AMResortsEXEMPLARY PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Table of Contents

DREAMS HUATULCO RESORT & SPA: A Good Neighbor to the Community .................................... 4

DREAMS LOS CABOS SUITES GOLF RESORT & SPA AND ZOËTRY CASA DEL MAR LOS CABOS: A Helping Hand to the Most Vulnerable ..................................................................................................... 4

DREAMS PUERTO AVENTURAS RESORT & SPA: Suppliers Also Count. .............................................. 5

DREAMS TULUM RESORT & SPA: Protecting Our Water ......................................................................... 5

DREAMS VILLAMAGNA NUEVO VALLARTA: Respecting Our Ancestral Cultures ............................. 6

NOW JADE RIVIERA CANCUN AND NOW SAPPHIRE RIVIERA CANCUN: Knowledge is an Ally to Performance .......................................................................................................... 6

SECRETS HUATULCO RESORT & SPA: United Efforts with the Community ....................................... 7

SECRETS MAROMA BEACH RIVIERA CANCUN: Guardian of the Reef ................................................ 7

SECRETS MARQUIS LOS CABOS: Efficient Use of Resources ................................................................ 8

SECRETS SILVERSANDS RIVIERA CANCUN: Responding to Local Needs .......................................... 8

SECRETS CAPRI RIVIERA CANCUN: Connecting Tourists with the Community .............................. 9

SUNSCAPE DORADO PACIFICO IXTAPA: Jobs and Opportunities for All ........................................... 9

ZOËTRY PARAISO DE LA BONITA RIVIERA MAYA: Children are Everyone’s Responsibility ......................................................................................................10

Cover photograph courtesy of AMResorts

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AMResorts EXEMPLARY PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

After 15 AMResorts properties in Mexico achieved Rainforest Alliance verifica-tion in 2012, the idea arose for each resort to share its successes in implemen-ting best practices for sustainability.

The participants of this report include several hotel brands owned by AMResorts— Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas, Now Resorts & Spas and Sunscape Resorts & Spas—that are located in five popular tourist destinations: the Riviera Maya in the state of Quintana Roo, Los Cabos in Baja California Sur, Nuevo Vallarta in Nayarit, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo in Guerrero and Huatulco in Oaxaca.

The following is our selection of the best success stories among the many that we received.

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DREAMS HUATULCO RESORT & SPA A Good Neighbor to the Community

Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa is located near San José Cuajinicuil, a rural community that suffers from high poverty, unemployment and school dropout rates. After analyzing the community’s needs, the hotel offered trai-ning courses in cooking, food service, waiting tables, bartending and housekeeping and subsequently hired trainees who demons-trated interest, capacity and skills.

The resort also organized an annual event to promote helmet use among motorcyclists and bicyclists in an effort to reduce serious traffic casualties in the area. During the event, called “Rolling for Life,” hotel employees on motorcycles and bicycles encouraged the use of helmets, first-aid workers gave demonstra-tions, and information on the myths and reali-ties of helmet use was distributed. The hotel provided financial assistance to employees for the purchase of helmets. Helmet use by employees is now monitored on a daily basis

DREAMS LOS CABOS SUITES GOLF RESORT & SPA AND ZOËTRY CASA DEL MAR LOS CABOS A Helping Hand to the Most Vulnerable

In recent years, the Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa and Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos have supported community deve-lopment by participating in big events like the Telethon and the Festival of Values, Music and Color.

The hotels have also provided support to organizations assisting the elderly, such as the Grandparents’ Day Home of San José del Cabo and the San Miguel Grandparents’ Club. Dreams Los Cabos and Zoëtry Casa del Mar donated clothing and food and hotel emplo-yees volunteered to spend time with the residents.

The hotels also participate jointly with the General Directorate of the Ecology and Environment of Los Cabos to clean up the estuary of San José del Cabo, an area frequently used for recreation by the general population. In the past, about 90 people have gathered to assist in recovering the estuary’s rich biodiversity.

