2011/2012 AA Eco-Hotel of the year to host fifth sustainable tourism masterclass

The hotel, whose motto is "to walk softly on the planet.", claims a long list of eco-initiatives. In 2009, the hotel became the first in London to install half a million honey bees on its roof as a response to the decline in the numbers of British honey bees.

Other initiatives at the Lancaster included the hotel cutting its landfill waste by 50% and a reformed purchasing policy.  The recent £10 million refurbishment encompasses state-of-the-art equipment in the kitchens, with a specific focus on becoming as green as possible.  For example, dishwashers with integral heat exchanger pumps, which reheat the water coming into the machines thereby saving energy.

Lancaster London also actively encourages guests to engage in eco-friendly practices, from reminders to turn off taps, to providing jogging maps of Hyde Park.  The hotel has also been heavily involved with local charities including raising £2,443 for the homeless campaign SleepSmart, £1,447.62 for Hospitality Action, and £3,280 for Let’s Go Let’s Grow, in the past 12 months.The Lancaster follows other top luxury green London hotels including  the Zetter and Number One Aldwych hosting the masterclass in recent years.

The latest presentation team members announced for the 16 March sustainable tourism masterclass are:

• Professor Stefan Gossling - contributing author to the 4AR of the IPCC and world authority on tourism and climate change
• Richard Hammond - the UK Guardian's former eco travel correspondent. He is the editor of Great Escapes (Rough Guides 2010), Clean Breaks  and the founder of online green travel holiday website http://greentraveller.co.uk.
• Mark Watson - new director of global tourism campaigning organisation Tourism Concern
• The total presentation team will number some 6 presenters, other names will be announced shortly

 

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Source: Travelmole.com