Posted in News on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 by The Beachcomber Tours correspondent
In keeping with its commitment to the environment, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels has launched Bee Sustainable. This initiative aims at supporting sustainable beekeeping by installing hives in specific areas of hotel compounds. The programme was first introduced at Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury, and later extended to other hotels within the Group.
“This initiative is part of the Group’s Sustainable Engagement Policy and Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels’ 52 commitments to our planet,” says the Group’s Head of Quality Assurance, Jason Hardy. “It has the dual aim of contributing – through providing a habitat – to the conservation of bees, which play an essential role in the functioning of ecosystems as well as serving our guests with quality honey from our gardens. Beachcomber hotels have beautiful gardens harbouring a very diverse flora and largely composed of endemic species. The hives have also been installed in specific areas.”
The Bee Sustainable project is implemented with the support of two beekeeping enthusiasts, Etienne de Senneville (Bee Works) and Christian Ritter (Laribees). They assist the Beachcomber Group in setting up the hives and harvesting the honey.
The programme launched just a few months ago at Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury is a real success. There are currently five hives in the hotel’s gardens, each producing an annual average of 12kg of honey, which is served at the breakfast buffet. “The nectar’s raw multifloral characteristics are highly appreciated by our guests,” says the Commercial Executive, Béatrice Descroizilles. The next step will be to pot and market the honey at the hotel’s boutique.
The programme will be rolled out in all hotels of the Group. Conclusive trials have been conducted at Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa and Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa. The ultimate goal is to have a dozen beehives on Le Morne Peninsula. They will also be installed by late October at Mauricia Beachcomber Resort & Spa, Canonnier Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, Victoria Beachcomber Resort & Spa and Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa.
The Bee Sustainable initiative also has a significant information and awareness component to highlight the importance of bees and the observed global population decline.
