Karisma Hotels & Resorts awarded 2014 Green Globe Certification

GOURMET INCLUSIVE® RESORTS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN INITIATIVES 
MIAMI (June 30, 2014) Karisma Hotels & Resorts, a collection of Gourmet Inclusive® Green Globe Certifications. today announced that the company has been awarded a Green Globe Certification. Previously, seven Karisma Hotels & Resorts - Azul Fives Resort; Azul Beach Hotel; Azul Sensatori Hotel; El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort; El Dorado Casitas Royale; El Dorado Maroma, A Beachfront Resort; and El Dorado Seaside Resorts-received Green Globe Certifications. This year marks the first time that Karisma Hotels & Resorts" entire Gourmet Inclusive collection of eligible properties in the Riviera Maya has been awarded the accolade. A trendsetter and leader in environmental sustainability, Karisma Hotels & Resorts is the only hotel company in Latin America to achieve such a feat.

The Green Globe recognition is a testament to the company’s long-term dedication to integrating sustainable practices into daily resort operations among collaborators, guests, employees, shareholders and suppliers. These initiatives contribute to lowering the properties’ environmental impact while continuing to offer the best quality of service for all guests. The certification acknowledges that Karisma Hotels & Resorts passed a rigorous process, including an annual on-site assessment by an independent auditor to ensure that the properties’ sustainability efforts have been thoroughly inspected.

"we are proud to be recognized by Green Globe for our dedication to sustainability and green initiatives throughout our collection of Gourmet Inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya," said Mandy Chomat, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Premier Worldwide Marketing, the exclusive worldwide representatives for El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels and Azul Hotels by Karisma. "We are continuously researching and implementing sustainable programs to help reduce our eco-footprint, while maintaining the same high-level of hospitality and offering memorable vacation experiences to all Karisma Hotels & Resorts guests."

Green Globe is the only international program to recognize travel and hospitality organizations with exceptional sustainability practices and efforts. The Green Globe Certification Standard provides hotel and resort organizations with a framework to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their environmental sustainability performance, through which they can monitor improvements and achieve certification. The Certification can only be awarded to Green Globe Members with a compliance of at least 51 percent on all applicable Green Globe Standard indicators. In order to maintain the certification, Green Globe Certified Members must reach an overall continuous improvement of three percent per year in accordance with previous audit results..

Karisma Hotels & Resorts is continuously reinforcing its commitment to conserve environmental, social, and cultural resources in the Riviera Maya. Some notable achievements by the properties include average reductions of 7.2 percent in water consumption and 5.2 percent in the consumption of laundry detergents and biodegradable cleaning chemicals and use of solar panels to heat 40-80 percent of the water at each resort. Additionally, the resorts help combat pollution by working with local waste management companies and often use products that are durable and easily recyclable.

A pioneer of eco-conscious tourism in the Riviera Maya, Karisma Hotels & Resorts has strong ties with the community; therefore, in conjunction with the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative, the company launched Pasión por el Medio Ambiente (“Passion for the Environment”), a program to encourage guest and staff participation in environmentally sustainable practices. Through the program, the properties have achieved several milestones, including implementation of solar panels, energy efficient air conditioners, linen quality controls, light sensors and the use of green cleaning supplies. In-room environmental tent cards illustrate eco-efficient practices, which educate guests on the value of water, utility conservation and recycling. By utilizing sustainable guidelines, environmental consideration is incorporated into the daily life of employees, who are encouraged to bring in recycled goods from home once a week that are then processed on property.

El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort is home to the first and largest resort greenhouse in the region. At 150,000 square feet, the facility provides fresh, hydroponic vegetables and herbs to each of its sister Gourmet Inclusive properties, as well as several high-profile neighboring resorts and hotel staff. Since the first harvest in 2009, it is the only greenhouse in Riviera Maya to be certified by the Rainforest Alliance and Sustainable Agriculture Network.

ABOUT KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS 
El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, Azul Hotels & Villas by Karisma, Generations Resorts, and Allure Hotels by Karisma are a premier hotel collection of Negril, Jamaica, Colombia, and Mexico’s Riviera Maya resorts. Karisma’s growing portfolio of Gourmet Inclusive® resorts is comprised of El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort by Karisma; El Dorado Casitas Royale by Karisma; El Dorado Seaside Suites by Karisma; El Dorado Maroma, A Beachfront Resort, by Karisma; Generations Maroma by Karisma; Generations Riviera Maya by Karisma; Allure Chocolat by Karisma; Allure Bonbon by Karisma; Azul Beach Hotel by Karisma; Azul Sensatori Hotel by Karisma; Azul Fives Hotel by Karisma; Azul Villa Carola by Karisma; and Azul Villa Esmeralda by Karisma. Premier Worldwide Marketing is the exclusive worldwide sales and marketing representative for Karisma Hotels & Resorts.

For more information, visit: http://www.karismahotels.com.

ABOUT GREEN GLOBE 
Green Globe Certification provides certification, training & education, and marketing services in 83 countries worldwide. Based in Los Angeles, California and with partners in Mexico, South America, South Africa, Middle East, the Caribbean and Europe, Green Globe Certification provides certification for the sustainable operations and management of travel and tourism companies and their related supplier businesses.Green Globe Certification also maintains a global network of independent auditors who provide third party inspection and validation.The Green Globe Certification Standard is based on internationally accepted criteria developed during the 15 years of the Green Globe program. Green Globe Certification is active in harmonizing with other established sustainability certification programs around the world.The process of harmonization contributes to maintaining core criteria and at the same time addressing regional issues through the adoption of locally developed standards.

Media Contacts:Alexandra McClure, Brittany Pass, Nicole Engelhardt, Vanessa Karlsson, Dina Rosenberg and Molly Leibowitz at Glodow Nead Communications, 415.394.6500, [email protected].