The conscious traveler seeks a place where sustainability, slow travel and comfort are combined
WHEN GIRLS DREAM: For more than 100 years, The International Women´s Day has been drawing attention to the demand for gender equality around the world. On this occasion, we present women whose commitment and visions spur sustainability and slow travel.
“I always followed my believes, no matter what other people thought, sometimes stepped in shoes that were too big, which made me grow. I founded Green Pearls at a time when sustainability was not a trend,” founder Stefany Seipp says.
You may ask why should the traveler leave his concerns on the environment at home? The conscious traveler seeks a place where sustainability and comfort are combined with slow travel.
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When girls dream in Italy
As young girl Anne Stauder already knew she would open her own hotel one day. Together with her husband, she has been pioneering sustainable tourism in the Ulten Valley, Northern Italy, since 2007 with the holistically Arosea Life Balance Hotel
“Protecting and appreciating nature and a sustainable use is a central issue,” Anne emphasizes. Not only she paved the way for the Ulten Valley as a travel destination, but also for an environmentally friendly hotel practice in harmony with nature.
Where: St. Walburg, Ultental bei Meran/South Tyrol
Bed in the jungle
As daughter of a successful hotelier family, Samornpun Somnam follows in the footsteps of her ancestors. When she planned the concept for Keemala Resort together with her brother, she developed a sustainable strategy. The resort should be a place where guests can “revolt against their hectic lifestyle and slow down to enjoy nature and local culture,” she says. Respecting the surrounding nature, protecting animals and carrying on Thai traditions and cultures in all daily actions, the eco-friendly Keemala Resort is leading the way in transforming Phuket to a more sustainable destination.
Where: Hillside location in Kamala, west coast of Phuket, close to Patong Beach and Surin Beach.
Not anywhere – but the right place
Turning old into new. Marion Muller became aware of the negative consequences the travel industry has on nature and humans for the first time during her studies of tourism. She decided to do better at Lifestylehotel SAND and give back to the environment. Sustainable commitment at all levels is particularly relevant in much visited places, such as Timmendorfer Strand.
“Nowadays, it is not about being able to go anywhere, it is rather about whether you have arrived at the right place,” Marion emphasizes. Her green oasis on the Baltic Sea is inspired by nature and offering her guests a home on vacation.
Where: Strandallee 168, Ostsee, Timmendorfer Strand, Germany
Anno 1926. The female entrepreneurship at Hotel Lamm dates back to 1926, when Katrin Holl’s great-grandmother transformed the small brewery into a hotel. For generations, sustainability has been vital to the hotel practice.
“Selfness is a longing for security, stability, inner balance, self-reflection, vitality, a sense of home,” Katrin describes her inspiration for initiating the selfness concept. With the Wellness Village she has created a place for health, physical and mental well-being in the Black Forest.
Where: Baiersbronn-Mitteltal, Germany
Slow travel at The Atlas Mountains
Sustainable hotels support social projects supporting young women and thus their independence. The Moroccan hotel Kasbah du Toubkal co-founded Education for All (EFA) promoting girls’ education by offering accommodation near secondary schools. In many rural communities, girls often do not have the opportunity to carry on their education after primary school because the schools are remote. Kasbah du Toubkal is not a hotel in the traditional sense, it´s more an extension of the hospitality that stems from the home of the Berbers who run it.
Where: Kasbah du Toubkal, Imlil, Morocco
More travel tips: Secure Female Travel
