efficiency measures in reducing electricity and water consumption, said Bruce Winton, Marriott International’s multi-property vice president in the Philippines.
Yearly savings on electricity are estimated at 29 million pesos (US$521,467) or 34,000 million kilowatt hour in the boiler system; 21 million pesos or 3,000 million KWh in the descaling system; 14 million pesos or 1,700 million KWh from occupancy sensing rooms; and a 15 per cent cost reduction from low temperature laundry.
This is a far cry from the IR’s previous 250 million KWh yearly consumption of electricity equivalent to 59,000 homes, Winton said in a presentation to the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association.
There’s also huge savings from reduced water consumption which used to be four million cubic metres each year. Winton noted that water is expensive in the Philippines, about six and a half times more expensive than in Thailand, and supply problems arise during the dry season, El Nino and La Nina phenomena.
Each hotel in the IR has its own sustainability programme; for Marriott Manila, the goal is to lessen its water consumption by 15 per cent next year.
Marriott Manila’s reform, reduce, recycle, and repurpose programme for its water bottling translates to a 1.7 million pesos savings for one year and a 2.1 years of return on investments on a 3.6 million peso capital.
The ILE Urban Farm within the IR, while promoting healthy living and livelihood, has other benefits: 37 per cent lower price of produce per kilo; 95 per cent less land use; 95 per cent less water used; 95 per cent less fuel; and 95 per cent less waste – all pesticide free. About 37 per cent of selected items from the urban farm are now being sold to the local marketplace.
In addition, active benchmarking and certification (set metrics, measure, global certification, among others) make Newport World Resorts the only IR in the country to receive a silver certification from EarthCheck.
In her new role, Doig will drive trade and consumer marketing activity with the teams in Tourism Australia’s key markets in the region, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is expanding its presence globally, with the addition of four new regional hotel brands in some of the world’s most popular tourism destinations.
The expansion punctuates a landmark year for GHA as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Unike Hotels in Norway, Sunway Hotels & Resorts in Malaysia, Andronis in Greece, and Paramount Hotels in the UAE add 32 properties to the alliance of independent hotel brands, enriching GHA’s portfolio with a mix of city and resort hotels that cater to the preferences of a wide range of travellers.
Unike Hotels brings a distinctive Scandinavian touch where each hotel in the Unike group is a unique reflection of its local environment. Its collection of 17 hotels across the country comprise Leikanger Hotel, Rømskog Spa, Utsikten Hotel in southern Norway, and more.
Sunway Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality division of Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group, manages 11 hotels and resorts in Malaysia as well as the cities of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Hanoi in Vietnam. Sunway’s Malaysia properties include three iconic hotels in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, such as the luxury five-star Sunway Resort Hotel, which is a favourite among family vacationers and business travellers; a Penang property located in the heart of UNESCO-listed George Town, as well as The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh.
Andronis brings to GHA a collection of boutique hotels on two popular islands in the Aegean Sea – Santorini and Paros, all offering unique wellness and dining experiences and overlooking the Aegean Sea. Properties range from the flagship Andronis Luxury Suites on Santorini featuring 33 villas and suites, to the Andronis Minois on Paros.
Paramount Hotels introduces Hollywood glamour and cinematic experiences to GHA Discovery members with two signature properties in Dubai. Both Paramount Hotel Dubai and Paramount Hotel Midtown are located in the city’s vibrant Business Bay.
“The addition of these four regional independent hotel brands provides our 28 million GHA Discovery members with an even greater choice of unique destination experiences,” said GHA CEO Chris Hartley. “The integration of Unike Hotels, Sunway Hotels & Resorts, Andronis and Paramount Hotels into GHA Discovery will also generate significant growth opportunities through the platform, enhancing cross-brand activity and revenue for all GHA hotel brands.”