With the notion that there can be “no personal health and well-being without there being planetary health and well-being,” a new hotel brand under the Preferred Hotel Group umbrella is taking sustainability to “the next level.”
Beyond Green is a collection of (initially) two dozen “forward-thinking properties” around the world that are committed to delivering on the three key pillars of sustainable tourism: environmentally friendly practices that go beyond the basics; protection of natural and cultural heritage; and contributing to the social and economic well-being of local communities.
“Preferred has always looked ahead to the future to ensure that we continue to provide relevant services and support that will help our brand grow and stay ahead of the curve while helping our clients, whether destinations or hotels thrive,” says Preferred Hotel Group CEO Lindsey Ueberroth. “This is true in strong years and even more so in times of crisis. Right now, as other forces in the hospitality space sit tight or are cutting back, we’ve chosen to double down on our commitment to promote the inherently positive values of travel.”
Ueberroth cites PHG’s brand promise “Believe in Travel” and the principle of travel being a “force for good” as being the guiding principles of the just-launched Beyond brand, which will roll out in full starting in the new year.
And while sustainability has long been an issue in the travel and hospitality industries, and PHG bought the Beyond Green Travel brand earlier in the year, Ueberroth says the pandemic has made the imperative for industry evolution even clearer.
“The pandemic has already made travellers more conscious of the impact their choices will have on others and that when they begin to travel again they are willing to pay more for a sustainable travel experience that is about gaining something much more meaningful,” she says. “And despite hotels having to cut back in almost every way, this new now has brought a seemingly collective commitment among hotels globally to move ahead in one area – sustainability.”
Taken together, Ueberroth says, “Now is a time to reset and renew the travel and hospitality industry for a better and brighter future (by promoting) travel as a force for good and educating people in a way that excites them but protects our beautiful and fragile earth.”
Beyond Green Travel founder Costa Christ agrees. “It’s time to go big or go home,” he says, “and this brand is all about going big. It’s time for the travel industry to move forward with great ambition and we believe that Beyond Green represents that.”
Christ says member hotels, resorts, and lodges admitted to the portfolio are measured against 54 sustainability indicators (in line with United Nations standards), must pass inspection every two years, and have a creative ethos when it comes to environmental and cultural sustainability.
Criteria for membership includes: elimination of plastic water bottles and reducing single use plastics; support for biodiversity conservation initiatives and restoration and protection of natural habitats; embracing local cultural vernacular in design and décor and supporting the preservation of cultural heritage sites; a demonstrated priority to hire locally according to fair wages, benefits, and non-discrimination policies that meet or exceed legal requirements; and, a priority to purchase goods and services from locally owned businesses.
“While we believe emphatically in the importance of environmental footprint, decreasing carbon, addressing planetary loss when comes to impacts and pollution, we need to go beyond that: we need to talk about how we are uplifting local communities, how we are protecting cultural heritage and how we are protecting biodiversity,” Christ says.
Beyond Green is “not just a hotel collection,” he adds. “Genuine, transparent and accountable is at the heart of what we are. Our core purpose is to take sustainability to the next level and to transform the way we travel. We will always think, ‘what can we do more, how can we take it further?’ – that is at the heart of Beyond Green. We are a brand about walking our talk.”
At the same time, he continues, “We believe that sustainable tourism is not about giving something up, it’s about gaining something more. We are adventurers, explorers, journeyers and seekers. And we travel softly because we believe that to travel with purpose is to travel well… While there may be a tendency to think of sustainability as just the latest travel buzzword, its roots are long and deep. What we are witnessing is an evolution of travel, not a passing trend.”
For more information and to book, visit www.StayBeyondGreen.com or emailBook@StayBeyondGreen.com
Beyond Green member properties will also be bookable on a common GDS chain code to be announced in early 2021, which will be linked under Preferred Hotel Group Inc.’s master GDS chain code – PV.
Some Beyond Green inaugural members include &Beyond Bateleur Camp (Kenya), Ashford Castle (Ireland), Ted Turner Reserves Vermejo (New Mexico), The Brando (French Polynesia), and Three Camel Lodge (Mongolia).
The family owned Preferred Hotel Group, Inc. manages and operates global travel and hospitality brands including Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, PHG Consulting, Beyond Green Travel and now Beyond Green hotels.