Eco celebration for Sani Resort

Posted by Danielle Harvey on 28 December 2020

family running out of sea on to beach Sani Resort, the world renowned family destination in Halkidiki, Greece, is delighted to announce its recent success at the World Travel Awards 2020. Sani Resort has been recognised as number one in the World's Leading Luxury Green Resort category - a win which reflects the resort's commitment to sustainable development with a positive social and environmental impact. The award signifies the unique efforts to sustainable and ethical business practices at a time when luxury destinations are continuously advancing their eco-credentials, and environmentally conscious travelling is at the forefront of many travellers' minds. Sani Resort is proud to be celebrated in this arena at the World Travel Awards and whilst the brand has already implemented a series of successful sustainable practices, the team are committed to developing their current initiatives and introducing new concepts for 2021 and beyond.

Sani Resort aerial view The World Travel Awards acknowledges, rewards and celebrates brilliance and is recognised globally as a hallmark of industry excellence. Sani Resort's success on a worldwide level is an acknowledgement of the brand's numerous eco initiatives and processes towards responsibility - in particular, Sani Green, a programme focused on improving the resort's sustainability performance, from energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, to water conservation and sustainable procurement. Most importantly, each Sani Green initiative is supported by well-defined policies and measurable targets, all in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Recent successes include a 3% reduction in energy use in 2019, a 48% reduction in water use per guest since 2016 and the recycling of 2.000.000 kg of materials in the last five years. All single use plastics have been banned at the resort since 2019 and all of the resort's electricity usage comes from renewable sources (Guarantee of Origin). Sani Resort has also received a Green Key eco-label and a Travelife Gold Certification for its sustainable tourism. Sani Resort's full 2019 Sustainability Report can be viewed here.

Sani Resort is also passionate about preserving the 1,000-acre ecological reserve which surrounds the award-winning resort. With 10 Blue Flagged beaches, Sani Marina, over 250-acres of protected wetlands and more than 20km of lush forest trails to explore, Sani Resort encourages its guests to connect with nature whilst on holiday. The success with which the team do this is reflected in the rise in interest around the wetlands: home to 225 bird species, the resort's birdwatching tours in the Sani wetlands have seen a 680% increase in participation since 2013. Additionally, in 2019 alone, over 3,400 guests took part in a Sani eco-excursion during their stay - including the Sani Explorer activities for children and external excursions, such as beekeeping trips, olive harvesting and day trips to the American Farm School of Thessaloniki.

beach view sea and sand Central to Sani Resort's sustainability vision is the resort's goal to become Greece's first carbon neutral resort by 2024. Sani Resort's zero carbon footprint is already in place for 2020, due to the offsetting of carbon emissions. Sani Resort's own renewable energy projects are currently being developed, and by 2024 all renewable energy will be produced in fields close by to the resort. Coupled with this, the team at Sani Resort are consistently developing ways to reduce energy use across the hotels and outlets.

Speaking of Sani Resort's success at the World Travel Awards, Director of Sustainability of CSR Sani Resort, Ms Eleni Andreadis, has said: "We are truly delighted to have been recognised in the luxury green category at this year's awards. We look forward to continuing to develop and thrive in the sustainable hospitality sector, offering an unparalleled holiday with sustainability at its heart. This win is a fantastic achievement for Sani Resort and our teams that have worked so hard on our programmes. We are honoured to be acknowledged and look forward to pressing on with our ambitious carbon, water and plastic reduction goals."

Sani Resort will reopen in April 2021 with the #OnlyatSani Protocol, and world-class health and safety measures, in an all-tested environment. Guests will once again be able to make the most of the endless outdoor activities and reconnect with nature at the Sani Resort Covid-Safe Sanctuary. Flexible booking and cancellation policies will provide guests with the utmost peace of mind and security so that they can continue to enjoy carefree holidays at Sani Resort.