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“The environment isn’t just something that’s “out there”—it’s where we live, work and play each day. As we see an ardent focus towards green in this region, events such as World Green Tourism Conference play a key role in challenging businesses and governments to look at their present travel policies and assess how they can reduce their impact on the environment. Fairmont’s Green Partnership program, established in 1990, is a comprehensive approach to reducing our impact on the environment, prioritizing the reduction of our hotels’ footprint on the planet through a number of strategic programmes,” says Raki Phillips, Area Director of Sales & Marketing for the UAE, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

“Primarily we are looking at improvements in the areas of energy and water conservation, waste management, and outreach programs involving local groups and partnerships, essentially addressing how we can work with the region’s communities to promote sustainability and conserve resources that are invaluable to people and businesses across the Middle East and Africa.”

As part of its ongoing climate change strategy, Fairmont has recently announced that it has cut its CO2 output by 8.4 percent. As a member of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers program, Fairmont has pledged to reduce its operational CO2 emissions by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2013, and was the world’s first luxury hotel group to commit to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The more than 8 percent decline, based on 2010 year-end data, means the hotel company is almost halfway to its ambitious reduction target.

This year, Fairmont will highlight tactical initiatives being implemented in hotels across the Middle East and Africa, from the Fairmont Mara Safari Club in Kenya to Makkah Clock Royal Tower in the heart of Saudi Arabia;

• In a landscape that is famed for its vibrant wildlife population and natural beauty, the Green Team at the luxurious Fairmont Mara Safari Club property in Kenya have partnered with the government to plant indigenous tree species in the Mau Forest – the major source of water into the Masai Mara game reserve – extending this into the ground of the hotel and its surroundings. The hotel has also committed to switching off generators for six-and-a-half hours each day to reduce carbom emissions and reduce disturbance to wild animals.

• Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi’s Green Team have organized two hugely successful beach cleanup events, collecting 3000 kilograms of waste in addition to hosting a pioneering Earth Hour event that involved 2 energy-generating bicycles that were ridden for 24 hours by guests, members of the media and staff to raise awareness.

• Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel has engineered a ‘planting the city programme’ with Palm tree plantation as part of an ongoing grounds naturalization project that looks to make marked changes in environmental conservation.

• With Fairmont being committed to purchasing local, organic, Fair trade and sustainable food products where possible, Fairmont Nile City, Cairo has successfully implemented an ‘Eco-cuisine’ programme – focusing on providing organic salad and vegetable options for guests as well as working with the local Food bank and the Resallh Foundation to donate food and goods to the community.