The American group Preferred Hotel follows the ecological transition and launches “Beyond Green”, a brand of environmentally friendly hospitality. Initially, 24 hotels have received the “Beyond Green” label, 10 of which are based in Africa. These hotels are located in Botswana (Wilderness Safaris DumaTau Camp, Wilderness Safaris Mombo Camp and Xigera Safari Lodge), Namibia (Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge and Wilderness Safaris Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp), in Kenya (Beyond Bateleur Camp), Tanzania (Beyond Mnemba Iceland), South Africa (Kloof Bushmans), Rwanda (Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge), and Zimbabwe (Wilderness Safaris Linkwasha Camp).
“Beyond Green” hotels are committed to the three key pillars of sustainable tourism, which are to apply environmentally friendly practices that go beyond the basics, to protect natural and cultural heritage, and to contribute to the social and economic well-being of local communities. “The pandemic has already made travellers more aware of the impact of their choices and when they return to travel, they will want more meaningful experiences,” says Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of the Preferred Hotel Group.
Founded in 1968, Preferred Hotels brings together 735 hotels worldwide. The launch of its eco-label follows the acquisition in February 2020 of Beyond Green Travel, a sustainable tourism consultancy founded by Costas Christ, one of the pioneers of ecotourism. “Today we are witnessing a change in the way of travelling, not a passing trend. Although sustainability tends to be seen as the latest buzzword in the world of travel, its roots are indeed ancient and deep,” says Costas Christ.
The “Beyond Green” hotel label thus responds to the calls made in 2020 by the United Nations (UN) and the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). For both organisations, if a “green” recovery is actually implemented worldwide in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it could bring CO2 emissions down to levels that are broadly compatible with the goal of less than 2°C warming compared to the pre-industrial era.
Boris Ngounou