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We want to get to the furthest reaches of the planet

Meliá Hotels International, a winner in Corporate Responsibility at the Worldwide Hospitality Awards

Development; Sustainability

 

​​Meliá Hotels International received the "Best Sustainable Development and Corporate Responsibility Project" award at the prestigious Worldwide Hospitality Awards yesterday for the "Improving Life in Kairo, Kiwenga" project promoted by the Meliá Zanzibar Hotel (Tanzania), in which the hotel team is fully focused on improving the living conditions of the neighbouring community of Kairo.

The island economy of Zanzibar has traditionally been dependent on agriculture, but economic reforms and investment incentives have boosted tourism and trade as key drivers of economic and social development. Despite these improvements, there are still many villages today that live in poverty and do not have access to basic essentials such as drinkable water or electricity. Thanks to their awareness of this situation, the team at the Meliá Zanzibar Hotel has been working on a project to improve the living conditions of the neighbouring community of Kairo.

The essence of the project is to foster direct dialogue with people related to the hotel, directly involving hotel owners, staff, management, suppliers and the local community itself to make a positive impact on making Kairo a better place to live, sharing know-how, experience, resources and the Meliá Hotels International commitment to social responsibility in the destinations in which it operates.

The project led by the hotel team and ASB Tanzania Ltd, owner of the hotel, has already covered the basic needs of villagers through the supply of consumable products, the construction of a well to provide drinking water, and the renovation of 35 homes with new roofing, toilets and bathrooms. In addition, the local mosque, a meeting point for the community, has been rebuilt. Direct investment has reached over €145,000.

The hotel team has also promoted the use of locally-grown vegetables in hotel dining outlets, using its own greenhouse to help the village population learn more about basic agriculture to improve self-sufficiency. The hotel staff is mainly made up of local people, who also promote the village economy through the purchase of locally-made amenities and accessories, such as the bracelets for all-inclusive packages, among other things. Local development and values are also supported through education and sport programmes, with the hotel team very active in organizing activities at the local school and supporting the village football team by providing the materials it needs. This commitment also extends to hotel guests, who have an opportunity to visit the village to learn more about village life and contribute to the sustainability of the project and the dynamisation of the village economy.

The project is part of Meliá Hotels International's Global Corporate Social Responsibility Model and reflects its commitment to the development of local communities in which it operates, contributing to creating wealth and value to share with society. The project also integrates several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the eradication of poverty, improvements in infrastructure, sustainability of local communities and improved access to quality drinking water.

Meliá thus continues to make progress in its aim to become a benchmark company in sustainable and responsible tourism.