Operations
Preferred Hotel’s Eclipse at Half Moon is framed by Jamaica’s lush hilltops and faces out towards the Caribbean sea.
“The launch of the brand demonstrates what is truly possible through sustainability innovation, leadership and inspiring guest experiences.”
The hotels that make up Beyond Green appeal to a particular strain of wanderlust: not only eco-conscious travellers, but also those looking for an authentic sense of place and culture. “Travellers today are increasingly seeking destinations and experiences that embrace their cultural identity and share a local sense of place,” Ueberroth says, “and this extends to the hotels they choose. Sense of place can be reflected in a hotel’s architecture, décor, design, cuisine, landscaping and construction methods.”
of the need to protect our natural landscapes and resources in addition to honouring local traditions and contributing thoughtfully to the communities they visit.”
Ueberroth offers the example of the Three Camel Lodge, one of the hotels in Beyond Green’s world-class portfolio, which “honours Mongolia’s nomadic cultural heritage through traditional architecture, including a roof that was constructed without nails in accordance with ancient Buddhist practices”.
“Beyond Green travellers are drawn to properties that highlight the vibrancy and traditions of a destination,” Ueberroth explains, “because at their best, hotels can be portals into other worlds, allowing guests to explore more deeply and understand other cultures and ways of life.”
Sense and sustainability
As well as offering beautiful and meaningful guest experiences, Beyond Green’s members are also “collectively protecting more than six million acres of
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restored habitat on land and sea. They are directly involved with saving some of the most endangered species on the planet and they are working closely with local communities as partners to support sustainable community development,” says Ueberroth. “All of that is combined with inspiring and innovative guest experiences. When someone travels with Beyond Green, they become part of sustainability in action, helping to usher in a new vision for tourism, directly connected to making the world a better place.” While there may be a question mark over the sustainability of long-distance travel, there is no doubt that the tourism industry is responding to the climate emergency by embedding sustainable development into its business strategies. Protecting flora, fauna and culture is a vital step on the path towards a greener and brighter future – and encouraging guests to fall in love with natural and local beauty, wherever they find it, really does go a long way. As Ueberroth notes: “experiential travel can challenge perspectives and help us to better understand different cultures and communities, have a greater respect for nature and our planet, and create deeper connections with people, and, most importantly, ourselves”.
So, what does the future hold for the tourism industry? Is wanderlust a trend that is here to stay? Ueberroth seems convinced: “Travel fulfils a human need to connect and will only become more important. I think a focus on sustainable travel will be prevalent and woven into the experience culture more and more.”
Fashion for certain words may fluctuate but our very human desire to travel and discover new experiences is part of who we are. The pandemic woke us up to that and the climate emergency reminds us every day just how precious the planet is. Call it what you will, wanderlust is going nowhere in a hurry – and there is a whole world out there to discover. ●
Hotel Management International /
www.hmi-online.com
Preferred Travel Group
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