Sustainability in hotels has evolved from a marketing tactic to a full-blown mandate demanded by governments, authorities and consumers alike.
Perhaps no other destination is working towards it with more vigor than Saudi Arabiaa’s Red Sea project. The multi-billion dollar tourist destination wants to show the world what is possible when sustainability is at the forefront of all activities.
The Red Sea Project will represent the evolution of KSA when completed in 2030 after being fully operational renewable energy sources, Cultivation of own products and plants, to Empowering local communities and talent.
In an interview with the hotelier Middle East, Raed Albasseet, Group Head of Environment and Sustainability at TRSDC, spoke about how sustainability can be implemented correctly.
Sustainability in hotels from day one
Albasseet said: “The difference we want to make is twofold. First, we try to achieve the highest standards of sustainable practices and have a clear agenda. We are achieving sustainability performance goals that have never been achieved before.
“Secondly, we are not planning our sustainability goals for the future, but have already started our sustainability goals with the opening. Our disposal facility is a clear example. It is already fully functional and processes our rubble. The waste is fed back into the construction process. So this is a clear sign that we are sustainable even before the first day. “
Raed Albasset
After completion in 2030, the website will host 50 hotels with up to 8,000 hotel rooms and approx. 1,000 residential properties on 22 islands and six locations inland. In the first phase, 16 properties will be opened in the development, nine of which have already been unveiled.
With SLS, EDITION, Six Senses and Grand Hyatt, the Red Sea Project aims to attract guests with the reputation of these immensely luxurious international flags. What these guests have in common everywhere, says Albasseet, is their personal commitment to sustainability.
Part of the Red Sea Project’s DNA
The head of environment continues: “Sustainability is part of the offer for the guest. One of the points of attraction for the guest is the knowledge that he is visiting in another place in the world. The offers of other destinations are at the expense of the environment.
“The visitor is part of this journey to make the world a better place. Visitors need to understand that if they are to have a good time, it must not be at the expense of the environment and the places where the indigenous people live.
“Sustainability is part of our DNA, so every tourist’s journey at our destination will be rooted in it. Guests can contribute to the destination’s agenda. They can make a difference by staying with our project.
“Scuba diving is not just about diving to interact with natural beauty, it will also be an opportunity to contribute to coral growth. Divers are given the opportunity to take a coral from the laboratory and plant it underwater on the spot. “
The Red Sea Project
This is where the Saudi Giga project begins to stand out from existing sustainability projects. While others have worked to minimize the impact they have on the earth, the Red Sea Project seeks to maximize its impact – as long as it is positive.
Regenerative tourism
The difference between pure sustainability and regeneration is another element that sets the Red Sea Project apart. He continued, “This is what we are trying to break – the link between tourism and resource exploitation. It’s not about leaving a place without a trace, we want people to come and leave a positive mark instead of leaving one at all. “
The Grand Hyatt in the Red Sea Project
The commitment to sustainability
The term “duty” appears again and again. It is something that falls to everyone, he said: “Sustainability in hotels is the responsibility of the developer. Embedding environmental protection and improvement is the responsibility of the developer to ensure that the project contributes to all facets of sustainability. It is the destination’s responsibility to give people what they ask for, and the data shows that travelers today expect sustainability.
“The developer should enable and empower travelers to be sustainable and contribute to their environment. This is a long-term commitment and can only happen if we design a system in which everything works to improve the environment and human wellbeing. “
Edition Hotel Red Sea Development
Keep an eye on Hotelier Middle East as our December issue takes a closer look at them Sustainability in hotels.
