Northstar

4 | www.travelweekly-asia.com 4 | www.travelweekly-asia.com INDUSTRY VOICES Pat Gallardo Dwyer founded The Purpose Business, a network of sustainability experts that helps Asian businesses be a force for good by incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices into their strategy and operations. Pat was the first Sustainability Director at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and today serves as a management and leadership adviser. 9 10 18 CONTENTS 5 COVER STORY: MUSLIM TRAVEL Asian destinations wooing Muslim tourists 14 DESTINATION: BALI Going beyond its borders with BBTF 19 CRUISE Asia cruise passenger growth ready to fire up again 20 CRUISE Asia's largest ship appeals to broad 'Spectrum' 22 BEST OF GLOBAL WRAP The best of the news across Asia Pacific Above: Chef and restaurateur Violet Oon. Left: The iconic Macau Tower. Below: Minato Mirai, the central business district of Yokohama. Sustainable Tourism A Luxury? PHOTO CREDIT: SEANPAVONEPHOTO/GETTYIMAGES Looking at the list of recent winners of the World Travel Tourism Council's Tourism for Tomorrow's Awards (T4T) , the majority are eco luxury destinations. While there's no doubt they deserve recognition for committing to climate action and destination stewardship, it's worth asking if sustainable tourism is a luxury limited to those who can afford it? There have been countless efforts made by hotel groups and individual boutique spots to take up responsible practices. And the travel industry has made good progress because it's the right thing to do and can save substantial costs. However, few within the industry would make the cut if we apply the World Tourism Organization's definition of sustainable tourism: 1) Optimal use of environmental resources, 2) Respect for the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, 3) Ensuring viable, long-term economic operations. Brands such as Soneva, COMO and Peninsula are among them. Why aren't more hotels following suit? Cost is a common excuse. With competing priorities, is a biodigester -- a machine that processes waste like leftover food -- really the best investment? What many hotels need to understand is sustainable tourism doesn't always start with new hardware. It starts when you ask "why"? Why do you want to be a responsible operator? Because it's on-trend and your competitors are offering eco-amenities and farm- to-table menus? Maybe because millennials expect it? If you answer yes without reflecting on the bigger purpose, then it's easy to be overwhelmed. Before you know it you've frantically launched one-off initiatives like low-flow restrictors or paper straws. If you stop and reflect why it's important and what it means to have responsible practices incorporated into everyday service, a thoughtful and consistent process will ensue. A decision to phase out single-use plastics may start with straws but they aren't just blindly replaced. A rethink happens. Do we need this? What are the highest volume single-use plastic items we should be eliminating? Perhaps in takeaway food packaging or supplier deliveries? A strong sense of purpose determines why you do what you do and how you can be consistent. With it, there's a stronger business case and the likelihood of broad-based support and resources. START SLOW BUT START NOW Brands who walk the talk may seem to have made substantial investments. In truth, their biggest currency is a clarity of purpose. They understand sustainability is a journey, part of keeping their business thriving for years to come. Start with reviewing water use (around 10% of a hotel utility bill) and energy efficiency (around 50% of a hotel's carbon footprint). With greater public awareness around single-use plastics, you wouldn't want your hotel brand hitting social media for the wrong reasons. If you haven't done so yet, I appeal to you to take stock of this: In 2018, around 4.3 billion passengers took to the skies. Studies have shown many of these travellers have a great appetite for eco experiences; they expect to know where their food comes from, they want plant-based options on the menu and expect that they can help make a positive impact by not using plastic bottles. Don't you want to be the hotel that lets them do just that?

• Cover