19/01/2018
As we become more educated and exposed to the effect we have on the environment, many of us are starting to make frequent eco-conscious decisions. This extends to our travel itineraries, with 65% of global travellers intending to stay in ‘green’ accommodation at least once, according to Booking.com in their 2017 survey. This is a 31% increase on the previous year, which means we could be packing our suitcases for eco-adventures more often.
Travellers are now opting to change how they travel, saying no to plastic and supporting local economies whilst on vacation. At Inkaterra we aim to educate on this. As a brand we have pioneered ecotourism since the creation of the company in 1975 and are renowned as a world leader in sustainable development.
We are invested in authentic culture, biodiversity and conservation beliefs that are found throughout the Inkaterra experience; knitted into our locally produced textiles and harvested by guests on our farmland. Above all choosing the right place to stay can make all the difference in reducing your carbon footprint and at Inkaterra we are constantly striving to be the best choice for the eco-traveller.
Inkaterra recently partnered with the AJE Group, a Peruvian family-owned beverage multinational producing in 23 countries. This signed partnership indicates a pledge to lead diverse sustainability initiatives to benefit Machu Picchu’s heritage. This is a pertinent goal following UNESCO’s observation of a waste crisis in Machu Picchu in 2016.
After the donation of a waste compacting machine which can process 14 tons of waste per day, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel has installed a biodiesel production plant. The machinery can process burnt vegetable oil thus limiting the use of fossil fuels, one of the primary human contributions to global warming. 1 liter of oil can pollute 1,000 liters of water so the project will also be extremely beneficial to local Vilcanota River, as it will prevent oil spills.
Of course, at Inkaterra we won’t stop here but will continue our efforts in ecotourism. The next planned step at Inkaterra is waste management via an innovative strategy with no CO2 emissions which will be invaluable to furthering Inkaterra’s work in sustainability. Founder of Inkaterra, José Koechiln reinstated the brand’s long term intentions when he said ‘we aim to turn Machu Picchu into a global example of sustainability for all travel destinations before 2021 as part of Peru’s Bicentennial Plan’.
Inkaterra’s passion for sustainable travel is proving to travellers that there is such a thing as ‘green’ accomodation, and with interest in this industry on the rise we only hope we can continue to progress and inspire in all that we do.
