Fairmont Hotels: Honeybees and responsible tourism

“As the first luxury hotel brand to develop comprehensive onsite bee programming, Fairmont is an industry leader in the support of sustainable practices; the evolution of our continued commitment over the past 10 years with the creation of our Bee Sustainable initiative is no exception,” said Sharon Cohen, Vice President, Fairmont Brand. “Fairmont hotels around the world take great pride in the contribution to their local communities and through the development of our on-property bee hives and sustainable bee habitats, we are able to further promote the significance of pollinator health globally.”

To share with guests A Day in the Life of a Fairmont Bee, the brand has championed an exciting digital pilot, the first of its kind in the hospitality industry, by installing cameras and hive-tracking devices at five of its properties around the world. Featured hotels in the pilot included Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront, Fairmont Washington D.C., Fairmont Yangcheng Lake in China, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and Fairmont San Francisco. State-of-the-art technology tracked the number of visiting bees and distance they travelled per day while honey data collected included analysis of the flower, tree and plant nectars used, the classification of color and grade according to the Pfund scale and the rate of humidity.

“The commitment that Fairmont has made to its Bee Sustainable programming brings invaluable conservation in two distinct ways: the bee hives and bee hotels provide exceptional homes for a variety of pollinating bee species; and the distinctive displays and programs at each unique Fairmont property provide inspiration and connection to pollinator issues for visitors and employees alike,” said Laurie Davies Adams, President and CEO, Pollinator Partnership. “It is a powerful package, engaging a whole new audience in the pollinator issue through on-site involvement with nature.”

As June marks Pollinator Month, Fairmont properties around the world are celebrating through customized onsite activity including interactive guest experiences, signature menus and customized stay offers. Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver is launching its very own vlog series, “The Buzz” in an effort to share the importance of bees and create positive community connections through short and meaningful stories.  Fairmont Yangcheng Lake in Kunshan, Chinahas created a Be a Beekeeper Package available from June to December 2019 featuring set honey inspired menus for two, an exclusive bee welcome amenity and mini beekeeper courses.  Fairmont Orchid on Hawaii’s Big Island has launched a Botanical Garden and Bee Tour to celebrate the significance bees have to the Hawaiian culture, culinary offerings and sustainability efforts. This hour-long tour will take place on June 25 and culminate in a honey and wine tasting. The experience will feature an in-depth exploration of several tropical plant species, the hotel’s four flow hives filled with 80,000 honeybees and nature trails passing through waterfalls and ocean vistas.

For close to 30 years, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has been committed to proactively protecting local environments through its award-winning Fairmont Sustainability Partnership, now part of Accor’s Planet21 program.  Over the last decade, Fairmont has committed itself to improving the overall health and conservation of bee species globally, and has built more than 40 apiaries and wild bee hotels at properties around the world, including most recently, Fairmont’s first foray into France with its newly opened bee hotel at Accor’s global headquarters in Paris.