Green Pearls® Unique Places

🌱 INSPIRATION: The Revitalising Effect of Sustainable Hotels on Rural Areas and Villages 🌱 Hotels and tourism play a vital role in revitalizing and sustaining rural communities. As many villages struggle with out-migration and economic challenges, sustainable accommodation and other tourism services are proving to be a lifeline for local infrastructure and quality of life. A study by the German Federal Ministry of Economics shows that tourism in rural areas is an important economic factor and, above all, helps to stabilize regional development. 🌿 Environmental, Social, Economic - True Sustainability Requires all Three Green Pearls® specializes in supporting sustainable accommodations and destinations that not only take responsibility for the environment but also protect cultural heritage and strengthen the community. These hotels and vacation rentals directly create jobs and indirectly stimulate local economies. They source products from local producers, work with local artisans, and make the region attractive to visitors. This leads to a revitalization of rural communities and improved infrastructure that also benefits locals. Well-maintained hiking and biking trails, well-maintained town centers, and a wide variety of dining options would be unthinkable in many villages without sustainable tourism. Continue Reading ⬇ (And if you want to get information and articles like this into your inbox: Sign up to our newsletter!)

💚 SERVICE: Going Green – Sustainable teambuilding weekend at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA 💚 Sustainability in companies and in your team… there is probably room for improvement, right? If you are planning a team-building weekend or thinking about how to make your work or product more sustainable, then read on ⤵

🌱 INSPIRATION: Sustainability in Everyday Hotel Operations: Environmental and Social Responsibility 🌱 In today's world, where the challenges of climate change and social inequality are becoming more pressing, businesses must take responsibility. This is especially true for the tourism industry, which often comes under fire for its environmental and social impacts. Hotels often stand in direct contrast to disadvantaged communities, and the question of tourist responsibility is becoming increasingly relevant. The current debate on overtourism also focuses on ensuring that there is no cut-throat competition between locals and tourists and that local communities and the environment at the destination benefit from tourism in the long term. Sustainability is a broad concept that goes far beyond environmental protection. It also includes social aspects such as fair wages, integration, child protection, and the promotion of regional crafts. All three pillars of sustainability - environmental, economic, and social - must be treated equally to achieve truly sustainable development for regions and their communities. Continue Reading ⬇

🌿 KNOWLEDGE: The CSRD and its Double Meaning for Sustainable MICE and Business Hotels Worldwide 🌿 The impact of the new European Sustainability Reporting Directive on the hospitality industry is becoming clear. It is not just about tourism companies and hotels being held accountable. The obligation to report on sustainability, which applies to more and more companies, also means that business travelers and conference/event organizers are increasingly looking for sustainable business hotels and venues. How are sustainable hotels responding to this shift? And is it already reflected in practice? Read our and our partners' take ⬇

🌿 KNOWLEDGE: How sustainable is Urban Farming & Gardening? 🌿 Your homegrown zucchini from the balcony is less sustainable than the conventional zucchini from the supermarket. Surprised? We were too! But that is the conclusion of an international study, the first to compare the carbon footprints of home-grown and farmed produce. Still, researchers say urban gardening is just as important – But it needs to be made more sustainable. So, let’s take a look at how that can be done! The study we mentioned compared the fruit and vegetable production of 73 urban gardens in the United States, France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom. It involved the Dortmund Institute for Urban and Regional Development Research and the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. The urban farmers recorded exactly what they bought and how much they harvested. The scientists then compared this to a ” shopping basket” of popular supermarket fruits and vegetables grown conventionally in the region.   🌿 The Result: Conventional agriculture produces six times less CO2 Well? Are you as surprised as we were? The explanation is actually quite simple: conventional agriculture, with its fields, greenhouses, and truck delivery chains, is more efficient (in the grand scheme of things) and thus produces fewer emissions than urban gardeners who grow a few raised beds in their backyards for personal use. A simple example: Imagine you want to grow zucchini on your patio. You go to the hardware store and garden center, buy wood, soil, fertilizer, a watering can, zucchini seeds or seedlings, and always irrigate with water from the tap. In the end, you harvest 30 zucchini. If you now calculate the total CO2 emissions caused by a single zucchini, you can easily imagine that professional agriculture, which has already optimized its processes for the highest possible yields, has a smaller footprint. Of course, you’re not building a new raised bed or replacing all the soil every year, but we’ll get to that once you follow the link to the blog ⬇

💚 MEET OUR PARTNERS: Inkaterra: Pioneer in Nature Conservation and Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry 💚 Inkaterra is impossible to ignore for anyone interested in sustainability in the hospitality industry. For decades, the Peruvian hotel group has worked extensively to preserve the unique nature and culture of its home country. It now protects more than 24,000 hectares of rainforest and is currently celebrating the re-designation of Machu Picchu as a Climate Neutral Wonder of the World. At the same time, Inkaterra is proving that this commitment can be combined with a high level of guest satisfaction. In this article, we explore selected projects and hotels. Join us ⬇

🌿 KNOWLEDGE: Sustainability is more than Corporate Image – but it is that too! (Sustainability Communication in Tourism Part II) 🌿 There is a simple principle in marketing: only those who communicate are visible. And only what is communicated is perceived. This principle also applies to communicating sustainability in tourism and accommodation. In the first part of this series on sustainability communication in the hospitality industry, we presented the common challenges faced by stakeholders in the industry today. In the second part of our newsletter series, we will explore how authentic sustainability communication can work. ⬇

🌱 INTERVIEW: How does it feel to be a Pioneer of Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry, Stephan Bode? 🌱 «That's not possible, that's too expensive ... I hear that every day. It takes composure, a clear vision, the will to create, and courage. The courage to break new ground and the confidence to be your greatest self.» – Stephan Bode, SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA Each Green Pearls® hotelier has found his or her individual path to sustainability. Some are building new structures, others are optimizing existing ones; some took a detour into the hotel industry, while others come from longstanding hotelier families. In this series of interviews, we present their unique stories. Today: Stephan Bode from the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA Read the full interview about circular economy, sustainable lifestyle, and being a pioneer in the industry here ⬇

❕ NEWS: Gut Guntrams awarded in the Falstaff Café Guide ❕ The Café Veranda of our Green PearlsⓇ partner Gut Guntrams near Vienna has been included in the Falstaff Café Guide 2024 and impresses with its natural atmosphere.   Organic retreat with excellent apple pie Gut Guntrams consist of extraordinary accommodations that "float" amid apple trees. In addition to the sustainable and special architecture and the fantastic location on the edge of the Bucklige Welt, Gut Guntrams also offers wonderful cuisine. The Café Veranda serves products from the estate's own "Edelmacherei" and fruit from the estate's fruit trees. The editors of Falstaff awarded 89 points. Their opinion: "The beauty of Natur-Gut Guntrams is hard to beat" (...) certified organic dishes in a special, natural ambiance”.

🌿 TRAVEL: Traveling on a budget 🌿 Do you know what argument against sustainable travel is absolute nonsense? That traveling sustainably is always going to cost more. Yes, sustainable travel is sometimes more expensive, it requires us to do more research and work on ourselves. But spend more money? You don’t have to. In fact, you can actually save money by going sustainable! In our latest blog article on the Green Travel Blog, we covered this topic from start to finish. Check it out ⬇