Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has received Green Globe certification for 20 Middle East  properties, making the international group one of the leading hospitality companies in the region in terms of measuring and monitoring its environmental and social performance. 

In line with its corporate worldwide vision, Mövenpick hotels in the region are strongly committed to Green Globe certification and specifically aim to establish a common and global approach to environmental, employer and social sustainability, the group said.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia have been the ‘greenest’ countries to date, with five hotels in each country accredited with Green Globe status, a statement from the hotel said.

Mövenpick Resort Tala Bay Aqaba, which was the first to receive certification regionally, has since been joined by Aqaba, Petra, Petra Nabatean Castle and the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort & Spa in achieving the prestigious ranking in Jordan.

Within this select group, and the company as a whole, the Dead Sea resort has been the most successful participant in the programme, recording 95 points, the highest-ever rating awarded by the Green Globe Institution.

Qassim, Jeddah, Al Nawras Jeddah, Al Khobar, Anwar Al Madinah, Madinah and Yanbu have also shown their environmentally aware credentials in Saudi Arabia, while two hotels in Dubai – Bur Dubai and Deira – have also been awarded certification. Mövenpick’s properties in Qatar and Kuwait, as well as Bahrain and Lebanon, were other properties to make the grade, the statement said.

Gerard Hotelier, vice president operations Middle East, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, said: “The programme is not only important for our hotel company, but in a world where resources are increasingly scarce, it helps us set an example and raise industry benchmarks. Looking to the future, our present commitments and activities will increasingly become the expected standard of the hotel industry.”

Green Globe certification CEO, Guido Bauer, said achieving its certified status is a hallmark for the highest international level of sustainable travel and tourism.

“In their first year of certification, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has exceeded the requirements, and in many cases its properties are world leaders in meeting the 339 sustainability indicators that define sustainable practice,” said Bauer. “These indicators are documented activities that the properties are working at every day and have been independently verified by an accredited auditor’s on-site inspection.”

“The sustainable work practices and management of the hotel’s properties contribute to conservation of the natural and cultural heritage that surrounds the resorts, support communities through economic and social development programs and ensure quality employment for local people,” he said.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is aiming for 100 per cent of its hotels, resorts and cruises to be Green Globe certified within two years, a statement from the international hotel group said.

The Green Globe brand represents the best in sustainable practice within the travel and tourism sector and provides certification, training and marketing services in 83 countries. – TradeArabia News Service