Can luxury travel ever be truly sustainable? The ethical hotels giving back to their communities

The words “luxury” and “sustainability” don’t go hand in hand, especially when it comes to travel. The wider travel industry may have woken up to the urgent need to curb its environmental impact – starting with banning single-use plastics or conserving/recycling water, for instance – but these worthy initiatives typically don’t do much to draw in excess-hungry high-end travellers.

Things may now be changing though as hoteliers embark on a new chapter in their sustainability story, one which goes beyond the basic resources to creating more socially and environmentally responsible experiences that are slowly redefining the very idea of “luxury”.

“There’s been a transition from the old guard of sustainable principles to embodying a more holistic outlook. It’s no longer just about concrete things like waste and energy, but more about creating a social impact and actively restoring the destination and communities around them,” says Amanda Ho, founder of Regenerative Travel, which provides education and resources around sustainable travel. “Think of it as a more laid-back version of luxury travel.”

When it first opened in 2012, Song Saa, a luxury island resort located in Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago, was a pioneer in the luxury/sustainability space. Co-founder Melita Koulmandas embarked on a three-year project to restore local marine life and create Cambodia’s first marine reserve before building a stunning resort featuring 24 luxury villas made from energy-efficient thatched roofing and recycled timber from disused fishing boats.

To maximise the resort’s impact – in a good way – in 2013, she launched the Song Saa Foundation, a non-profit that spearheads projects that regenerate the natural environment while benefiting local communities, ranging from infrastructure such as solid-waste management to community events like beach clean-ups.

“Our approach to sustainability is constantly evolving. What was best practice a few years isn’t any more, which means that we need to push ourselves to do better. We always knew that we’d have constant challenges with carbon footprint since we are an island, so we must find areas that go beyond environmental impact. We recently became B Corp-certified, which will resonate with our more conscious guests,” explains Koulmandas. B Corp measures a company’s social and environmental impact across various categories by analysing factors including employee benefits, charitable giving, supply chain practices and input materials.

“We are also weaving the work we do with the foundation into the guest experience, which is really resonating. Our team is out in the field every day so guests can join them and learn from marine biologists or conservationists that run the programmes. For example, some guests were excited about helping us map out a new seagrass bed that we just discovered,” she adds.

Guest experiences also form the foundation of Rosewood Hotels’ Impacts framework, which is centred on empowering local communities and embracing sustainable practices. Here “luxury” is defined as enriching experiences for the guest and community – be it a meal made using local ingredients from neighbouring farms, or dining at a beautifully designed restaurant using repurposed local materials.

“Luxury is no longer just about staying in the most beautiful room or indulging in a five-course meal. It’s now about discovering the heart and soul of a place through experiences designed to celebrate and preserve it. Luxury hospitality is now the connector, which will drive real change in the industry,” says Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed, vice-president of social impact, Rosewood Hotel Group.