As part of the Dubai Green Tourism Awards, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing recognised 10 hotels and tourism businesses in the emirate for their environmental and sustainable practices.
Al Bustan Rotana took the award in the five-star category; Novotel Deira City Centre in the four-star category; Suite Novotel in the three-star category; Ibis Deira City Centre in the two-star category; Savoy Crest Hotel Apartments in the deluxe apartment category and Villa Rotana in the standard apartment category.
Platinum Heritage Desert Camp was awarded in the desert camps category, and special awards went to Rose Rayhaan by Rotana for most improved sustainability practices; Regal Plaza Hotel for most innovative ideas; and Holiday Inn Al Barsha for best waste management practices.
THE AWARDS
Launched in 2009, the biennial awards are held to recognise those companies within the tourism sector that have demonstrated good practices when it comes to reducing the company’s carbon footprint, in efforts to promote sustainability of the tourism industry.
The main objectives are threefold: to develop guidelines that enable the tourism industry to become more sustainable; create a network on sustainability and enable sharing of best practices; and to recognise sustainability efforts and achievements within the industry.
Yousef Lootah, executive director, Tourism Development & Investments and chairman of Dubai Green Tourism Award Programme said: “In line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai vision for Dubai as a sustainable city, the Dubai Green Tourism Awards sets the foundation for Dubai’s tourism industry to work cooperatively to achieve better sustainability practices. The awards are also an endeavour to recognise the hard work by stakeholders who have invested in sustainable practices and to encourage and guide other tourism businesses to follow suit and shape a more sustainable tourism sector. We are delighted to have awarded 10 businesses and we will continue to work with the industry to protect and maintain our emirate so that generations of the future can enjoy all that Dubai has to offer.”
To date, the awards and industry work undertaken by Dubai Tourism have had a direct result on the green economy; lowering carbon emissions by 10,000 tonnes.
The 2015 awards saw over 81 applications – a 30 per cent increase in participation since the launch in 2009 of the awards. Each nomination is evaluated and assessed by Dubai Tourism, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and Dubai Municipality, whereby they are graded on four main criteria: environmental strategies; performance and results; education/training and awareness; and awards and recognition.
The awards are part of the emirate’s wider ambitions as laid out in the Dubai Government’s Green Growth Strategy to manage the overall resources within all industries in Dubai. The programme looks at addressing the root causes of the emirate’s environmental impact, with just some of the areas of focus being: solar energy; fuel efficiency within transportation; landfill gas capture for power production; and cooling systems.
THE WINNERS
Hotel staff at Al Bustan Rotana has formed an environmental department to ensure consistency, provision of resources and allocation of budgets. Internal standards were developed based on local and international standards and over 20 key performance indicators (KPIs) were selected and targets were set for each KPI. This has resulted in the successful completion of around 35 environmental projects and initiatives within the first year.
Novotel Deira City Centre (four-star), Suite Novotel (three-star) and Ibis Deira City Centre (two-star) owe their awards to Accor’s intensive sustainability programme.
Savoy Crest Hotel Apartment (deluxe apartments) reduced carbon footprint, which resulted in an operational cost saving of an average Dh376,113 ($102,400)every year.
Villa Rotana, in the standard apartments category, has taken every detail into consideration. The hotel has changed all the bulbs to LED, installed sub meters for the kitchens and pools to monitor the water consumption within the hotel, and purchased new buses that are more eco-friendly.
Platinum heritage (desert camp) has adopted several environment-friendly strategies: they use natural building materials for their camps, such as goat hair, ghaf wood, and stones. They also use solar hot water and fans for cooling, in order to have a positive impact on the environment. They also organise voluntary clean up days in the desert, and they host school field trips to educate the children.