The 295-room beachfront resort in Port Douglas – plus additional villas – set in 147ha of tropical greenery and with considerable business events facilities, has reduced waste, water usage and energy consumption over the last year. The property was acknowledged for its environmental efforts last Friday, announced as the runner-up in the sustainable tourism category for the TNQ tourism awards.
Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas, has made changes to its lighting, ovens, showers and taps to reduce energy and waste. It has also started harvesting salt water for use in its 2ha of swimming pools instead of using drinking water and made changes to considerably reduce evaporation of pool water. The resort has optimised its heat, cooling and ventilation system to save energy and installed electric vehicle chargers for guests.
In the kitchen, organic waste is composted and an onsite mulching system produces more than 15 cubic tones per year. In addition, 18,720L of cooking oil is recycled each year through a partner organisation. Responsible sourcing commitments and local produce procurement is also in place. The resort spends $75,000 per year in the local farming community to source fresh produce.
“I am truly proud that our sustainability initiatives have been recognised amongst the best in the region,” said the property’s general manager Steve Molnar.
“The resort strives to demonstrate exceptional leadership in sustainable tourism and best practices through our comprehensive, proactive approach to environmental conservation, community engagement, and continued investment to ensure improvements and innovation are continuous.
“Our sustainability programs and partnerships with local organisations and community groups are proving key drivers to attract both the leisure market and business events.
“Customers want to know that they can rely on us to help them travel as sustainably as possible. They’re conscious of their water and energy usage as well as waste, including food waste and they want assurance that they are leaving a positive impact on the surrounding environment,” he said.
Molnar also paid tribute to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort’s team who helped make the sustainability changes a reality.
“We employ 370 associates, making us the largest employer in Port Douglas,” he said.
“Our highly dedicated resort team have been instrumental in embracing impactful initiatives designed to drive positive change and support global targets, guided by our Marriott360 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“This award recognises the hard work and dedication of the entire Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas team.”
The resort has several large even spaces, capable of hosting groups of up to 1,000 delegates.
