Sustainable Tourism takes hold in the Red

March 28, 2010 - PRLog -- 31 March 2010, Egypt – There are still some who believe that to live sustainably, you must forego life’s luxuries. But in the Egyptian holiday town of Sharm El Sheik, tourism businesses are proving otherwise.

The Sinai Mountains provide a cinematic backdrop for the coastal town; whitewashed walls contrasting with bluer-than-blue skies, which in turn melds with a coral-bejewelled sea.

Known for its dive appeal, rich Bedouin culture and ancient Biblical history, Sharm El Sheikh, it was once a place where puffer fish lamps sold to back packers as tacky tourist souvenirs and the reef was there to be plundered.

Thankfully, change has swept through and put an end to such practices, positioning Sharm El Sheik as a leader among sustainable tourism destinations.

Arguably one of the most luxurious of all Red Sea resorts is the Four Seasons; a palm-studded property managed by Charlie Parker. Parker has the passion of a Preacher when it comes to environmental and cultural matters, and he takes an holistic view of how minimise the impact of resort operations.

"Four Seasons strives hard to involve its employees and guests in the common goal of preserving and protecting the planet,” he explains. “We engage in sustainable practices that conserve natural resources and reduce our environmental impact on the host destination.”

This is an approach that’s increasingly commonplace among leading resort managers and they’re setting the pace for others to follow.

“We use the EarthCheck Program and it helps guide us with planning and streamlining our operations. Last year we reduced our energy consumption by 5 per cent and water by 4 per cent. That makes a big difference when you’re operating on narrow margins as the savings go straight to the bottom line,” he continues.

For most hotels, air conditioning can account for some 30 per cent of total energy use, so a program like EarthCheck is essential. Used by more than 1000 travel and tourism companies in over 60 countries, EarthCheck takes a decidedly science-based approach to certification.

A management framework, online software and more than a decade of operational data, helps to ensure the claims of hotels that use the EarthCheck logo are as transparent as they are credible.

“We’ve worked with the Four Seasons Resort for a number of years now,” explains Stewart Moore, CEO of EarthCheck. “During that time, there’s been an increase in the quantity of Egyptian operators undergoing accreditation, and they now range from water parks to small hotels and even Nile cruises.”

“There’s also been an increase in certification schemes though and with that has come the risk of green washing. That’s why at EarthCheck we use a network of highly skilled, independent third party Auditors to ensure that sustainability claims are verified as accurate.”

The increase in environmental awareness in Sharm El Sheik has benefitted the entire community. By helping preserve the beauty of the Red Sea and its surrounding desert environment, the benefits of sustainable tourism are likely to keep fuelling economic growth for years to come.

EDITOR’S NOTES

Four Seasons  Resort Sharm El Sheik boasts 2000 palm trees, captivating views of the Tiran Island, hospitable service, warm smiles, and guest rooms clustered like a hillside village against the shimmering waters of the Red Sea.

2007 Gallivanter's Guide: Award for Excellence, Best Resort Middle East and Africa
2007 SpaFinder: Crystal Award, Favourite Spa in Africa  
Go to www.fourseasons.com/sharmelsheikh

EC3 Global is the world's largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org  or   www.ec3global.com


For further information please contact:

EarthCheck
Chantal Dunbar
EC3 Global Communications Manager
P:  +61 401 058 159
E: chantal.dunbar@ec3global.com
W: www.earthcheck.org
                     
Four Seasons  Resort Sharm El Sheik
Ahmed Ghazy
Safety & Environment Manager
P: (20 69) 360 3555
E: ahmed.ghazy@fourseasons.com
W: www.fourseasons.com

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EC3 Global is the world's largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org or www.ec3global.com