Green Savings

19 Nov 2006, Elizabeth John

---

The luxury resorts people in the region are thinking green, and are the better for it, writes ELIZABETH JOHN.

SOUTH-EAST Asian resorts investing in the environment are realising that green isn’t just the colour of nature: it’s also the colour of money.

Switching to energy saving devices, recycling and using systems that reduce human impact on the environment, have shaved a good slice off their operating costs.

From Bali to Phuket, resorts are also finding that such moves have several indirect benefits — they’ve kept guests returning and staff happy.

At Tanjung Rhu Resort in Langkawi, eco-friendly efforts drove operating costs up by 11 per cent initially.

But since then, it’s dropped six per cent a year, says general manager Arnold Esmond.

And while a daily change of towel and bed linen is a must at a luxury resort like Tanjung Rhu, 12 per cent of guests chose otherwise — which contributes to the bottom line.

Guests, who care about the environment and aren’t afraid to voice their concerns are behind most of the resort’s ideas for change, says Esmond.

Any savings these bring are used to fund social projects like gotong-royong and festive or religious celebrations for the surrounding community.

These initiatives earned the resort one of Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Awards 2006, which recognises outstanding environmental management practices and social programmes benefiting institutions and nearby communities.

Frangipani Langkawi Resort and Spa, short-listed for the award, rewired their luxury seafront property so each light could be individually controlled. It took 20 per cent off the electricity bill.

Water recycling and saving measures lowered that bill by about 15 per cent, says William Lam, the resort’s director of sustainable development.

The best in Asia, Evason Phuket in Thailand, saved a "significant sum" when they created a rainwater-fed reservoir and became self sufficient in water.

With only one government-controlled dam on Phuket and many on the isle relying on water from privately-owned sources, Evason’s move was driven as much by conscience as need, says Arnfinn Oines.

"Being self sufficient meant reducing pressure on already scarce water resources," explains Oines, the resort’s environment co-ordinator.

"If we had trucked in water, we would have spent a fair bit."

With a solar thermal plant for hot water and no air-conditioners in four of five restaurants, Evason was the only resort to score full points in the award evaluation.

Managed by Six Senses Resorts and Spa, Evason Phuket is also the only hotel in South-east Asia certified under Green Globe 21, the international certification programme for sustainable travel and tourism.

At Bali’s ALiLA Ubud Resort and ALiLA Manggis, staff turnover is low with some employees having served the resorts for over 14 years.

At the Ubud resort over 65 per cent of its staff comes from surrounding villages. At Alila Manggis, the figure stands at 80 per cent, says its general manager Jork Bosselaar.

"We try to be as light on nature as possible and integrate with the local community. When they gain, so do we. These are benefits that’re hard to quantify," explains Bosselar.

The staff, on the famous holiday island that is steeped in religious and cultural belief, determine their own timetables and juggle shifts with colleagues during important celebrations.

They are also encouraged to invite guests to join them in these festivals.

The resorts’ policy of sourcing products locally, like organic soap, has supported 100 families in the area, adds Bosselar.

The lifestyle boutique resorts, market leaders in their respective areas, were also award winners.

Bosselar did not provide exact savings figures but said ALiLA Hotels and Resorts would to launch several new properties including luxury villas in Uluwatu, at southern tip of the island where Bali's famous temples stand.