Journey Latin America set to start water saving project
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In the same week that climate negotiators and political leaders meet in Copenhagen to discuss climate change, specialist tour operator Journey Latin America have launched a water saving initiative that will help reduce the consumption of water in 30 Latin American hotels. The water project forms part of the company’s 30th anniversary campaign which commences in 2010.
The project, which is being backed by the charity The Travel Foundation, includes so far 11 hotels. The tour operator, which has achieved AITO’s 5-star responsible tourism status, aims to have a further 19 hotels signed-up before the project commences on 1st January 2010.
Suggested methods provided by Journey Latin America to reduce water consumption in hotels include:
– Fitting aerators to taps
– Fitting flow restrictors to shower heads
– Using sprinklers instead of hoses
– Planting native drought resistant plants instead of ones that consume a lot of water
– Encouraging guests to re-use towels
– Encouraging guests not to keep the tap running whilst brushing their teeth, shaving and washing their face
– Reducing the amount of times linen is changed in a room if a guest is staying more than one night.
The following hotels already signed-up to the campaign include:
Maroma - Mexico
Bocas Inn - Panama
Villa Santa Catarina- Guatemala
Villa Colonial – Guatemala
Villa Maya - Guatemala
Explora en Atacama - Chile
Tierra Atacama - Chile
Bristol - Argentina
Libertador Lago Titicaca – Peru
Huaorani Lodge - Ecuador
Fitzroy Inn – Argentina
Each hotel will report back to the tour operator on a quarterly basis, giving details on methods used and water savings which will be measured through the use of meters, bills or simple manual calculations. Updates can be found on their website www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk
Sarah Beard, Responsible Tourism manager for Journey Latin America comments “we are delighted with the response we have received so far from the hotels and we are confident that this message will spread throughout the tourism industry in Latin America encouraging other properties to follow suit”.
In a bid to reduce their own water consumption, the tour operator has also begun to implement water reducing methods such as water displacement devices in toilets and aerators on all taps in their two London offices. Updates can also be followed on the responsible tourism pages of their website.
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