In a world that has been plundered by aggressive tourism, how do resorts incorporate sustainability in their ventures? Ms. Payal Sahni, the editor of Travel Links, India’s top travel magazine, discusses the challenges facing sustainability in the travel industry with Ms. Deepika Arora, Founder, ROSAKUE Hospitality.
Deepika Arora is the Founder of ROSAKUE Hospitality (Boutique Home Retreats offering curated lifestyle experiences). As a hospitality expert, advisor, she also dons the hat of representing DUSIT International in the Indian Subcontinent. Deepika is also an Angel Investor, a TEDex Motivational Speaker and a fitness enthusiast.
Also read: What is Sustainable Travel & how to Travel Better in India?
Q. How have you been able to incorporate sustainability in your venture to establish luxury stays?
Ms. Arora: We would prefer to call our properties “boutique home retreats offering curated lifestyle experiences”, as each home is unique in character and very distinctive.
Sustainability is inherent in the Rosakue philosophy. Our focus is to create and nurture shared values within locations and communities through local employment generation, upskilling and sustainability initiatives. Hence our sentiment is of having proficient natives serving evolved influencers.
one of the biggest challenges facing SUSTAINABLE resorts is a failure to acknowledge that every destination is different, with its own specific circumstances and priorities
Q. What are the challenges facing sustainable resorts today? How have you been engaging with these challenges?
Ms. Arora: Some of the key challenges facing sustainable resorts are a failure to acknowledge that every destination is different, with its own specific circumstances and priorities. Similarly, there is a failure to understand that sustainability is a collective journey that requires collaboration. This results in insufficient awareness and involvement.
We at Rosakue work towards overcoming these challenges through our continuous engagement & training of our team members and supply chain partners to instill awareness of the local environment and reinforce sustainable practices for waste management, use & disposal of plastic and conservation of resources. Besides, the same messaging is also shared with our guests at various points during their stay with us.
Q. You have incorporated many aspects of local culture in your resort experience, be it architecture, Food or hospitality. Likewise, how have you been able to generate employment opportunities for local communities, especially women.
Ms. Arora: As shared earlier, we believe in proficient natives serving evolved influencers. This entails engaging the local communities and providing them with opportunities. We generate employment opportunities for the local communities, particularly women, in all our destinations in areas such as housekeeping and gardening.
