The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and Preferred Hotels & Resorts celebrated 15 years of partnership with the announcement of the expansion and inclusion of The Leela Kovalam, A Raviz Hotel, The Leela Ashtamudi, A Raviz Hotel and The Leela Gandhinagar to the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
This alliance supports The Leela’s ambitious development plans and enables the luxury hotel brand to tap into the results-driven benefits of Preferred’s global infrastructure and distribution platform. For the Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the move solidifies its presence in India.
Additionally, two Leela marquee palaces – The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Palace Bengaluru – joined Beyond Green, Preferred Hotel’s global portfolio of the most sustainable hotels around the world. Beyond Green represents sustainability leadership based upon action and impact.
The partnership endorses the existing WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics whilst paving the way for a stepped progression toward GSTC Certification for sustainable hotels. The WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics are already accessible to the industry, and the next phase in collaboration with GSTC is scheduled to launch in 2024.
As members of Beyond Green, both The Leela Palace Bengaluru and The Leela Palace Udaipur would work to deliver on the three pillars of sustainable tourism – environmentally sound, socially responsible practices that go beyond the basics; protection of cultural heritage, and the communities that upholds these – while also adhering to more than 50 sustainability indicators that align with global sustainable tourism criteria and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.“The Leela has always demonstrated its commitment towards environmental conservation and sustainability. With two of our hotels joining Beyond Green, we are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and reiterate our commitment towards a greener, cleaner, and a more sustainable future,” said Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, while commenting on the partnership.
“We see this as a convergence of two like-minded brands that are redefining the future of travel, as more and more travellers today seek fulfilling experiences in harmony with nature and their sociocultural surroundings and gravitate towards brands that demonstrate impact through action,” he said.
Under this partnership, Trip Affiliates (TA) Network will work closely with MBS on distribution-focused channels through its ecosystem and participating agencies and B2B travel operators which will support MBS and provide enhanced connectivity to the unique distribution network of agents, wholesalers and corporates within the TA Network ecosystem, the company shared.
The Leela has been consciously working on sustainability by promoting environmental sensitivity, responsible consumption and resource efficiency. It has been making significant investments to integrate sustainable practices and creating positive value for each of its stakeholders, thereby contributing to building a circular economy and nurturing communities in locations where it operates.
The Leela Palace Bengaluru is now powered majorly by renewable energy with 90% of the Palace running on wind energy. The Leela Palace Udaipur recently received the SEEMS Platinum, National Energy Management Award and is the only hotel to ply EV boats on Lake Pichola.
“We are thrilled to celebrate 15 years of partnership with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, and we are proud to share a joint vision of providing unparalleled hospitality to the world’s most discerning travellers. Looking ahead, we are thrilled to welcome The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Palace Bengaluru to Beyond Green and are proud to be their partner in their sustainability leadership.” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Preferred Travel Group.
Beyond Green, she shared, was created to provide a more purposeful way to explore the world where good guests meet good hosts, presenting genuine hospitality by the people for the planet. Each of the singular properties represented within the brand’s global portfolio are designed to inspire travellers with authentic and innovative design, unsurpassed guest service and an array of experiences that focus on personal renewal, wellness, learning, and adventure in some of the most unique destinations in the world.
“Our partnership with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has grown from strength to strength over the past 15 years, with a threefold increase to 12 iconic properties across the country,” said Saurabh Rai, EVP, Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
“As we continue to welcome new exciting destinations into our partnership portfolio, we are committed to delivering strong international business performance and support to our partners across key segments,” he concluded.
