REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,MANADO -- Ten hotels operating in Indonesia won ASEAN Green Hotel Recognition Award 2012 for hotels applying environmentally friendly principles to their operations. Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Pangestu presented the award to representatives of the hotels in Manado on Wednesday.
The five of the award winning hotels operate in Bali are Matahari Beach Resort & Spa, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Melia Benoa, Melia Bali Villa & Spa Resort, and The St Regis Bali Resort. The others include Holiday Inn Resort in Batam, Angsana in Bintan, Losari Spa Retreat & Coffee Plantation in Magelang, The Dharmawangsa and Hotel Gran Melia Jakarta. The last two hotels are in Jakarta
Mari said the Green Award 2012 was the third of its kind since 2008. The first such award was given to ASEAN hotels in Thailand in 2008 and the second in Brunei Darussalam in 2010.
Environmentally friendly principle is the main aspect to see if a hotel deserves to receive the award according to the document of ASEAN Green Hotel Standard agreed upon by 10 ASEAN member countries. The document covers a number of criteria and prerequisites as environmental policies which lay a basis for the environmentally friendly operation of hotels, including the use of green products, cooperation with local people and organizations, and human resources development.
Besides solid waste management, energy efficiency, water efficiency, air quality management (indoor and outdoor), noise pollution control, waste water treatment and management, toxic and chemical substance disposal management. Tight competition in the hotel industry has encouraged the adoption of the Green Hotel Standard. The award is designed to promote hotel operators' environmental awareness amid the looming threat of global warming, increase the competitive edge of the hotel industry in attracting more guests and improving the quality of ASEAN hotels' services to support ASEAN as a single tourism destination.