Pictured: Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point – front entrance.
Sustainability is increasingly becoming part of how tourism businesses operate, from the way resources are managed to how staff and guests are encouraged to make more responsible choices.
Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point has been awarded Green Key certification, recognising its commitment to responsible tourism and its ongoing efforts to embed sustainability across its operations. The internationally recognised certification is awarded through the Green Key programme in South Africa, operated nationally by WESSA, following the hotel’s successful completion of the programme’s certification requirements.
At an official handover ceremony, the hotel’s General Manager, Jeremy Govender, received the Green Key plaque from WESSA Senior Sustainability Manager, Tevya Visser.
“The team at Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point can be proud of this achievement, which reflects a sustained commitment to making responsible tourism part of the way the hotel operates,” says Visser. “Green Key provides a practical framework for turning sustainability commitments into action, and it is encouraging to see the team embracing that responsibility across different areas of the business.”
Pictured above (left to right): Jade Elders – Human Resource Administrator, Tevya Visser – WESSA Senior Sustainability Manager; Jeremy Govender – General Manager; Siyamthanda Frans – Sales and Marketing Manager, Annalien Olifant – Groups and Conferencing Agent, Thembakazi Mangaliso – Front Office Supervisor, Oswald Gabriels – Maintenance Manager
Sustainability in everyday operations
The hotel has developed an extensive sustainability action plan to guide its environmental practices and support responsible resource use across different areas of its operations.
Energy efficiency is supported through LED lighting, with 95% of the hotel’s lights using LED technology. Water conservation measures have also been introduced in bathrooms, including aerators on shower nozzles and taps to reduce consumption without compromising the guest experience.
The hotel has implemented a waste separation and management system supported by dedicated signage and colour-coded bins, while also working to reduce unnecessary waste by avoiding single-use plastic items and cutlery.
A responsible paper-use policy encourages staff to print only when necessary, using double-sided printing and eco-friendly paper where printing is required.
Importantly, sustainability is also supported through staff engagement and training, helping employees understand the hotel’s environmental practices and apply them in their everyday responsibilities.
For Govender, the certification process is as important as the recognition itself.
“We are incredibly proud of achieving Green Key, but for us the real value is in what the process has helped us put into practice,” says Govender. “Sustainability is not something that sits separately from our hotel operations. It is reflected in the practical choices we make every day, from how we manage resources and waste to how we engage our team and encourage more responsible choices among our guests.”
Extending responsible tourism beyond the hotel
The hotel’s sustainability efforts also extend beyond its own operations through a collaboration with World of Azraah, supporting more sustainable tourism through eco-conscious transport and tour recommendations.
The partnership helps introduce guests to more responsible ways of travelling and experiencing the destination.
“This certification represents a significant milestone for our team,” adds Govender. “We hope that our journey encourages other tourism establishments to look at the practical steps they can take to make sustainability part of their own operations.”
For WESSA, Green Key is about helping businesses move from commitments to practical action.
“Sustainability is not a once-off project or something that belongs to one department. It is a way of operating, and it requires people throughout an organisation to participate,” says WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete. “As WESSA celebrates 100 years of caring for the Earth, it is particularly meaningful to see that legacy continuing through partnerships with businesses that are taking tangible steps towards a more sustainable future.”
Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point is now among more than 9 000 Green Key certified establishments across more than 90 countries, reflecting the growing momentum around responsible tourism in the Western Cape.
“Green Key enables us to work with the tourism sector to move beyond good intentions and translate sustainability into practical action within everyday operations,” concludes Cloete.
For WESSA, this is ultimately what responsible tourism is about: creating practical pathways for businesses to improve how they operate, while contributing to a culture of environmental responsibility that benefits both people and the planet.
Pictured: Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point – pool deck