CASE STUDY
Mirror, mirror on the wall.
Who are the greenest travel
companies of them all?
AquaCity, a spa resort in Slovakia that uses geothermal energy as its primary energy
source, hosted the inaugural World Travel Green Awards in October. Holly Barder reports.
T
ravel industry of the World Travel Awards. In short, the clearly demonstrated that Europe’s mature
professionals travelled to prevailing assumption at the event was that destinations such as spain, France and the
slovakia in October for the future is in sustainability. UK are dragging their feet over the growing
the World travel awards’ The spotlight was well and truly on the consumer demand for sustainable and more
first green ceremony. Showcasing socially Caribbean, South America, Africa and Asia, socially aware travel products,” says Cooke.
responsible businesses, the message from who were repeatedly recognised during the “They have much to learn from the
the event was that “it’s easy being green”, Green Awards ceremony, winning awards one passion and enthusiasm of emerging
and what’s more, that in turbulent economic after another. destinations such as Sri Lanka, for example,
times, rather than neglect green aspirations, Singapore Changi Airport, for example, which is embracing an ambitious green
companies should be looking to eco-friendly which boasts the world’s first butterfly garden initiative to become the world’s first
initiatives to offer a themselves a profitable in an airport, was nominated the world’s carbon neutral destination in the world,” he
lifeline. leading eco-friendly airport while Tiamo, continues.
The awards celebrated the most South Andros Island, Bahamas won the gong However, the UK did not walk away
environmentally sustainable companies from for the Caribbean’s leading green resort. empty handed.
across the world, including best airlines, “Guests are pleasantly surprised when Tribes Travel, a Fair Trade travel company
hotels, car hire, cruise lines, destinations and they discover that Tiamo is an eco resort. that claims to offer tailor-made, ‘responsible’
spas. A fitting venue for the inaugural Green They never could have imagined how holidays and safaris, was awarded the world’s
Awards ceremony, AquaCity, the geothermal luxurious and comfortable it could be to have leading green tour operator, while Quest
wonderland overlooked by the High Tatra a shower heated by the sun,” says the resort’s in England was voted the world’s leading
Mountains gathered more than 150 of the publicity material. responsible tourism scheme.
most innovative and pioneering travel Nairobi Serena Hotel, Kenya, said to be Nor did AquaCity, the host of the awards,
companies, destinations and resorts. constructed from ecologically sympathetic go unrewarded. It came away with two
According to the event organisers, the materials, was named Africa’s leading green prizes: Europe’s leading green hotel and the
awards highlight a shift in travel trends with hotel and the Orchid Hotel, India, whose aim world’s leading green resort. AquaCity has
more and more consumers demanding that is “to enhance the guest experience while been described as one of the greenest places
the travel industry is more sustainable and setting new standards in environmental on earth. During the awards ceremony alone
green. responsibility and conservation of natural guests helped save around six tonnes of CO2
“Increasingly, responsible tourism is resources”, took the gong for Asia’s leading from entering the atmosphere.
becoming a core part of European travel,” green hotel. “My biggest hobby is sustainability,” says
says Graham E Cooke, founder and president “This was our first Green Awards and Jan Telensky, owner and CEO of AquaCity.
An architect's vision of what the host of the World Travel Green Awards, AquaCity, will look like in the future.
48 SuSTAinABle SOluTiOnS December/January 2009
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