Fun Over Fifty launch fantastic, innovative Green Guest Policy
Ecotourism Australia certified operator, Fun Over Fifty Pty Ltd, this month officially launched its innovative carbon reduction program with their first Green Guest Policy traveller aboard. The Green Guest Policy (coined GGP) was created to manage sustainable tourism with a highly innovative and different approach, by presenting to the customer an option where “it costs less to contribute.”
When Laurie Bent from NSW booked the Fun Over Fifty `Grand Queensland Coast, Great Barrier Reef & Pristine Islands’ tour, in March 2015, he was offered and selected an ecoClean option for no room servicing for his three night stay at Advanced Ecotourism certified Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island. Unbeknownst to Laurie, he set into motion the Fun Over Fifty Green Guest Policy which lay in wait since it’s conception in February 2015. In the process Laurie immediately saved valuable dollars off the total tour price, and gained the satisfaction of knowing he had deliberately chosen to reduce his use of limited resources which, for him were unnecessary.
With the slogan, “It costs less to contribute”, the Fun Over Fifty Green Guest Policy (GGP) was developed to reduce the company’s overall environmental impact by encouraging guests to adopt the policy with a powerful incentive - PRICE. When it came to developing this carbon reduction scheme, CEO Toni Brennan said the policy, “needed to be different, and to cost less than the standard tour price.”
The offer of rooms not being serviced in hotel green programs is not new, but many hoteliers do not reduce the price of the room, preferring to rely on green-minded travellers to do the right thing, such as hanging up towels or leaving a green card on the bed or door.
The GGP difference is that guests choose the option upfront at the tour booking stage and receive an overall tour price reduction at the beginning, adding a tangible incentive to participate. The benefits for the hospitality industry is that it helps for them to be able to plan and allocate servicing levels prior to guest arrival.
“We are conscience not to affect employment with this policy”, says Toni. “As Tour Operators we believe that we can be important contributors to Sustainable Tourism Development. We are proud to commit to managing and monitoring the environmental, cultural and social impacts of our activities.” Fun Over Fifty tours visit every Australian State and Territory, the impact per region is slight but overall it is significant, and such an initiative as the GGP is one way this operator is making a difference.
To find out more about Fun Over Fifty, visit their website.
Photo Caption: Kingfisher Bay Resort Assistant Manager, Corey Law was there to greet Mr. Bent on arrival along with Fun Over Fifty Tour Hostess, Anita Taylor to celebrate the launch of the Fun Over Fifty Green Guest Policy.