The website lists some of Australia's most prestigious and award winning luxury accommodation properties, such as Boroka Downs and the Karijini Eco Retreat, defying preconceived notions that being "green" means ‘doing without". In fact, a surprisingly high proportion number of properties, which have initiated genuine environmental actions, have also received major national tourism awards for luxury and unique accommodation.
The directory, initiated by Amanda Lambert, is still in its infancy, but the Director has big plans for the future of ecohotel, which was set up in response to frustration with the lack of options for people looking to stay in genuine environmentally accommodation properties:
"I found that as a business and leisure traveller, I was unable to find a comprehensive listing of genuine environmentally friendly accommodation options in Australia. Like most people, I do not have time to look through a number of different websites to find environmentally responsible operators. Even then, it is usually hard to know what the various accreditations mean, and whether or not the operators are genuine in their eco credentials."
The ecohotel web directory has changed all that. For the first time, the travelling public will be able to search for environmentally responsible accommodation throughout Australia, knowing that the hard work of ascertaining the eco credentials of the property has already been done. As more accommodation properties get the message that many travellers will deliberately choose environmentally sustainable properties over others with no such programs, the directory will be able to offer more options throughout Australia.
The web directory is an Australian first, and the process to find genuine eco friendly accommodation in Australia has been long and exhaustive according to Amanda Lambert:
"Many hotels, resorts and even travel companies advertise themselves as "eco" or "green" in order to cash in on any advantage they see in marketing terms. In reality, their so-called green policies are little more than asking guests to turn off lights or to re-use towels, which is just common sense behaviour. However many travelers are more eco-smart and sophisticated than such hotels give them credit for and see through this sort of greenwashing. They are looking for properties with hard evidence of their environmental claims, not just a few feel-good words on their website.
The properties listed on the ecohotel directory have gone way beyond such basic measures, and are setting the standard for eco practices in the tourism industry by installing on site solar stations, establishing green management teams to oversee policy implementation and investigate new environmentally friendly suppliers, education for staff and guests and participation in international eco accreditation schemes."
Every property owner listed on the ecohotel website has been individually invited to join the directory. Each one is required to list any of the property's national eco-accreditations, respond to a number of criteria outlined on the directory, and give detailed information about the environmental initiatives undertaken by the property.
Operators are encouraged to go beyond the minimum requirements set by ecotourism Australia and the AAA Green Star program., which the ecohotel web directory sees as a starting base only. The website also encourages and promotes new eco friendly innovations, such as the Alto Hotel's innovative free parking for hybrid cars, solar energy workshops, run by the Hidden valley Cabins in North Queensland and the involvement of accommodation operators in local landcare and wildlife programs as practiced by the Huon Bush Retreats in Tasmania, Cape Otway Eco Lodge in South Australia and Binnaburra Mountain Resort in Queensland.
For further information about the ecohotel web directory please contact
ecohotel
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http://www.ecohotel.com.au/
Sydney, Australia
