LOS ANGELES, California – “We were one of the first business organizations in Kuwait to support the Earth Hour movement,” said Maged Gubr, General Manager at the Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait. “Since 2009, the last Saturday in March, we have been hosting a series of events that aim to draw the attention of guests and employees to the climate challenges our planet is facing.”
On March 29, Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait joined iconic buildings around the world to mark WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Earth Hour 2014. At 8:30 pm the hotel “went dark” and lights were switched off for one hour, pledging support for the planet.
This top-performing Green Globe member demonstrated its commitment towards a sustainable future with a special line up of events:
During the actual Earth Hour, Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a turned off most of the lighting in the operation areas and dimmed the lights in all public areas, restaurants and outside the hotel building. Guests were encouraged to participate by cutting down electricity consumption to an absolute minimum, and also using the bed sheet re-use cards to reduce laundry.
In addition, the hotel’s main restaurant hosted an atmospheric candle-lit dinner with a sustainable menu created with locally sourced products to celebrate the occasion.
Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait has implemented a long-term environmental system to reduce the water and energy consumption. Basic measures, such as the installation of water-saving devices, and energy efficient lighting, are part of the hotel’s best practices.
Movenpick’s commitment goes beyond environmental and employer sustainability, it encompasses a positive contribution to the community that is mutually beneficial and sustainable. The Movenpick Al Bida’a initiated nationwide recycling competitions in cooperation with the Public Administration for Private Education, Environment Public Authority, and schools throughout Kuwait. These competitions aim at sensitizing the younger generation to sustainability issues, and inspire children to care for the environment in their daily life at home and at school.
“It is our goal to create a better environment for today – and for future generations to come,” added Maged Gubr.
ABOUT MOVENPICK HOTELS & RESORTS
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 16,000 staff members, is represented in 25 countries with 80 hotels, resorts, and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 30 properties are planned or under construction, including Chiang Mai and Koh Samui (Thailand), Istanbul (Turkey), Shanghai (China), and Marrakech (Morocco).
Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts specializes in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities.
Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in Zurich, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to sustainable environments, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe certified hotel company in the world.
The hotel company is owned by the Movenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). For more information, please visit www.moevenpick.com .
Contact: Khadija Meftah, PR & Communications Manager, Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait, Salmiya 22084 , 13008 Kuwait, Phone +96 5 222 53 100 Ext. 5609, Fax +96 5 222 53 199, Email [email protected] , www.moevenpick-hotels.com/kuwait-al-bidaa
ABOUT GREEN GLOBE CERTIFICATION
Green Globe Certification is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe Certification is based in California, USA, and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe Certification is a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, supported by the United Nations Foundation. For information, visit www.greenglobe.com
Green Globe is a member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .
