The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and Preferred Hotels & Resorts celebrated 15 years of partnership with the announcement of the expansion and inclusion of The Leela Kovalam, A Raviz Hotel, The Leela Ashtamudi, A Raviz Hotel and The Leela Gandhinagar to the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
This alliance supports The Leela’s ambitious development plans and enables the luxury hotel brand to tap into the results-driven benefits of Preferred’s global infrastructure and distribution platform. For the Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the move solidifies its presence in India.
Additionally, two Leela marquee palaces – The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Palace Bengaluru – joined Beyond Green, Preferred Hotel’s global portfolio of the most sustainable hotels around the world. Beyond Green represents sustainability leadership based upon action and impact.
The partnership endorses the existing WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics whilst paving the way for a stepped progression toward GSTC Certification for sustainable hotels. The WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics are already accessible to the industry, and the next phase in collaboration with GSTC is scheduled to launch in 2024.
As members of Beyond Green, both The Leela Palace Bengaluru and The Leela Palace Udaipur would work to deliver on the three pillars of sustainable tourism – environmentally sound, socially responsible practices that go beyond the basics; protection of cultural heritage, and the communities that upholds these – while also adhering to more than 50 sustainability indicators that align with global sustainable tourism criteria and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.“The Leela has always demonstrated its commitment towards environmental conservation and sustainability. With two of our hotels joining Beyond Green, we are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and reiterate our commitment towards a greener, cleaner, and a more sustainable future,” said Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, while commenting on the partnership.
“We see this as a convergence of two like-minded brands that are redefining the future of travel, as more and more travellers today seek fulfilling experiences in harmony with nature and their sociocultural surroundings and gravitate towards brands that demonstrate impact through action,” he said.
Under this partnership, Trip Affiliates (TA) Network will work closely with MBS on distribution-focused channels through its ecosystem and participating agencies and B2B travel operators which will support MBS and provide enhanced connectivity to the unique distribution network of agents, wholesalers and corporates within the TA Network ecosystem, the company shared.
The Leela has been consciously working on sustainability by promoting environmental sensitivity, responsible consumption and resource efficiency. It has been making significant investments to integrate sustainable practices and creating positive value for each of its stakeholders, thereby contributing to building a circular economy and nurturing communities in locations where it operates.
The Leela Palace Bengaluru is now powered majorly by renewable energy with 90% of the Palace running on wind energy. The Leela Palace Udaipur recently received the SEEMS Platinum, National Energy Management Award and is the only hotel to ply EV boats on Lake Pichola.
“We are thrilled to celebrate 15 years of partnership with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, and we are proud to share a joint vision of providing unparalleled hospitality to the world’s most discerning travellers. Looking ahead, we are thrilled to welcome The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Palace Bengaluru to Beyond Green and are proud to be their partner in their sustainability leadership.” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Preferred Travel Group.
Beyond Green, she shared, was created to provide a more purposeful way to explore the world where good guests meet good hosts, presenting genuine hospitality by the people for the planet. Each of the singular properties represented within the brand’s global portfolio are designed to inspire travellers with authentic and innovative design, unsurpassed guest service and an array of experiences that focus on personal renewal, wellness, learning, and adventure in some of the most unique destinations in the world.
“Our partnership with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has grown from strength to strength over the past 15 years, with a threefold increase to 12 iconic properties across the country,” said Saurabh Rai, EVP, Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
“As we continue to welcome new exciting destinations into our partnership portfolio, we are committed to delivering strong international business performance and support to our partners across key segments,” he concluded.
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Dhordo, a part of the Indian state of Gujarat, has been recognised as one of the 54 Best Tourism Villages in the 2023 edition by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Located in Kutch, Dhordo village is renowned for its rich culture and banni hospitality and attracts visitors for its intricate mud craft and Mutwa embroidery, besides the renowned 100-day Rann Utsav.
The UNWTO, in this third edition, selected 54 villages from a pool of nearly 260 applications. An additional 20 villages have joined the Upgrade Programme, with all 74 villages now forming part of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network. Also joining the list of these 20 villages is Madla in India’s Madhya Pradesh.
This distinction celebrates villages that excel in nurturing rural regions while preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions.
These village selections were announced during the UNWTO General Assembly held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
“Tourism can be a powerful force for inclusivity, empowering local communities and distributing benefits across regions,” emphasised UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “This initiative acknowledges villages that have harnessed tourism as a catalyst for their development and well-being.”
Besides Dhordo (India), the list of Best Tourism Villages for 2023 includes Al Sela (Jordan), Barrancas (Chile), Biei (Japan), Caleta Tortel (Chile), Cantavieja (Spain), Chacas, and Chavin de Huantar (Peru), Dahshour (Egypt), Hakuba (Japan), Higueras (Mexico), Huangling (China), Zhagana, and Zhujiawan (China), among others.
Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative is part of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme. As per UNWTO, the programme works to foster development and inclusion in rural areas, combat depopulation, advance innovation and value chain integration through tourism and encourage sustainable practices.
In 2022, Jammu and Kashmir received a record 1.88 crore tourists. The current year is set to surpass this achievement, with foreign and domestic arrivals exceeding expectations. Sharing this and more, Secretary of Tourism & Culture, J&K Govt, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, talks to ETTravelWorld about the role of sustainable tourism in U/T, plans to develop 300 new destinations and active involvement of youth.
Villages participating in this initiative are evaluated under nine critical areas, including cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural resources, economic sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, tourism development, governance and prioritisation of tourism, infrastructure and connectivity, and health, safety, and security.The initiative comprises three primary pillars: Firstly, the “Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO” pillar recognising exceptional rural tourism destinations with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a dedication to innovation and sustainability spanning economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Secondly, the “Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Upgrade Programme” provides vital support to villages in their pursuit of meeting recognition criteria, addressing identified shortcomings during the evaluation process.
Lastly, the “Best Tourism Villages Network” acts as a platform for sharing experiences, best practices, learning, and opportunities among its members, welcoming contributions from experts and both public and private sector partners engaged in promoting tourism as a catalyst for rural development.
For the fourth edition of recognising more rural destinations, the call for submissions will take place in the first months of 2024.
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