Oman tailor made holiday

Planet

Perched on the rim of a dramatic gorge, Alila Jabal Akhdar has a spectacular location 2,000 metres above sea level. Committed to a sustainable future, this landmark Nizwa hotel is constructed according to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) principles, and is designed in harmony with the environment, preserving the extraordinary natural beauty of the region. The interior décor reflects local ethnic influences and Omani design.

Al Bustan Palace can also organise activities to include visits to mangrove nurseries, where guests are encouraged to plant mangroves to leave their own personal mark on Oman’s landscape. Mangroves are an essential component of the region’s marine ecosystem, forming a natural habitat for the sustainable development of fauna and playing a vital role in preventing soil erosion in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

Ethical practice is not just limited to the destinations we operate in. As a company, Responsible practice is exercised in our office with various measures put in place aimed at reducing, re-using and recycling resources where possible. We carry out dedicated responsible travel training sessions with all employees upon joining the company. We minimise our electricity consumption by switching off lights, computers, fans etc in rooms that are not in use and at night. We also monitor thermostats and keep doors and windows closed when heating is on. We recycle all office paper, encourage double-side photocopying and, where appropriate, circulate documents by email. We also exercise effective control of brochure production, distribution and disposal. We encourage car sharing amongst employees and are part of a cycle scheme. .

People

Under the umbrella of the Community Footprints program, the Al Bustan Palace partners with local organizations to make a meaningful difference in the well-being of disadvantaged children, hunger and poverty relief and environmental conservations.

For example, the hotel has previously partnered with Rashid bin Al Nazar School Sidab, to provide a learning and mentoring program for their students. The ‘Succeed Through Service’ programme, engages hotel employees in a series of workshops in Arabic, focusing on teaching young students business, hospitality and important life skills, and the company is committed to further increasing its efforts in the region

As a company, we too are committed to supporting a wide number of responsible and ethical initiatives, including environmental projects, community tourism projects and education programmes. We encourage our clients to visit many of these initiatives such as wildlife sanctuaries, local schools, orphanages and co-operatives.

Through client-specific notes in our tailor-made itineraries, we continue to actively recommend restaurants, shops and other local businesses so that the community is directly benefited. Most of these have been discovered by our country specialists and include craft shops that ensure tourist money is fed back to the individuals who produce the crafts, and restaurants which train local street children.

We promote environmentally friendly tours and accommodation in a number of destinations. We prefer, where possible, to use smaller, locally owned ground agents. Not only does this ensure that it is the host community who are managing and benefiting from the local tourist industry, but we also believe that our clients will have a better trip as local agents have a much more intimate knowledge of the region.

For the same reasons as above, we always use local guides and drivers. This not only provides crucial employment and income for the local community, but also increases the authenticity of the client’s trip.

We favour ground agents who have an awareness of responsible tourism policies and strong environmental commitment. Responsible practice is one of the principle criteria during the selection of new suppliers, and ethical initiatives form a fundamental element in our ground arrangements.
Where available we recommend our clients stay in ethically responsible accommodation, such as eco-lodges that aim to preserve the beauty of natural surroundings.