Winner of 'Green Steps' Award at 2018 Responsible Thailand Awards

Pioneers in sustainability, AKARYN Hotel Group, the eco-luxury boutique hotel collection in Thailand, are the winners of the prestigious ‘Green Steps’ award at the 2018 Responsible Thailand Awards.

Akyra TAS Winner of 2018 Responsible Thailand Awards

With six diverse properties situated across Thailand, including the 2018 opening of Asia’s first single use-plastic free hotel, akyra TAS Sukhumvit Bangkok, AHG are leading the way in eco-friendly travel with their pledge to become a completely single-use plastic free hotel brand by 2020. Founding MD, Anchalika Kijkanakorn comments: ‘it’s an honour to be recognised for our contribution to eco- friendly travel. It is our goal to become fully sustainable throughout AHG as soon as possible.’

akyra TAS Sukhumvit Bangkok can be found well located on Sukhumvit Soi 20, an area known for its buzzing atmosphere, green recreation spaces and fine dining. Green efforts include sourcing glass bottles and removing all single-use plastic from the bars. As well as this, stylish stainless steel akyra water bottles are handed to guests on arrival, which can be refilled anytime during their stay at the self-service water stations conveniently located on every floor. Additionally, toiletry products are presented in locally manufactured celadon containers filled with essential oils-based products and bio-degradable bin bags are used in rooms. For those wanting to indulge in some Bangkok retail therapy, special shopping totes can be borrowed from the wardrobes to encourage guests to refuse plastic bags when shopping, promoting change even whilst outside of the hotel.

The Responsible Thailand Awards are run by Wanderlust on behalf of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and celebrate ‘organisations in the travel and tourism industry who have made an outstanding contribution to growing Thailand as a sustainable destination.’

Aiming to inspire and educate a generation of eco-conscious travellers, other initiatives include the ‘Train & Sustain’ bootcamp held at akyra Beach Club Phuket, the contemporary waterfront resort overlooking the Andaman Sea. The three-day health and sustainability boot camp combines group activities to support the local environment such as cleaning local beaches of rubbish and educating children on the consequences of using plastic, with yoga, fitness classes and spa treatments – reinforcing the hotel group’s key commitments to responsible tourism and wellbeing.

A Responsible Thailand Award judge comments: “A sterling example of what a hotel group can do to help conserve Thailand, with its ambitious initiative to remove single use plastics setting a great example to other hotels, while raising awareness among visitors.”