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Mahindra Holidays, India’s first Hospitality Company to sign both RE100 and EP100

MUMBAI - Sustainability has always been an important part of the culture at Club Mahindra, the flagship brand of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited. As the Indian Hospitality Industry shifts its focus to becoming more sustainable, companies across the nation have been taking numerous measures in this regard. Club Mahindra has shown its commitment to the cause ever since its inception and has demonstrated it yet again by being India’s first hospitality company that has signed both RE100 (Renewable Energy) and EP100 (Energy Productivity). Mahindra Holidays has committed to become carbon neutral by 2040 and is the first hospitality company in the country to have signed both RE100 (Renewable Energy) and EP100 (Energy Productivity), led by The Climate Group — setting targets to run on 100% renewable energy by 2050 and to double its energy productivity by 2030. It has also committed to the EP 100 cooling challenge for which it monitors the efficiency of air conditioning systems and implements energy efficient solutions. Another noteworthy initiative that the company is a part of, is the Science Based Target Initiative, which requires it to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius. Commenting on the countless efforts of the company Miguel Munoz, Chief Resort Officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited, shared “Ever since the inception of the company, we have aimed to uplift the people and the environment that our resorts are associated with, and we will continue to do so. It is a matter of pride to share that we were the first Hospitality Company that has Signed Both RE100 (Renewable Energy) and EP100 (Energy Productivity), a demonstration of our unwavering commitment to sustainability. The importance of sustainable tourism has increased a great deal in the past 2 years, with the COVID-19 putting the priorities of mankind into perspective. We at Mahindra Holidays recognize that this is the need of the hour, and we remain deeply committed to the cause.” To meet these targets, the brand has incorporated a host of sustainable practices at its resorts in the areas of solar installations, energy saving, water conservation, waste recycling and biodiversity. Energy Conservation In the year 2020-21, Club Mahindra’s focus continued to be on installation of solar power and hot water generators. Solar power is streaming in at seven of its resorts with 22 million kWh generated during the year; another five resorts will be added in 2021-22. Outdoor solar lights were installed in landscaped areas. Other energy saving initiatives have been systematically implemented at resorts as a part of its 26-point programme, including the replacing of diesel boilers with heat pump for hot water generation in 10 resorts resulting in 67% less diesel consumption as compared to last year; and installation of inverter ACs and energy saving BLDC fans. Water Conservation With respect to water conservation, six MHRIL resorts were ‘water positive’ at the end of 2020-21. The utilisation of rainwater increased considerably in 2020-21 and similar actions will be implemented in another 19 resorts by 2024. Water consumption has reduced by 156 million litres compared to last year, and 55% of total water consumed by the resorts was recycled in 2020-21. Waste Management Waste recycling is an extremely vital component of sustainability. In this regard, the company embarked on the ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ (ZWL) programme last year with its Virajpet resort becoming India’s first ZWL resort. Three more resorts at Munnar, Madikeri and Varca were certified as ZWL resorts in 2020-21. Promotion of Biodiversity & Environment Preservation Promoting the biodiversity of our beautiful nation is another critical element of sustainable tourism, and Mahindra Holidays has organic gardens at several of its resorts: Kanha, Munnar, Corbett, Poovar, Manali, Cherai, Dharamshala, Thekkady, Kandaghat and Mahabaleshwar to promote the same. It also has butterfly gardens at Puducherry and Ashtamudi. During the year, biodiversity assessments were carried out at Virajpet and Madikeri. The most critical factor of sustainability is the preservation of the environment. 46,960 trees were planted in 2020-21 as a part of ‘Mahindra Hariyali’ — a tree plantation initiative of the Mahindra Group — taking the total trees planted to 470,286 since the beginning of the project in 2010- 11. Under its ‘Jal Jivan’ campaign — a major initiative for water conservation and provision of safe drinking water — the company carries out projects for rejuvenation of water bodies, rainwater harvesting, water access, chlorination, and installation of RO water purifiers. In 2020-21, it installed rooftop rainwater harvesting structures in 10 schools in Udaipur district which will benefit 2,120 students. Promoting Local Communities With respect to promoting the local communities that the brand has resorts in, MHRIL sponsored the education of 4,226 girls through the ‘Nanhi Kali’ project of KC Mahindra Education Trust, which provides academic and material support to underprivileged girls. Through project ‘Udaan’, it initiated a skill development and livelihood programme for 125 youth and 75 women; and supported three digital job fairs to help blue and grey collar workers find livelihood opportunities which achieved registration from 1,837 candidates and 194 businesses. Healthcare and Sanitation Healthcare and sanitation are critical concerns in a populous country like India, where a large percentage of people lack access to one or both these very basic human rights. To combat this, Mahindra Holidays installed a water treatment plant for drinking water near Lonavala, Maharashtra, benefitting 100 families. In addition to that, the company installed household sanitation units to 30 families in Raigad district of Maharashtra and also started an initiative to raise awareness and practical hands-on sessions on how to handle sudd

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An epic Game of Thrones tour opens up in Northern Ireland

Clearly, fans of Game of Thrones are yet over this epic TV series, and so the gifts keep coming. Fans can now experience the world of Game of Thrones and its Seven Kingdoms in a tour that has opened in Northern Ireland. The location of this tour is set at Linen Mill Studios, which is one of its original filming locations. Linen Mills Studio is located in Barnbridge, and the tour opened to the public on February 4. The immersive tour is going to bring the acclaimed TV series to life for its fans. Guests taking this tour will be able to see fully-dressed sets, original props, weaponry, costumes and more from the TV show. The things that you had seen on TV will really come to life here in the Linen Mills Studio in Northern Ireland. Another interesting piece of information here is that the important places in the series, such as Braavos, Dorne, King’s Landing, and Dragonfell, have all been rebuilt by the same construction crews that had originally worked in the show. According to Julain Moon, Head of EAMA Warner Bros. Consumer Products said that this marks a first for Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to launch a world-class attraction in Northern Ireland where fans can explore, up close and personal, a vast array of authentic sets, as well as a comprehensive collection of costumes, props, set pieces, and so much more. Northern Island has a total of 25 filming locations for the Game of Thrones.