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DREAMS PUERTO AVENTURAS RESORT & SPA Suppliers Also Count

If a business is to be sustainable, it must do more than simply find suppliers who offer top-notch goods and services. It has to look closely at both its suppliers and the products it purchases. Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa verifies the origins and biodegradability of the products it uses, as well as the disposal of product packa-ging and waste. What’s more, it supports its suppliers: members of the Maya Coba Honey Cooperative, for example, producers of distinctive honey made by Melipona bees, were required to send their children to the community school before the resort would purchase Maya Coba products. This property also provides incentives for the children with the best grade-point averages and donates school supplies, toys and clothes.

Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa purchases from local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, such as a group of women artisans in the Maya area that makes jams. This benefits Chumpon, a Maya commu-nity close to the buffer zone of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, by reducing the need to migrate and improving the quality of life of more than 100 people.

DREAMS TULUM RESORT & SPA Protecting Our Water

If a business is to be sustainable, it must do more than simply find suppliers who offer top-notch goods and services. It has to look closely at both its suppliers and the products it purchases. Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa verifies the origins and biodegradability of the products it uses, as well as the disposal of product packa-ging and waste. What’s more, it supports its suppliers: members of the Maya Coba Honey Cooperative, for example, producers of distinctive honey made by Melipona bees, were required to send their children to the community school before the resort would purchase Maya Coba products. This property also provides incentives for the children with the best grade-point averages and donates school supplies, toys and clothes.

Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa purchases from local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, such as a group of women artisans in the Maya area that makes jams. This benefits Chumpon, a Maya commu-nity close to the buffer zone of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, by reducing the need to migrate and improving the quality of life of more than 100 people.

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DREAMS VILLAMAGNA NUEVO VALLARTA Respecting Our Ancestral Culturest

Located in an area of extensive cultural rich-ness, Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta makes a point of sharing with its guests and employees the customs of the Cora and Huichol indigenous peoples, who have retained their distinctive language, culture and religion.

The hotel promotes Huichol crafts and rituals in its facilities, makes in-kind donations to the community and supports the “New Life” children’s shelter, where about 16 children receive an education and improved quality of life. At the shelter, hotel staff organize recrea-tional activities and cleanup campaigns, remodel rooms, and make donations.

NOW JADE RIVIERA CANCUN AND NOW SAPPHIRE RIVIERA CANCUN Knowledge is an Ally to Performancer

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa has developed a comprehensive program for the extraction, use, treatment and discharge of water. In addition to being verified by the Rainforest Alliance, the hotel holds a certification for “Tourism Environmental Quality” from Mexico’s Federal Environmental Protection Prosecutor’s Office.

In addition to its water program, Dreams Tulum works to support neighboring commu-nities. The hotel made cash donations and structural improvements to a local school of 150 students and provides scholarships for 80 students at nearby universities. Dreams Tulum also created the Tulum Foundation, which provides full university scholarships to youth from low-income families.

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SECRETS HUATULCO RESORT & SPA United Efforts with the Community

When Secrets Huatulco Resort & Spa decided to tackle the problem of electronic waste, it took its efforts far beyond its own facilities. With the participation of other organizations in the community of Santa Cruz Huatulco, the resort organized “Reciclon,” a recycling event for electronic items, during which fami-lies and small and medium-sized enterprises could safely dispose of electronic equipment. Thanks to the participation of 11 businesses and 22 households, the resort collected and recycled 365 items weighing a total of about nine tons.

Secrets Huatulco also held a drive for basic footwear, a necessity many local residents were lacking. The hotel solicited contribu-tions from guests and collaborators for chil-dren’s shoes, and donations were later deli-vered by hotel staff, who created pop-up “shops” where shoes were given away.

SECRETS MAROMA BEACH RIVIERA CANCUN Guardian of the Reef

The managers at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun understand that the nearby reef is a distinctive feature of the local lands-cape and a powerful draw to guests; they also know that trash can damage the reef’s fragile ecosystem. Every Sunday, hotel staff, inclu-ding top executives, patrol the beach, armed with bags, to pick up litter.

