Innovation that’s reshaping sustainable travel: What these companies are doing could change everything
Solar Fuel
Trust the Germans to lead the way with innovation that’s likely to propel passenger flight into a more sustainable future.
Lufthansa Group is heavily invested in alternative fuels, and while there’s lots of talk about the future use of hydrogen, it has had an early win with the use of solar fuel.
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Solar fuel is made from biowaste converted to a renewable jet fuel through a propriety process utilising concentrated solar radiation.
Given further plant and facility development, the newfound fuel is expected to make a full commercial market entry in 2027. To this end, Synhelion recently announced a $US1 billion ($1.52b) investment in a new Moroccan solar fuel farm.
Free Medical Support
Ponant’s Le Paul Gauguin — a 330-passenger vessel known for its boastful itineraries throughout Polynesia — has partnered with the Government of French Polynesia to offer healthcare assistance to remote communities.
The Taote Gauguin (taote is Tahitian for doctor) program works twofold.
It offers local communities on-board access to consultations and various medical services such as X-rays, ultrasounds and check-ups through the ship’s hospital.
And there is free travel for healthcare professionals to visit those in need of specialist consultations.
Flower Upcycling
Yes, flower upcyling is a thing.
Leading Indian hotel group Leela Palaces — in partnership with Phool, a biometrics NGO — has begun transforming discarded and often elaborate floral arrangements into eco-friendly, charcoal-free incense sticks and cones.
The program is set to repurpose more than 10 tonnes of flower waste annually and it extends beyond direct environmental impact by training and supporting women from marginalised Indian communities through employment.
A Bag Of Good
Sometimes the simplest concepts prove the most powerful. So it is with The Giving Bag — an initiative created and delivered by former hospitality workers Quinn Cox and Lilia Karimi which enables hotel guests across the world to leave unwanted items such as books, shoes and clothing in bags and receptacles provided in-room.
The collected items are then donated to local charities and aid organisations tailored to each location.
Across 15 countries, 26 hotels including the Hotel Du Cap Eden-Roc on the French Riviera and Le Bristol Paris provide the bags to their guests.
Plant-Based Rooms
Vegan hotels are an increasingly popular offering. They once were confined to small boutique properties, such as Saorsa 1875 in the Scottish Highlands or the Koukoumi Vegan Boutique Hotel on Mykonos.
But now the expansive and luxurious Mandarin Oriental Group has entered the arena with a series of vegan rooms at its Abu Dhabi property, Emirates Palace.
The six new rooms offer an animal-free experience via furnishings. Think wooden flooring, feather-free doonas, faux-leather furniture, cruelty-free amenities and plant-based dining options.