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France travel update: COVID test rules to be dropped for vaccinated travellers

COVID test reports will no longer be required for vaccinated travellers visiting France in the coming days. France has announced that it will be dropping the mandatory requirement of a negative COVID test for vaccinated travellers travelling from outside the European Union. This move comes as the country continues to register a drop in daily infection numbers, as stated by Europe Minister Clement Beaune. While talking to the media, he added that they restored testing requirements in December due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant. However, they will soon announce that tests will no longer be required for vaccinated people in the coming days. As of now, anyone coming from outside the EU, including Britain, is required to provide a negative test result that has been taken 48 hours prior to their travel, regardless of vaccination status. The Minister stated that this week, there will probably be a new European protocol for vaccinated people arriving from outside the EU, with eased measures. EU members on January 25 agreed to better coordinate their travel rules, especially for those crossing borders within the bloc. While the surge in Omicron variant has prompted Italy and Denmark, for example, to impose recent negative test requirements for entry by fellow EU residents as well as vaccination proof, such strict rules have reportedly irritated officials in Brussels. As per the reports, France started lifting a series of COVID restrictions this month, and announced that nightclubs will reopen from February 16, while concerts and sporting events will also be allowed to take place.

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GO First Launches Priority Boarding Service

GO FIRST (formerly known as GoAir) has announced the launch of the “Priority Boarding” service that will significantly cut down the waiting time for GO FIRST passengers. This customer centric service is available on all domestic and international flights and will be applicable for all departing destinations on the airline network. The priority boarding service comes at a nominal cost and offers the flexibility of cancellation and rescheduling of flights. There is no additional fee for infants. In case of cancellation by the airline or cancellation of the flight, the fee will be refunded. Kaushik Khona, Chief Executive Officer, GO FIRST, said, “The comfort and convenience of passengers is our utmost priority and we constantly strive to create an exceptional flying experience for them. The ‘Priority Boarding’ service to all passengers is another step in this journey, and demonstrates our continued commitment to the ‘You Come First’ philosophy. With the introduction of this service, GO FIRST has yet again raised the industry benchmark for customer experience.”

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India releases new COVID guidelines for international arrivals

The Indian government has revised its COVID guidelines for international arrivals. The country has decided to do away with the at risk category of countries. India has recommended self-monitoring for 14 days for symptoms, instead of the previous rule of home quarantine for 7 days. The new guidelines for international travellers will be followed from February 14, Monday. However, according to the Ministry, there is a need to monitor the continuously changing situation. The Ministry has also said that economic activities must be taken up in an unhindered manner. Passengers will need to upload RT-PCR negative report, which must be taken 72 hours before the journey. Moreover, passengers will also have to upload fully-vaccinated certificates and schedules. A self-declaration form available at Suvidha Web Portal needs to be filled out by passengers, along with their history of travel, going back to 14 days. An alternative to uploading the RT-PCR report is a certificate that confirms that the passenger has received both the vaccines. This option is only available for passengers arriving from select 72 countries. The vaccine programmes for these countries have been recognised by the Indian government. Passengers should keep in mind that there will be a random sampling of about 2&% of the international travellers at the airports. Travellers will have to give their samples, and then they may leave the airport.

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Tourist spots in South Andaman to reopen with immediate effect

The Andaman & Nicobar administration has announced that all tourist spots in the South Andaman district will be opened for tourism activities with immediate effect. The authorities have added that tourists will however, have to abide by the strict COVID protocols, and follow COVID appropriate behaviour. As reported earlier, the authorities had announced the reopening of sound and light show at the Cellular jail, museums, and NSCB island for tourists. Meanwhile, District Magistrate of the South Andaman District Suneel Anchipaka in the official order released by the island UT, announced several other relaxations in COVID guidelines, such as allowing political, social, entertainment, sports, religious, cultural, and festival-related gatherings and congregations. As per the reports, all playgrounds, parks, gyms, stadiums, and yoga institutes have also been allowed to reopen, whereas night curfew has also been revoked with no restrictions in place. Reportedly, the order has been put into effect immediately and shall remain in force till further notice. In the second week of January, the Andaman and Nicobar administration announced closure of all tourist spots in view of rising Omicron cases. However, last week, the authorities announced reopening of tourist spots at 50% capacity, and announced specific operational timings for tourism activities. As regarding entry requirements, all arrivals above two years of age, including those who are partially and fully vaccinated landing at the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test report that has been taken within 48 hours before departure. Apart from this, all arriving passengers with a history of foreign travel in the past 30 days, as well as partially and unvaccinated passengers will undergo RT-PCR on arrival, and will have to be isolated until the test results are released. And, if anybody on arrival is tested COVID-19 positive, they will have to follow prescribed quarantine protocol.

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