Jetwing Yala Awarded Travellife Gold Certification
Long known for its commitment to the natural world through its sustainable practices Jetwing Yala has been a recipient of many awards. This time around, Jetwing Yala bags the most sought after Travellife Gold Certification Award for sustainability in tourism.
Travelife is an international sustainability certification scheme for hotels and accommodations and it helps improve the tourism industry by encouraging hotels to manage their environmental and social impacts, such as reducing their energy or water consumption, and ensures they support local people, businesses and culture. The Travelife for Hotels & Accommodations certification criteria also covers issues like human rights, child protection and employee welfare. Helping to ensure they operate fair practices and are working to protect their guests, employees and the local community where they operate.
Committed to sustainability initiatives through the Jetwing Hotels Sustainable Strategy, Jetwing Yala homes one of the country’s largest privately owned solar installations of 300 kilowatts, which meets 40 percent of the hotel’s daily electricity needs. The plant supplies excess energy at peak back to the national grid, helping to cushion grid fluctuations experienced by local residents. Its cooling is operated by a vapour absorption chiller, run sustainably via steam generated from a biomass boiler using sustainable cinnamon wood procured locally. Hot water is provided entirely through renewable energy, and lighting is 100 percent LED. The renewable energy applications and efficient operations reduce CO2 emissions by about 60 percent compared to if comparable conventional technologies were used. All wastewater is collected, treated, and reused onsite. All waste generated at the hotel is separated at source and quantified prior to disposal.
As for water needs, seawater is filtered through a reverse osmosis system, ensuring no strain on the scarce freshwater resources of the region. The wastewater is separated at source and treated black water is used for gardening purposes while treated grey water is used for the cooling towers and further disinfected for use in cisterns. The property also homes its own compost machine and plant whereby all organic waste is treated and used as organic fertilizer for the hotel gardens and farms. Additionally, electric buggy carts are used for transportation within the hotel to lower greenhouse gas emissions from fuel consumption. The resident naturalist alongside the team at Jetwing Yala is ever ready to take its guests on a tour enlightening them on the properties sustainable initiatives.
In addition, Jetwing Hotels introduced the Jetwing Youth Development Project (JYDP) designed to empower rural youth who are underprivileged and do not enjoy the opportunities for higher education or meaningful career prospects. Similarly, Jetwing Yala too provided free training to school leavers from disadvantaged families in and around Yala, offering both practical and theoretical training – ranging from English language proficiency, skill development, industry training – preparing them for a career in the travel and tourism industry. Upon the successful completion of the six month program Jetwing Yala absorbed a number of associates into their family.
Jetwing Yala provides a holistic experience to its guests; from traveller comforts, engaging in excursions to being a part of responsible tourism, this property is in perfect unison with the natural world and the team at the property strives for harmony with the environment through every day practices.
For more information or reservations please call on 011 4 709 400 or log on to www.jetwinghotels.com.
Family owned and in the tourism industry for the past 44 years, Jetwing Hotels has surpassed expectation at every aspect. Building on their foundation of being passionate, as well as the experience of true, traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, constantly pioneering discoveries captures the essence of the brand. Such a strong statement and direction have enabled Jetwing Hotels to imagine, create and manage marvels and masterpieces, where distinctive design and elegant comfort complement each other and the environment. In line with the Jetwing Hotels Sustainable Strategy, across all properties sustainable and responsible practices are given precedence with resource efficiency, community upliftment and education, and awareness being some of our key focus areas.
Media Relations – Jetwing Hotels
For any queries regarding this press release please contact us:
Prasanna Welangoda (Manager – Marketing) – prasanna.w@jetwinghotels.com
Shimazie Adjumain (PR & Media Executive) – shimazie@jetwinghotels.com
Jetwing Yala
- Jetwing Yala provides additional revenue for local farmers by purchasing cinnamon wood, a sustainable fuel wood and otherwise discarded by-product, for use in the hotel’s biomass boiler (which powers air conditioning, staff rice steamers and laundry).