Jordan’s Feynan Ecolodge celebrated for pioneering sustainability in region

AMMAN — The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) on Sunday celebrated Feynan Ecolodge receiving the “Golden Award” at the World Travel Market (WTM) Travel and Tourism Awards 2019 in the category of reducing carbon and other greenhouse gases.

 During a recent ceremony held in London, the judges also selected Feynan Ecolodge as the overall winner of the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards out of 15 establishments, according to an RSCN statement.

This award is considered one of the “most acclaimed accolades” in the responsible tourism industry, and aims to transform the tourism and travel sector into a “sector built on the principles of sustainable tourism”, the statement said.

The ceremony was attended by RSCN Chairman Khalid Irani, RSCN General Manager Yahya Khalid, the general manager of Eco Hotel Company, which manages the ecolodge, Nabil Tarzi and representatives of concerned public and private sectors. 

Feynan Ecolodge was the first to receive the award in the region, following efforts that served to reduce CO2 emissions by 11.13 tonnes annually. 

Tourism Minister Majd Shweikeh said that tourism around the world is changing and that people are seeking out sustainable establishments, highlighting Jordan’s many “successful models”, including nature reserves and Feynan Ecolodge, according to the statement.

She added that sustainable tourism requires partnership between governmental and civil institutions, highlighting Jordan’s pride of Feynan’s awards.

Irani noted the RSCN’s many accomplishments, which include adding Ajloun Forest Reserve and Azraq Wetland Reserve to the “Green List” of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

This award highlights Jordan’s presence in international forums as a model for adopting the best international practices to ensure environmental sustainability and reinforces the Kingdom’s presence on the word map in all arenas, most importantly, tourism and environmental sustainability, the statement said. 

Feynan Ecolodge, which is located in the Dana Nature Reserve, was constructed in 2005 by the RSCN and is the “first of its kind” in Jordan, according to the ecolodge’s website.