Can you tell us more about how the project is marketed to customers and local schools? Do you do any market research about why customers are interested in this, and whether they are typical of the customer base of the hotel?
The Eco Trail is marketed to our guests through notice board, compendium and hosts (staff) speaking to the guests. With regards to local schools it is mainly by word of mouth. There was an article about the Eco Trail in the local paper, which triggered enourmous response. This again has led to good connection and a steady request from schools.
We have also funded a Waste Management project through Lions Club of Phuket Pearl, which involves the local government and several schools. This further has spread the word about our Eco Trail.
Marked research has not been conducted particularly with regards to the Eco Trail. We do ask guests about environmental questions and have found only 25% know about our environmental practices before they come, but over 70% after they have stayed. Our guests go not come primarily because of environmental practices, but rather service and quality of standard. However, we see that people appreciate what we do and are more likely to come back because of this. And the response for those who have done the Eco Trail has only been positive.
The Eco Trail is marketed to our guests through notice board, compendium and hosts (staff) speaking to the guests. With regards to local schools it is mainly by word of mouth. There was an article about the Eco Trail in the local paper, which triggered enourmous response. This again has led to good connection and a steady request from schools.
We have also funded a Waste Management project through Lions Club of Phuket Pearl, which involves the local government and several schools. This further has spread the word about our Eco Trail.
Marked research has not been conducted particularly with regards to the Eco Trail. We do ask guests about environmental questions and have found only 25% know about our environmental practices before they come, but over 70% after they have stayed. Our guests go not come primarily because of environmental practices, but rather service and quality of standard. However, we see that people appreciate what we do and are more likely to come back because of this. And the response for those who have done the Eco Trail has only been positive.
Our company Travel with Conscience focuses on linking the Luxury Traveler with Sustainable tourism practices and suppliers and social and commnuity based projects. Our focus in on travel mainstreaming travel philanthropy (see our entry) We have linked our travel in Thailand section on our website to your resort. I would love the opportunity to speak with you regarding a partnership.
I can be reached at info@travelwithconscience.com www.travelwithconscience.com
Hello Arnfinn,
You mention that one school has engaged students in making money through separating and selling waste. Is there any way to use this as a model to spread to more schools?
Have you tried, in any way to engage the government to become more involved in the waste management and recycling efforts? What is the response?
Do you have any plans to extend your efforts beyond the resort into all of Thailand? To what extend have you spread this beyond Rawai beach?
Lastly, How do tourist engage with your work and take action? How are they part of the solution?
Also, it would be great if you could respond to xavierfont's March 5th question.
Thanks!
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
It is a fairly easy model to use to spread it to more schools. The most important is obviously to operate your resort environmentally friendly so you can use it as a best practice example. However, you can also get involved with the local authorities. For instance, we brought some of the school kids to the municipal incinerator for them to really understand the problem. When the kids saw the amount of waste that could have been recycled being incinerated they imidiately got inspired to start recycling.
We have engaged the local government. In fact, we are sponsoring a government driven waste management training for school children. The government is very happy about it as it was something they wanted to do, but did not have budget for.
We have similar programmes in our sister properties. E.g. at Soneva Fushi by Six Senses in the Maldives they have for several years organised a Soneva Nature Trip bringing kids from the city to learn about appreciation of nature, but also waste management.
Tourists engage in our action by joining the Eco Trail to learn about what we do. The most important thing the guests can do is to learn from this, take it with them home and implement it at home. It is important to think about your action and take small steps to change your behaviour for the better of the environment. Often it does not take much, but one needs to be willing to change old habits.
It appears that the model that you have set out teaches not just the visitors but deeply involves the locals. But this ecotrail is located in a small corner of the world, Evason has resorts in other countries as well and I am wondering if all of the locations are as eco-friendly and operated through employing locals and showing the guests the back of the house. We were curious as to the scaleability of this model and would love for you to share what you've done in other parts of the world. Also where else your company seeks to expand to.
A second question as well, was Evason able to incorporate green architecture in building the resorts? Often building of large fixtures does damage to the environment, were you able to use local expertise and local labor in dealing with how to develop in these countries?
