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March 09, 2008
Stanley Selengut's Award for Sustainable Hotel Devolepment
I love seeing a green hospitality pioneer receiving more than press recognition by getting an actual award! Stanley Selengut, the father of sustainable resort development, was awarded the ISHC (International Society of Hospitality Consultants) Pioneer Award at the 2008 ALIS (American Lodging Investment Summit) Conference in Los Angeles in January for his contribution to the greening of the hospitality industry.
The greening of the hospitality industry got another boost in January when Stanley Selengut was awarded the ISHC Pioneer Award for his contributions to the hotel industry. He has long been an environmental activist, developing several environmentally friendly hotels in the Virgin Islands. He also teaches others about his environmental convictions and actions, guiding others to the necessity of recycling and reducing waste.
Selengut talks of the importance of "sense of place" in making a specific region special. The elements of "sense of place" include the natives and their traditions, flora and fauna, and local foods. His start in creating a sense of place began with the development of an import company that put thousands of Andean Indians to work making native crafts of wool, leather and fur accessories for his import stores.
Life being what it is, full of interesting twists and turns, Selengut started a design consulting firm in 1970 that ultimately landed him on a project to develop an economically and ecologically viable resort in the Virgin Islands National Park -- Maho Bay Camps, in 1977. He has since developed other eco-resorts: Harmony Studios, Concordia EcoTents, and Concordia Studios.
He doesn't just practice environmental stewardship at his eco-resorts, he also makes environmental education a top priority. Starting with workshops for Virgin Island school kids and expanding his speaking to other schools and conferences around the world, he spreads the word for others to learn and be motivated by. He truly wants the world to be a greener place, and he knows he can't do it alone.
The message for hoteliers to hear though is Selengut isn't just making efforts to help preserve the environment, he's also a businessman who owns and operates successful green hotels. Maho Bay Camps, his first green hotel venture, has been financially successful from the day it opened, according to Selengut in his interview for St. John Source. If Stanley Selengut can have a successful green hotel in the Virgin Islands, you can have a successful green hotel where you are too.
Posted by Kit
