IF YOU LOVE YOUR PLANET
If you love your planet - Luxury Travel Magazine
 | |||||
If you love your planet | |||||
| Issue 32, Spring 2007 | |||||
| (Luxe-Enviro Awards 2007) | |||||
| LUXURY TRAVEL MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF OUR LUXE-ENVIRO AWARDS 2007, REWARDING ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE MEMBERS OF THE LUXURY & TRAVEL INDUSTRIES. | |||||
| The future of Australian and world tourism is closely linked to climate change and environmental sustainability. | |||||
| The black text looms larger than life across the screen: “IF YOU LOVE YOUR PLANET…” it reads in bold capitals, followed closely by the next line, “IF YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN…”. Even sceptics at the premiere of former US Vice President Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth sit up in their seats in anticipation, as the vision moves into scenes of hurricane-borne palm trees scattering like rubbish across streets and waterways in the southern US. Whatever viewer’s response to the issues raised by the film, first released in May 2006, it’s possible that history will look back on this time as a marker in the sand: one of those ‘what-were-you-thinking-before’ and ‘what-are-you-doing-after’ moments that may measure a point in time in world response to climate change. For those who love to travel, there is a growing awareness that tourism, and the physical process of travelling itself, has a significant environmental impact. But rather than fall prey to the doom-and-gloom prophesies of some experts, a number of industry leaders at the luxury end of the market are actually getting on and doing something towards creating a more environmentally-friendly travel future. “Australia hosts some of our planet’s greatest natural assets, such as our 17 World Heritage Areas. It is our duty to protect these tourism icons for future generations,” said Federal Small Business and Tourism Minister, Fran Bailey, who recently announced a national Tourism and Climate Change Task Force. “The Australian tourism industry really has taken a leadership role in adaptation to climate change,” she said. “Places will now market their environmental credentials, as well (as their accommodation features). In Australia, over 800 tourism businesses have the highest environmental accreditation. Green Globe and Eco-Tourism Australia represent two benchmark and accreditation organisations that are recognised as world leaders.” With environmental stewardship in its early days and often self-regulated, it is hard to measure its challenges and successes. One area of most apparent concern is in the growing area of air travel. The consensus is that the aviation industry currently contributes around two per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, The World Tourism Organisation estimates there will be one and a half billion tourists moving around the world by 2020, representing 20% of the population. Given the number of us that have adopted the ‘fly and flop’ approach to holidaying – flying large distances only to arrive and claim a comfy armchair by the pool – travellers need to ensure that their preferences are sustainable. And what about the situation once you arrive at your chosen luxury resort or hotel? Hotels, resorts, and even B&Bs are not immune to these needs, and their everyday practises on water, power, waste and even food consumption have a large environmental toll, which though more fragmented and hard to measure, still add up to significant cost to the environment. In economic terms, the Australian Tourism industry is currently worth around $81 million, and employs around half a million people – something worth not only hanging onto, but also fostering for future economic health. Not to mention holiday pleasure. In this environment, Luxury Travel Magazine has decided to take a firm step in the right direction, initiating and implementing the LUXE-ENVIRO AWARDS 2007 that seek to highlight and reward both local and international efforts in this area. We hope the following pages are food for thought. Who were our judges? Who entered? And who won? And ultimately, where should you, and will you choose to travel to next? And why? Read on… | |||||
| THE LUXE-ENVIRO AWARDS 2007 | |||||
| Encouraged by the sustainable initiatives that some luxury operators are beginning to put in place, Luxury Travel Magazine set out to reward those having success. | |||||
| The Luxe-Enviro Awards 2007, were run for the first time from June to August this year, and sought nominations from all segments of the industry. The response was steady at first, but grew once word spread, and hotels and resorts took time to take stock of their procedures. Entries were diverse, and varied from individual small properties such as the two-acre Applecroft Cottages in the Barossa Ranges, to large international organisations including Leading Hotels of the World with their energy saving techniques, and Boeing, with their revolutionary new aircraft, the Dreamliner, Ski resorts, such as Perisher Blue and Mt Buller had their bit to contribute, as did award-winning luxury resorts like Hayman. The Judges: Luxury Travel Magazine is delighted to thank our judges for their assistance in making the following choices along with the Luxury Travel Magazine editorial team. Our judges were The Hon Fran Bailey, Minister for Small Business and Tourism, and Patrice Newell, author, past television presenter and model, and now an Upper House candidate in the 2007 NSW state election, and co-founder of the Climate Change coalition – a new political party. During the judging process, the Luxury Travel Magazine Editorial Team had a vote, and was involved when tie-breakers occurred. The Categories: Five categories were selected. 1. Best new product or initiative over the past 12 months in the Australian travel industry. 2. Best new product or initiative over the past 12 months in the International travel industry. 3. Best new Lifestyle product or initiative over the last 12 months. 4. Outstanding Company contribution. 5. Outstanding sustained achievement over five years. The Contenders, and Winners: And the winner is… In reality, in the issue of tourism and the environment, we all are winners when companies seek to curtail their environmental impact, and look for new ways to go about their business. Having said that… | |||||