Evason Phuket is part of Six Senses Resorts & Spa, a resort and spa managementent and development company based in Bangkok. Associated brands are Soneva by Six Senses, Six Senses Hideaway, Six Senses Latitude, Evason, Six Senses Destination Spa and Six Senses Spa. Resorts are located in Thailand, Vietnam, Maldives, Oman and Fiji, with spas all over the world.
All resorts operate under the core purpose "to create innovative and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment." We are in the process of implementing the Eco Trail in all resorts and has already done it in several. As long as the resort operates environmentally friendly, it is fairly easy to implement.
Green architecture is a key element and something we incorporate in building our resorts. Most our resorts consists of smaller units, which we will adapt to the terrain we are building on, e.g. if a big tree is on site a building may be moved to allow the tree to be left standing. Our building materials and building technices varies from destination to destination to make use of local expertise and building techniques. There is a strong emphasis on local labour, local products and local suppliers.
This is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the actual event, but I can see quite a few problems with this 'project,' that are reflected again and again in today’s world, where westerners are acting arrogantly and self-righteously, to free themselves of their own guilt.
1. Is going on a 5 star hotel holiday, with a minimal amount of "Eco Trail Walking" really an effective way to make a difference in the environment of the world? Of course the local people need to be educated on 'eco matters', put merely because it is an LEDC doesn’t automatically mean that it is at more fault than any other country. It is a pretentious, self-involved westerner scheme. This is only done to make tourists feel good about their own lives and habits.
2. This scheme would be better off being done in the USA where you can really make a difference to the World's environment, and where the people truly need to be educated about respect for the environment, no littering and bio-diesel / composting. It is arrogant to believe that these locals are inferior to you because they are less "academically educated," doesn’t mean you have the right to tour their villages telling them what's wrong with their poverty-ridden lifestyles.
3. Western people and countries litter more than Thai locals. Maybe the tour guides / hotel employees should start rounding on the arrogant tourists (especially if they are from Naples).
4. This is one big publicity stunt by the hotel for making more profit as well as looking like they're actually doing something for the local people, when, in fact, the locals would probably be better off without annoying, staring Americans coming in, and treating them like animals in a zoo, and probably making no difference at all to their lives. The hotel should, to really change the local environment, invest in sustainable, appropriate technology for the local people, provide water pumps and water filters for those without clean drinking water, and invest in a more effective local hospital, or invest in a local school, not sitting on the side lines judging them.
This is, as I said, not meant to disrespect the project, because some of these destinations are really worth your while, not a project that is meant to clear a sinful white man from his environmental guilt, like subsidizing your carbon footprint. The hotel owners have no right to act so snobbish in the face of other people's poverty, when they could be really changing the local community,
I would like to invite you to do the Eco Trail to better understand what we are doing. It is not created to "free ourself from guilt", "create PR" or "make tourists feel good about themselves". It is meant as a educational and awareness raising tool about environmental behaviour. It can easily be adapted and used throughout the world, also in developed countries such as the US.
So far the feedback from those who have done it have been just positive. It gives an insight in how the resort manages environmental practices such as energy, water and waste and gives tips on how one can improve ourselves. It is conducted by locals to locals as well as to guest. It is one of many initiatives undertaken by the resort. For more information please see http://www.sixsenses.com/Evason-Phuket/Environment/Social-and-Environmen...
On May 28, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Geotourism Challenge” and would like to pass on this feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of sustainable tourism innovators. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“This is a unique model in that it is taking conservation and engaging the local community seriously. The sincerity has its own way to have its impact. Not only are its practices green and environmentally friendly, it utilizes them as a resource for learning, as a school and educational facility for the community. Large corporate hotels can and should learn from this all over the world.”
-Changemakers Geotourism Judges: National Geographic Society, Past President the Ford Foundation, whl.travel - World Hotel Link, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.
Comments
Can you tell us more about how the project is marketed to customers and local schools? Do you do any market research about why customers are interested in this, and whether they are typical of the customer base of the hotel?
