WASHINGTON, D.C.—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced its latest award for its environmental initiatives. At the Sixth Annual Global Travel and Tourism Summit held in Washington, D.C. in April, the luxury hotel brand was named winner of the 2006 Global Tourism Business Award. The award was presented by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTCC), the global business leaders forum for the travel and tourism industry. The award recognizes and promotes the world’s leading examples of best practice in responsible tourism development.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have been dedicated environmental stewards since 1990 with the development of the company’s comprehensive Green Partnership program, designed to minimize the hotels’ operating impacts on the environment. The program focuses on improvements in the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, as well as a strong element of community outreach through local groups and partnerships. Recently, the brand launched wind powered check-in by purchasing Eco-Logo certified wind power from the Pembina Institute for front desk computers at its North American properties, resulting in a greenhouse gas reduction of almost 100 tons over the next year.
In addition, guests now have opportunities to “go green” through programs and packages that offer enriching experiences, such as saving sea turtles in Mexico and the Caribbean, preserving a nature trail in Sonoma County, Calif., and educational activities for children across the portfolio.
“We’re very proud to have Fairmont’s industry leading Green Partnership program recognized with this prestigious accolade,” says Chris Cahill, president and c.o.o. of Toronto-based Fairmont. “The WTTC award is a credit to our colleagues worldwide—dedicated environmental stewards who are passionate about protecting the natural and cultural resources of our unique destinations, while ensuring a quality guest experience.”
The Global Tourism Business Award, through the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards program, is given to a tourism business that “demonstrates sound environmental operations and management, educates guests about areas visited, supports cultural and historical preservation, promotes partnerships between public and private stakeholders, and is committed to sustainable development that encompasses social, environmental and cultural aspects.”
The awards are sponsored by the WTTC, whose membership is comprised of global business leaders in the travel and tourism industry, including British Airways, American Express and Raffles International. The WTCC’s mission is to raise awareness of the full economic impact of the travel and tourism industry, and it is the only body representing the private sector in all parts of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.
For more information on the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.