| Best New Australian Product, Over Last 12 months | |||||
| Naturally, this category spurred response from a broad range of players from Perisher Blue Ski resort (with their Green Energy use for Ski Lifts), Virgin Blue Airlines with its Carbon Offset Program launched in March 2007 (that allows passengers on Virgin Blue flights to pay to neutralise their carbon emissions, in a government-endorsed program), to Melbourne’s Savings In the City Plan (that includes 30 city hotels and apartments in a waste, water and energy wise plan that tracks and measures their improved management and successes). | |||||
| THE WINNER IS: RADISSON PLAZA HOTEL, SYDNEY. In the words of one of our judges: “Here is a business that is dealing with the core issues of sustainability… that are not necessarily obvious to the customer – a reduction in chemical use, energy consumption, and water use, and improved air quality.” | |||||
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: VIRGIN BLUE. This voluntary carbon offset program allows guests to neutralise their carbon emissions, and is only the second airline in the world to offer this service. | |||||
| Best New International Product, Over Last 12 months | |||||
| Many of the entrants in this category had a strong social awareness that went hand-in-hand with their environmental efforts. For example, Conrad Bali Resort & Spa (which has achieved a Green Globe certified status which recognises their energy and waste efforts as well as community commitment), Fairmont Hotels and Resorts for their Green Partnership Guide, and Six Senses Resorts that aims for local partnership and sustainable practises in their resorts across the globe. Elsewhere, Leading Hotels of the World has announced its energy saving Leading Green Initiative in April 2007, and Hyatt Hotels has announced a totally new portfolio of hotels, Andaz, whose stylishly-simple luxury is also designed to also be environmentally friendly. | |||||
| THE WINNER IS: JEAN-MICHAEL COUSTEAU RESORT, FIJI. This eco-friendly resort has an onsite marine biologist, and is devoted to both recycling, waste management and educating guests in future sustainability. | |||||
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: SIX SENSES RESORT, SONEVA FUSHI, MALDIVES. Through creative architecture, and décor, the use of wind turbines and other energy innovations, this resort is aiming to be ‘carbon neutral’ by 2008, and ‘carbon free’ by 2010. | |||||
| Best New Lifestyle Product, Over Last 12 months | |||||
| Naturally, those who appreciate the experience of a luxury hotel or resort, also like to enjoy the refinement of luxury products. With this in mind, Luxury Travel Magazine created a category that particularly focussed on the vast array of luxury lifestyle products, given that they too have an impact on the environment. | |||||
| THE JOINT WINNERS ARE: LEXUS AUSTRALIA. Lexus launched three new luxury hybrid vehicles over and during the last 12 months – the sedan (GS 450h), the SUV (RX 400h) and upcoming V8 (LS 600hL) due for release in November. These vehicles provide power from both petrol and electric motors, while maintaining a high level of performance. LOUIS VUITTON: LV initiated a company Carbon Inventory back in 2004, to measure the impact of their activities on the environment. Since then, these results have been used to modify and reduce carbon emissions in all areas including production and distribution, as well as the construction of a ‘green’ warehouse in 2006/7, Cergy Eole, on the outskirts of Paris. | |||||
| Outstanding Company Contribution | |||||
| This category sought to highlight those who have made a cross-company effort in their approach, and it gathered interest from companies small and large including Boeing for its recently released 787 Dreamliner (an aircraft that will use 20% less fuel and be 60% quieter than currant aircraft when it takes its first commercial flight in 2008), Hayman, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat and Hertz Australia (for its use of environmentally-friendly rental vehicles). THE WINNER IS: BOEING. With the release the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the company has committed to minimising waste in manufacturing and creating less impact every step of the way. | |||||
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: GWINGANNA LIFESTYLE RETREAT. Gwinganna’s whole approach is enviro-aware, including employing a full time environmentalist, using reclaimed timbers in its design, energy saving devices, and using its own water supply. | |||||
| Sustained Environmental Achievement, over 5 years | |||||
| For some companies, an environmental focus is not a new phenomena, rather a continuation of a way of thinking that has been in place for more than five years. Numbers of Australian luxury travel products can hold their heads high in this regard, and were able to point out ways in which their efforts have been productive over a long period including Hayman, Stamford Hotels and The Westin Hotel, Sydney. But it was Voyages with their superb stewardship of Australia’s iconic locations that was a standout. | |||||
| THE WINNER IS: VOYAGES RESORTS. Voyages operates fifteen resorts within, or adjacent to, World Heritage–listed areas and national parks and has a comprehensive management plan in place in all resorts, and a centrally employed environmental manager. | |||||
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: JUNGLE BAY RESORT, DOMINICA, This award is for the resorts long-term environmental efforts and sustainable community projects. | |||||
| FINAL NOTE: The Luxury Travel editorial team, and our two judges, remind readers that the information on environmental efforts was in most cases provided by the airlines, hotels and resorts themselves. | |||||
|