The Eco Trail is marketed to our guests through notice board, compendium and hosts (staff) speaking to the guests. With regards to local schools it is mainly by word of mouth. There was an article about the Eco Trail in the local paper, which triggered enourmous response. This again has led to good connection and a steady request from schools.
We have also funded a Waste Management project through Lions Club of Phuket Pearl, which involves the local government and several schools. This further has spread the word about our Eco Trail.
Marked research has not been conducted particularly with regards to the Eco Trail. We do ask guests about environmental questions and have found only 25% know about our environmental practices before they come, but over 70% after they have stayed. Our guests go not come primarily because of environmental practices, but rather service and quality of standard. However, we see that people appreciate what we do and are more likely to come back because of this. And the response for those who have done the Eco Trail has only been positive.
The Eco Trail is marketed to our guests through notice board, compendium and hosts (staff) speaking to the guests. With regards to local schools it is mainly by word of mouth. There was an article about the Eco Trail in the local paper, which triggered enourmous response. This again has led to good connection and a steady request from schools.
We have also funded a Waste Management project through Lions Club of Phuket Pearl, which involves the local government and several schools. This further has spread the word about our Eco Trail.
Marked research has not been conducted particularly with regards to the Eco Trail. We do ask guests about environmental questions and have found only 25% know about our environmental practices before they come, but over 70% after they have stayed. Our guests go not come primarily because of environmental practices, but rather service and quality of standard. However, we see that people appreciate what we do and are more likely to come back because of this. And the response for those who have done the Eco Trail has only been positive.
Our company Travel with Conscience focuses on linking the Luxury Traveler with Sustainable tourism practices and suppliers and social and commnuity based projects. Our focus in on travel mainstreaming travel philanthropy (see our entry) We have linked our travel in Thailand section on our website to your resort. I would love the opportunity to speak with you regarding a partnership.
I can be reached at
info@travelwithconscience.com
www.travelwithconscience.com
Hello Arnfinn,
You mention that one school has engaged students in making money through separating and selling waste. Is there any way to use this as a model to spread to more schools?
Have you tried, in any way to engage the government to become more involved in the waste management and recycling efforts? What is the response?
Do you have any plans to extend your efforts beyond the resort into all of Thailand? To what extend have you spread this beyond Rawai beach?
Lastly, How do tourist engage with your work and take action? How are they part of the solution?
Also, it would be great if you could respond to xavierfont's March 5th question.
Thanks!
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
It is a fairly easy model to use to spread it to more schools. The most important is obviously to operate your resort environmentally friendly so you can use it as a best practice example. However, you can also get involved with the local authorities. For instance, we brought some of the school kids to the municipal incinerator for them to really understand the problem. When the kids saw the amount of waste that could have been recycled being incinerated they imidiately got inspired to start recycling.
We have engaged the local government. In fact, we are sponsoring a government driven waste management training for school children. The government is very happy about it as it was something they wanted to do, but did not have budget for.
We have similar programmes in our sister properties. E.g. at Soneva Fushi by Six Senses in the Maldives they have for several years organised a Soneva Nature Trip bringing kids from the city to learn about appreciation of nature, but also waste management.
Tourists engage in our action by joining the Eco Trail to learn about what we do. The most important thing the guests can do is to learn from this, take it with them home and implement it at home. It is important to think about your action and take small steps to change your behaviour for the better of the environment. Often it does not take much, but one needs to be willing to change old habits.
Dear Mr. Oines:
It appears that the model that you have set out teaches not just the visitors but deeply involves the locals. But this ecotrail is located in a small corner of the world, Evason has resorts in other countries as well and I am wondering if all of the locations are as eco-friendly and operated through employing locals and showing the guests the back of the house. We were curious as to the scaleability of this model and would love for you to share what you've done in other parts of the world. Also where else your company seeks to expand to.
A second question as well, was Evason able to incorporate green architecture in building the resorts? Often building of large fixtures does damage to the environment, were you able to use local expertise and local labor in dealing with how to develop in these countries?
Thank you in advance for your response!
