Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa receives Green Hotel Award

SHANGRI-LA's Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu received the 'ASEAN Green Hotel Standard' at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2008 held recently in Bangkok, Thailand.

The award was given in recognition of the resort's compliance with environmentally friendly and energy conservation measures.

Albert Lafuente, director of sales of Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu received the award on behalf of the resort's management. The resort is the only deluxe resort property to receive the award for the Philippines category. Other group properties to receive the award were Edsa Shangri-La, Manila and Makati Shangri-La, Manila.

The ASEAN Green Hotel Standard is one of the six ASEAN tourism standards that the 10 ASEAN member countries of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam consider essential for helping the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be a Quality Single Destination.

One measure in the road map for integration of the tourism sector to realize the ASEAN economic community is the establishment of the ASEAN tourism standards.

The ASEAN tourism standards task force is currently chaired by Thailand, through its Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and vice-chaired by Indonesia.

The Green Hotel Recognition Committee selected several hotels from each country based on the following criteria and requirements: Environmental policy and actions for hotel operation, use of green products, collaboration with the community and local organizations, human resource development, solid waste management, energy efficiency, water efficiency, air quality management (indoor and outdoor), noise pollution control, waste water treatment and management, and toxic and chemical substance disposal management.

With this award, Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu strengthens its efforts to protect and conserve the environment in which it operates.

Since it opened in October 1993, Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu has won various awards from international institutions such as AsiaMoney, Business Traveller, Conde Nast, HotelClub.com, Smart Travel Asia, Time Magazine, Travel Weekly (for 'Best Spa') and Zagat World's Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas.