The welfare of guests is top priority and “the” business of tourism industry players, especially hotels and resorts. But aside from making sure service and amenities are good, more and more upscale establishments seek to ensure that how they do business creates the least impact on the environment through proper management and planning controls.
Initiatives that promote sustainability have become timely and important globally and nationally primarily because sustainability makes perfect business sense. By taking care of the environment and the communities where they operate, businesses make a positive impact on society, the local economy, and the bottom line, and ensure their own long-term survival.
Club Paradise Palawan, a premier resort managed by the Discovery Leisure Company, is among those forward-looking properties that have realized sustainability is good for business.
The Coron-based resort has been proactive in protecting and sustaining the environment in its day-to-day operations through its program called ECOCONSERVE.
ECOCONSERVE aims to rebuild, protect, and conserve the environment. It is one of the sustainability initiatives of the Discovery Group, which also supports the annual Sustainable Seafood Week and the Heirloom Rice Project in the Cordillera region.
“Sustainability and environmental consciousness is one of the organization’s top priorities,” says Joegil Escobar, resort manager.
He continues, “We see them as part and parcel of our responsibility to act as stewards for the environment, working hand in hand with the communities we serve in caring for nature.”
Through ECOCONSERVE, Club Paradise Palawan promotes “nurture nature” through its line-up of activities and initiatives.
For instance, the hotel ensures the protection of its 700-meter pristine beach, situated in a Biosphere Reserve of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization that is a nesting site for hawksbill and green sea turtles.
Annually, from November to January, around 200 turtle hatchlings are released to the ocean.
Club Paradise Palawan is also committed to protect the azure waters that surround it against illegal fishermen. It acts as “Sea Guardians” of marine ecosystems and reefs.
The Discovery Scouts program aims to develop in children love for Mother Earth. It organizes different activities daily at 4:00 p.m. at the Tree House.
At the Firefish Restaurant and Lounge, on the other hand, delightful international and homegrown comfort cuisine is served using ingredients from sustainable sources. The resort’s own Taranuman Farm, for instance, supplies fresh herbs and vegetables so guests can enjoy true farm-to-table dishes.
The verdant 19 hectares where Club Paradise Palawan’s island resort is located is home to beautiful birds, fruit bats, and other wildlife. A dense forest cover provides a natural habitat for these creatures.
Further, in the pipeline is a water desalination plant to provide the island a drought-proof, alternative water supply.
Club Paradise Palawan also undertakes beach clean-up activities regularly with the help of volunteers. It practices waste segregation by providing color-coded garbage bins within the property.