Best,
Tyler Ahn
Changemakers Team
Evason Phuket is part of Six Senses Resorts & Spa, a resort and spa managementent and development company based in Bangkok. Associated brands are Soneva by Six Senses, Six Senses Hideaway, Six Senses Latitude, Evason, Six Senses Destination Spa and Six Senses Spa. Resorts are located in Thailand, Vietnam, Maldives, Oman and Fiji, with spas all over the world.
All resorts operate under the core purpose "to create innovative and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment." We are in the process of implementing the Eco Trail in all resorts and has already done it in several. As long as the resort operates environmentally friendly, it is fairly easy to implement.
Green architecture is a key element and something we incorporate in building our resorts. Most our resorts consists of smaller units, which we will adapt to the terrain we are building on, e.g. if a big tree is on site a building may be moved to allow the tree to be left standing. Our building materials and building technices varies from destination to destination to make use of local expertise and building techniques. There is a strong emphasis on local labour, local products and local suppliers.
I have written about Thailand in my "What a Trip" travel column, but have not had the chance to visit Thailand as yet.
Best of luck with your project at the Six Senses Spa and for being a Geotourism Challenge finalist!
Nancy Brown
What a Trip
Northern California
http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-A-Trip/
This is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the actual event, but I can see quite a few problems with this 'project,' that are reflected again and again in today’s world, where westerners are acting arrogantly and self-righteously, to free themselves of their own guilt.
1. Is going on a 5 star hotel holiday, with a minimal amount of "Eco Trail Walking" really an effective way to make a difference in the environment of the world? Of course the local people need to be educated on 'eco matters', put merely because it is an LEDC doesn’t automatically mean that it is at more fault than any other country. It is a pretentious, self-involved westerner scheme. This is only done to make tourists feel good about their own lives and habits.
2. This scheme would be better off being done in the USA where you can really make a difference to the World's environment, and where the people truly need to be educated about respect for the environment, no littering and bio-diesel / composting. It is arrogant to believe that these locals are inferior to you because they are less "academically educated," doesn’t mean you have the right to tour their villages telling them what's wrong with their poverty-ridden lifestyles.
3. Western people and countries litter more than Thai locals. Maybe the tour guides / hotel employees should start rounding on the arrogant tourists (especially if they are from Naples).
4. This is one big publicity stunt by the hotel for making more profit as well as looking like they're actually doing something for the local people, when, in fact, the locals would probably be better off without annoying, staring Americans coming in, and treating them like animals in a zoo, and probably making no difference at all to their lives. The hotel should, to really change the local environment, invest in sustainable, appropriate technology for the local people, provide water pumps and water filters for those without clean drinking water, and invest in a more effective local hospital, or invest in a local school, not sitting on the side lines judging them.
This is, as I said, not meant to disrespect the project, because some of these destinations are really worth your while, not a project that is meant to clear a sinful white man from his environmental guilt, like subsidizing your carbon footprint. The hotel owners have no right to act so snobbish in the face of other people's poverty, when they could be really changing the local community,
I would like to invite you to do the Eco Trail to better understand what we are doing. It is not created to "free ourself from guilt", "create PR" or "make tourists feel good about themselves". It is meant as a educational and awareness raising tool about environmental behaviour. It can easily be adapted and used throughout the world, also in developed countries such as the US.
So far the feedback from those who have done it have been just positive. It gives an insight in how the resort manages environmental practices such as energy, water and waste and gives tips on how one can improve ourselves. It is conducted by locals to locals as well as to guest. It is one of many initiatives undertaken by the resort. For more information please see http://www.sixsenses.com/Evason-Phuket/Environment/Social-and-Environmen...
On May 28, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Geotourism Challenge” and would like to pass on this feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of sustainable tourism innovators. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“This is a unique model in that it is taking conservation and engaging the local community seriously. The sincerity has its own way to have its impact. Not only are its practices green and environmentally friendly, it utilizes them as a resource for learning, as a school and educational facility for the community. Large corporate hotels can and should learn from this all over the world.”
-Changemakers Geotourism Judges: National Geographic Society, Past President the Ford Foundation, whl.travel - World Hotel Link, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.
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