InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the Green Globe Certification of each of the brand’s four French Polynesian resorts – InterContinental Tahiti Resort, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort, and InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa. The Green Globe Advisory board granted the prestigious certification due to the continuous efforts put forward by each of the resorts to become environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.
Green Globe is the global “Benchmarking Certification and Improvement” system that contributes to the sustainability of the international travel and tourism industry. The program provides a certification system that directly responds to the major environmental problems facing the planet. In achieving this prestigious status, each Intercontinental French Polynesian resort has committed to benchmarking its energy and water consumption, total waste production and community commitment, along with implementing an integrated environmental and social policy.
“I am incredibly proud of the recognition bestowed upon all four resorts by the esteemed Green Globe program,” comments Dick Bailey, owner of Intercontinental Resorts French Polynesia. “The resorts are wonderful examples of our substantial commitment to environmentally sustainable tourism, and each resort has demonstrated this commitment through a variety of initiatives dedicated to reducing our environmental impact.”
Each resort was awarded with “best practice results in sustainability policy” as well as recognition for “waste recycling programs.” InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa and InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa were honored for “water saving” practices. InterContinental Tahiti Resort, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa and InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort were recognized for the use of “environmentally friendly cleaning and chemical products” utilized at the properties. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa and Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort were also recognized for the “community commitment” of its employees.
ESTABLISHED ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES
Each of the four InterContinental Resorts French Polynesia continuously strives to raise environmental awareness and employs safe environmental practices. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa utilizes a one-of-a-kind air-conditioning system operating solely with pure deep sea water, saving 90% of the hotel’s electricity consumption. During the hotel’s construction, the lagoon was saturated with sea weed. Due to the creation of two ocean water pipes, the lagoon has been naturally reoxygenated. In addition, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa used wood from sustainable forest plantations for public areas and the overwater villas. The hotel maintains environmental awareness through the collection of rainwater for flower watering, as well as using solar energy for administration areas. InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa features the Moorea Dolphin Center with all proceeds donated to marine wildlife research and research grants. The center is also home to the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, which serves as a hospital to ill and injured turtles from all the surrounding islands.
All four Intercontinental resorts are also members of the international “Reef Check” program. This voluntary-based network is a research organization which observes local marine growth and educates the public for a better understanding of coral biology.
Additionally, each resort has a “Green Team” – a group of hotel staff members continuously brainstorming and implementing ideas to conserve and protect the environment. Also, as the founding member of the World Ocean Network, the hotels participate yearly in community environmental awareness activities including World Ocean Day and Earth Day.