The Saturday morning beach cleanup is just one way that Secrets Maroma Beach upholds its environmental policy, which complies with the country’s environmental laws and balances business and ecological capital. Other important efforts include ongoing programs to promote the efficient use of water and energy and to recycle and reuse waste. With this approach, Secrets Maroma Beach aims to achieve savings and strengthen the supply chains involved in its activities

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SECRETS MARQUIS LOS CABOS Efficient Use of Resources

Secrets Marquis Los Cabos is located in a desert climate where the soil is low in nutrients. In 2009, the hotel began a project convert its organic waste into compost ferti-lizer in order to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. This process includes training staff in the hotel’s food and beverage and garde-ning departments. In 2011, more than 51,000 kilograms of organic waste were processed in this way, generating about 26,000 kilograms of compost. The project saved the hotel nearly 30,000 of pesos that would have been spent on fertilizer and soil.

In addition, Secrets Marquis is implementing an electrostatic washing system that reduces wash-cycle times by up to 70 percent, lowers water consumption by almost 15 thousand cubic meters per year, reduces wastewater pollution and prolongs the life of linens by up to 300 percent. Water savings totaled 14,678 cubic meters in one year, an amount that would supply 47 three-person house-holds during the same time period. The hotel also saved 38,157 cubic meters of gasoline, reducing carbon emissions by 64 tons—an amount comparable to the quantity of CO2 produced by 17 compact cars traveling 30,000 miles in one year. Electricity consumption was reduced by 16,746 kWh, an amount that would power 96 three-person households for one year.

SECRETS SILVERSANDS RIVIERA CANCUN Responding to Local Needs

Under the guidance of the Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun training department and with the enthusiastic response of personnel, the resort developed a program to support under-funded regional nonprofit organiza-tions in the region. The hotel has provided in-kind donations to groups that focus on chil-dren with special needs and animal welfare.

The hotel is also committed to publicizing local attractions and activities that highlight the customs, festivals and events of local indigenous communities.

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SECRETS CAPRI RIVIERA CANCUN Connecting Tourists with the Community

Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun developed an innovative program called the “Circle of Prosperity and Happiness,” which links tourism, Mayan artisans and the integrated development of low-income communities. Each hotel guest receives a handcrafted bracelet that reflects Mayan artistry and symbolizes a circle of energy and community. The bracelets come from a small community located 12 kilometers from the archaeological site of Coba, providing income and artistic opportunities to 30 artisan families.

In addition, Secrets Capri buys honey from the community of San Juan de Dios, which produces an exclusive product extracted from Xtabentun and Dzidzilche tree flowers, found only on the Yucatán Peninsula. The children of the community are required to attend school.

SUNSCAPE DORADO PACIFICO IXTAPA Jobs and Opportunities for All

To stimulate job creation, Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa regularly purchases coffee, honey and other foods from the local commu-nity and allows artisans to exhibit and sell their handcrafts directly to employees and guests. The staff members are educated about the products and their cultural signifi-cance so that they can share that information with guests.

Sunscape Dorado Pacifico participates in a monthly cleanup of El Palmar beach, the pride of the hotel and all of the inhabitants of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo. As a result of this commitment to conservation and sustainable development, the beach has been certified as a “Clean Beach.”

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ZOËTRY PARAISO DE LA BONITA RIVIERA MAYA Children are Everyone’s Responsibility

Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya involves hotel guests and employees in its work with Save the Children and the Lazos Foundation—organizations that advocate for children from low-income families. The hotel’s activities, which affect 3,000 to 4,000 children and adolescents, aim to get children off the streets. The hotel also collaborates with Guardianes de la Libertad, an organization that protects children from abuse.

In addition, the hotel has allocated resources to train and educate staff on the prevention of the sexual exploitation of children and the procedures for dealing with possible cases of human trafficking, both at work and in their daily lives.

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business practices and consumer behavior.

For more information about our verification services in sustainable tourism, contact: RACert.Mesoamerica@ra.org

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM sustainabletourism@ra.org

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