18 Introducing some of the world’s most precious places is a huge undertaking for hotels. Enchanting Travels is always seeking out smaller hotels, lodges and camps that have lower ecological impact and those who make earnest conservation efforts and support the local economy. We believe that this is not only more considerate but also appreciated by guests as often the experience is far more personal, authentic and unique! What is a green hotelier? We’ve been lucky that over the past 13 years we have developed some wonderful, long-term relationships with our accommodation partners. These relationships provide a richer travel experience to you. When selecting green hoteliers there are several key areas that we consider. Honesty and Transparency It’s important to paint a realistic picture of what your hotel experience will be like. For us, matching expectations to the local reality and then hopefully exceeding them is the way to consistently enchant you. We try to ensure that at least one member of our team has visited every place that we promote. Thoughtful destinations We promote off-the-beaten path places and avoid destinations that are likely to be adversely affected by travelers, or partners we believe have a negative impact on the local environment and community. We seek out fair and trustworthy hoteliers who pay fair living wages and deliver safe, conducive working conditions and growth opportunities to their staff. “I have been working with Enchanting Travels for over a decade now so it comes naturally to me to take a decision about which properties we should include in our collection. Be it a simple homestay, or a luxurious palace, if they are able to bring in the true flavor of the region, and we know our guests will enjoy their stay, then it’s a simple call. I like to witness sustainability in action and if we are able to maintain a real essence that hotels are committed to it, then in most cases they match up well too. We always prepare our guests for a particular experience, be it a standard, luxury five-star hotel, a heritage haveli (mansion) in India, or a ryokan (traditional inn) in Japan! Discovering new properties continues to excite me, as does ensuring that existing hotels continually meet our high expectations.” Sarika Chopra, Asia Trip Coordination Manager The GREEN HOTELIERS