Sustainable Tourism is a matter of concern not just for India but Internationally as well. Hospitality segments across the world are adopting various measures to keep the environment clean and healthy. Keeping in line with the same, Saurabh Khanna, General Manager, Courtyard By Marriott, Agra, shared his views on sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives taken by the hotel.
With ban on single use plastic, what are the initiatives taken by the hotel to eliminate plastic from daily use?
Hotels require a vast amount of energy and resources to sustain daily operations and with that comes an equally large amount of waste which is generated. At Courtyard By Marriott, Agra we strictly adhere to the guidelines laid out by Government of India to eliminate single use plastic. Our eventual endeavor is to move a step ahead towards limiting the use of all forms of plastic from our daily operations.
With several hospitality chains starting to think about the lifespan of their products and taking necessary steps towards finding biodegradable, recyclable and reusable packaging, one such step that we have implemented is to replace our single use plastic toiletry bottles with bulk dispensers for usage in all our guest rooms for shower gel, shampoo and conditioner.
We’ve replaced plastic straws with paper straws and placed glass bottles for convenient usage in all our dining outlets and meeting spaces.We have also replaced our packaging containers from plastic to food grade packing material. We follow the simple mantra of Reduce, Reuse, Replace and Recycle
· What are the sustainability measures taken by the hotel in waste reduction?
Sustainable initiatives rank the highest in our endeavor as a hotel to give back to the planet and community. We have activated practices like installing compost machines to recycle waste from our kitchens. We monitor the food wastage in our outlets and employee cafeteria on a daily basis to keep a strict tab on any undue wastage.
To control and monitor our food waste our team works on a Marriott International proprietary software called MESH which helps track food wastage in the hotel and helps in identifying areas of improvement
In addition to the above, we are growing organic micro greens in our garden space and have installed hydroponic plants in our All Day Dining and making it part of our daily offering
Since we all work as a community, thus waste management becomes an important factor in achieving our overall sustainability goals.
· With five star weddings on the rise, steps taken by the hotel to reduce food & water wastage?
Our Culinary team has worked on a limited menu offering for our environmentally conscious guests, which helps us reduce wastage during wedding events. We keep a close track of items where wastage is high and thus measures like cutting down on food items, especially those with a smaller shelf life helps save costs and wastage. Alongside, we’ve placed smaller volume chafing dishes which limits the quantity of food being offered which in turn minimizes wastage. Regular food audits are done by our chefs for hygiene and temperature in order to avoid unnecessary waste. Lastly, we offer our guests more options for live counters over standard buffet layouts, as that too helps reduce wastage
Located on the famous Fatehabad Road, Courtyard By Marriott, Agra is convenient for business and leisure travelers. The hotel offers 189 plush rooms and suites, with guest-room features like 40 inch LED television, mini bar, iron and ironing board, tea-coffee maker, high-speed internet and a 3 fixture bathroom. For business travelers, the hotel is equipped with a state of the art business center and concierge services.The hotel offers three dining outlets, MoMo Café, all day dining restaurant; ANISE, the fine Indian dining seasonal restaurant and an elegant lounge bar, ONYX, situated in the Lobby level.