The pandemic has led many things to be rethought and adapted to the new reality. Tourism has not been left behind, taking advantage of this downtime to rethink the need to become more sustainable.
In Chile, hotel projects were already in place before the pandemic, which were on the path of sustainability and responsible tourism. Now, they seek to further enhance this area, understanding that it is this industry that generates great impacts in terms of energy and water consumption.
By reusing water from sinks and showers, the NH Hotel in Iquique seeks to help the environment by reducing water consumption. The rooms of the enclosure are connected to a system that extracts water and stores it in a well, from where it is extracted for irrigation of its green areas.
“The decision to implement this system was made following our location in the city, nestled in the Atacama Desert, where the water resource is scarce and very expensive. Without a doubt, it is a way to help the environment and remuneration for the hotel, since it has involved savings corresponding to 30% of the monthly consumption”, commented Cecilia Alvarado, director of NH Iquique.
In Las Condes, you will find “45 By Director”, the first hotel to obtain the Leed Gold Certificate of Sustainability in Chile. The venue has a detailed list of commitments to achieve sustainable tourism. Minimise the negative effects that your operation may have on the environment, not support the sale, extraction and exploitation of endangered flora and fauna, implement measures for the sustainable use of water and energy, and take action to reduce the amount of waste generated, reuse and recycling, are one of the approaches.
The savings of the water resource has become an added value due to drought, in addition to the requirements of sustainability certifications that boosted interest in investing in water-efficient solutions.
“The savings in liters vary greatly depending on the size of the building and the type of use. Recently at the hotel we got a saving of 52.7% and this translates to a saving of 2,741,608 liters per year,” explained José Antonio Kovacevic, Green Building Manager of the firm Efizity.
As for landscaping criteria, the recommendation is native and/or adapted species that are also of low water demand. Ideally, they do not require irrigation more than 3 times a week in summer season. This is complemented by automated irrigation systems, controlled by moisture sensors, with drip irrigation devices.
Tierra Hotels is a set of three hotels and a ski center, which for years have been working in the care of the environment. At the end of 2019 they launched the Sustainability Report, detailing all the initiatives and projects that are present in their hotels. Zero footprint, sustainable use of energy and water, waste management and recycling, low-impact excursions, among others, are some of the topics covered in the report.
Margarita Lackington, manager of Sustainability of the chain, noted that “these aspects are fundamental and range from the sustainable architecture of our hotels to projects such as the reduction of single-use plastics, the implementation of efficient lighting, the use of renewable energy and the protection of the flora and fauna around us. It also contemplates the work we do every day with small local suppliers, to show the fruits of their land and the creations of their works, which, in the end, are a reflection of the culture typical of each destination”.
“The impact of tourism doesn’t always have to be negative. Tourism can make communities flourish, allowing them to share their culture and lifestyle with people around the world. Tourism can also help protect the environment, ensure the conservation of wildlife and its ecosystems. That’s responsible tourism,” explained Miguel Purcell, CEO of Tierra Hotels and general manager of Ski Portillo.
Although the reopening of the hotel has not yet a defined date, the venues have been preparing for the public for months. The integration of sustainable initiatives is part of the innovations of the industry, which has taken advantage of this time to turn the area and take care of its impact.
