The Paradox of Claiming Green Credentials While Imposing on Mother Nature
Photo Credit: Blue-footed boobies on the Galapagos Islands. Visual Hunt / eugene
Skift Take
When hospitality companies claim to be all about sustainability, perhaps they need to think twice before setting up shop in fragile environments.
Luxury Travel News
The Skift New Luxury column is our weekly column focused on the business of selling luxury travel, the people and companies creating and selling experiences, emerging trends, and the changing consumer habits around the sector.
Last week I received a press release announcing in a large font that “Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Goes Wild Over First Resort in the Galápagos Islands.” This distresses me. When I traveled to the Galápagos in the 1990s, there were only a handful of small shabby hotels available, limited to the island where the airport was located. The only ships allowed to sail among the islands back then could not carry more than 18 passengers. Therefore, the only beings allowed to overnight on most of the islands were iguanas, seals, boobies of varying foot colors, and other native inhabitants. In other words, no tourists allowed after dark.
In the 20 years since I visited, scores of lodging properties have popped up on nearly every visited island of the group. Googl
