HICAP Sustainable Hotel Award for Climate Action Winner – Hotel Magazine

Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia has gained the 2022 Hotel Financial investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) Sustainable Hotel Award for Local weather Motion.

In addition to weather action, there ended up awards for constructing preservation/adaptive reuse, beneficial community effects, and sustainable layout. Submissions had been assessed by seven judges, the majority from institutional sustainability backgrounds. The BHN Group, the organiser of the HICAP occasion, introduced the winners on 12 October 2022.

The judges based the local climate motion conclusion on Cardamom Tented Camp’s capability to operate with associates to maintain 180 square kilometres of lowland rainforest in the Botum Sakor national park in southwest Cambodia. On local climate action, it is estimated that the forest that the camp allows protect sequesters about 108,652 tons of carbon for each yr, according to Wildlife Performs.

Due to the fact opening in 2017, the tented camp’s motto has been, “Your Keep Retains the Forest Standing.” It can make the declare mainly because earnings from the camp aid the regular monthly salaries of 10 Wildlife Alliance forest rangers. The rangers defend the habitat from illegal poachers, loggers, riverbank sand dredgers and land encroachers.

Populations of elephant, leopard, python, sun bear, otter, pangolin and other wildlife are improving owing to camp-funded ranger patrols. The rangers have forced poachers to the perimeters or out of the park entirely.

“Despite setbacks during the two Covid many years when tourism income greatly disappeared, Cardamom Tented Camp persevered in its environmental mission,” said Willem Niemeijer, CEO of camp operator YAANA Ventures. “We are grateful to HICAP for recognising our staying electric power and capability to function with partners to hold the forest standing, with all the added benefits that provide.”

HICAP judges also deemed the camp’s sizeable contribution to UN Sustainable Enhancement Targets, this sort of as daily life on land, clean up and very affordable strength, respectable operate, financial progress, climate motion, and partnerships. Cardamom Tented Camp is a partnership with Minor Resort Group’s sustainability arm, the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Basis, Wildlife Alliance, and YAANA Ventures.

Outside of sequestering an believed 108,652 tons of CO2 per year, the judges also recognised Cardamom Tented Camp’s additional environmental efforts, such as becoming driven by 100 % onsite photo voltaic strength for its electricity, very low-effects heating and cooking, and normal wastewater filtration processes. The house recycles as considerably as probable and works by using 100 percent organic and natural personal treatment merchandise. Long run programs include:

• Powering its boat with an electric battery.
• Rising community and onsite foodstuff sourcing.
• Undertaking group-based conservation.

Apart from Cardamom Tented Camp’s environmental initiatives, it also scores very well on hospitality and all-round visitor practical experience metrics. The camp’s guest gratification ranges are rated 5 stars by TripAdvisor and have been so for 3 several years.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, YAANA Ventures estimates Cardamom Tented Camp will close in 2022 with about 80 p.c of 2019’s occupancy and will return to financially rewarding degrees in 2023. In parallel with this, YAANA Ventures will increase the forest rangers’ contributions.