Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is constantly reinforcing its commitment to environmental, social and cultural conservation. To accomplish this, Anantara has established in-depth policies, procedures and initiatives with respect to:

  • Water conservation
  • Energy conservation
  • Waste management
  • Health and safety
  • Quality
  • Social culture

Anantara’s wide diversity of destinations across Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean and the Middle East means the brand operates amidst many different cultures, wildlife species and environments. One thing that all of these places have in common, however, is the need to ensure that tourism is operated in a way that is sustainable for the people that live there and for future generations of residents and travellers.

Ongoing sustainability projects include:

365 Days of Good Deeds

Ever since its first hotel opened in 2001, Anantara has been committed to creating luxury travel experiences that also benefit the environment and local communities. All of Anantara’s properties worldwide immerse themselves in local initiatives that give back to the community and environment, thereby enhancing the social and environmental surroundings of each Anantara destination. Anantara has brought all these good deeds together and at least one good deed takes place at one of our hotels every day of the year.

Notable projects include:

  • Elephant protection in Thailand 
  • Mangrove planting in the UAE and Thailand
  • Reintroduction programmes of the Arabian oryx and sand gazelle to the Empty Quarter in the UAE
  • The establishment of an eye clinic in the Maldives
  • Coral adoption programmes in the Maldives 
  • Rare turtle release programmes in Thailand, Mozambique and Sri Lanka 
  • Outreach programmes for orphanages and schools at each resort
  • Improving the lives of people with special needs in Vietnam 
  • Funding wildlife rangers in Cambodia

Dollars for Deeds

Anantara’s Dollars for Deeds  programme, launched in Thailand, gives guests the option to donate one dollar (THB 30) per night of their stay, with Anantara matching each guest’s contribution.

The funds raised are donated to three worthwhile foundations: the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) in Chiang Rai, the Mai Khao Turtle Foundation in Phuket and the Princess Sirindhorn Craniofacial Centre at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok.

The programme has spread globally and currently supports:

  • A holistic approach to reef protection in the Maldives
  • Protection of 90 km of turtle nesting beach in Sri Lanka
  • Wildlife release and rehabilitation in the forests surrounding Angkor in Cambodia
  • Care, therapy and employment opportunities for special needs children in Vietnam
  • Community development and marine area protection in Mozambique
  • Marine area protection in Mauritius and the Seychelles
  • Supporting local environmental societies in Oman
  • Protecting fennec foxes from the pet trade, rehab and release in Tunisia
  • Building artificial reefs to protect wildlife and turtle nesting beaches in Qatar
  • Supporting the repopulation of native wildlife into the empty quarter of Abu Dhabi
  • Setting up commercial market gardening for local communities in Zambia

Operational Sustainability

GREEN GROWTH 2050
Since 2008 each Anantara hotel has been asked to pass an independently audited Global Sustainable Tourism Council recognised Sustainability Certification on an annual basis. The current brand standard requires a Green Growth 2050 ranking of Gold or above.

SINGLE USE PLASTIC
In 2018 Anantara pledged a 75% reduction in single use plastic by 2024 and are well on track to achieving this with many hotels having now removed it totally from Front of House and working on our kitchens & supply chains.

WASTE MANAGEMENT
Since 2021 all Anantara properties were required to measure and record their waste and declare percentage recycled or composted vs. sent to landfill or incinerated. Based on these figures the hotels have been tasked to reduce organic waste to landfill by 50% for 2030 – this will be done by reducing food waste in production and presentation as well as using composting and other technologies to ensure the waste can be up cycled and used in the hotel grounds or local community farms as fertilizer.

CARBON EMISSIONS
Minor Hotels has pledged to become a Net Zero Carbon company by 2050. Anantara has already achieved its initial goal of a 20% reduction in carbon emissions from a 2016 baseline and are working on the tougher target.