With an investment value exceeding 200 billion riyals, the Kingdom is adopting the establishment of a number of green hotel projects, on an area of 20 million square meters since 2014, explained Dr. Ihab Al-Farra, associate professor at the College of Tourism and Archaeology at King Saud University, during the seminar “The Future of Ecotourism in Riyadh” within the activities of the 9th Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Forum currently held in Riyadh, expecting that these investments will double in the coming years.
Riyadh <Dr. Ihab Al-Farra, associate professor at the College of Tourism and Archaeology at King Saud University, revealed that Riyadh has received the laying of the foundation stone for the Marriott Hotel and Marriott Hotel Apartments in the Embassy District, which is considered the first green hotel to be established in the Kingdom and is scheduled to open in 2018, as the hotel takes into account the highest specifications of environmentally friendly smart buildings, and said during the seminar “The Future of Ecotourism in Riyadh” within the activities of the 9th Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Forum currently being held in Riyadh: ”Currently, the region is witnessing the implementation of an integrated and varied set of projects and programs in the field of tourism. During the seminar, Al-Farra enumerated the most important criteria that must be met in green hotels, such as relying on the natural environment in most operating systems and the effective contribution of the hotel facility in protecting the environment, relying on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy, recycling gray water and using it to irrigate gardens, using recycling bins in all hotel lobbies and facilities, and avoiding the use of tools that would preserve environmental life.
Al-Farra urged investors to invest in eco-tourism in Riyadh during the 9th Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Forum, which is currently being held in Riyadh. He pointed out that the global trend of the World Tourism Organization seeks to develop ecotourism and meet the needs of tourists while preserving natural features and wildlife habitats. He pointed out that the Kingdom is characterized by distinctive environmental areas such as islands, sea coasts and natural reserves, which in turn makes the Kingdom one of the most prominent countries in the field of ecotourism, pointing out that the relationship between tourism and the environment is complementary.
Al-Farra urged investors in the hospitality industry to pay attention to the establishment and development of green hotels that contribute to the preservation of the environment. He touched on international programs to measure the efficiency and technology of green facilities, including the Leadership in Energy Technology (LEED) program, which includes a number of national green building councils in more than 90 countries in the world, which evaluates facilities according to specific criteria and gives them accredited certificates, as well as the green key program supported by the World Tourism Organization.
The green key program is supported by the World Tourism Organization.
