Six Senses Ninh Van Bay has been awarded the Climate & Biodiversity Action Award in the HICAP 2024 Sustainable Hotel Awards. Judges praised the resort’s work on biodiversity surveys which have identified 300 species of flora and fauna plus continued action to safeguard the valuable ecosystem in and around the property.
Since 2007, the annual HICAP Sustainable Hotel Awards have been recognizing hotels in the Asia Pacific region creating innovative new methods, strategies, and technologies to face today’s sustainable development challenge, while providing tangible examples of sustainable best practices that can be replicated and adapted across the region. A total of four hotels are recognized each year.
Among the many survey activities, seven animal and 10 plant species identified by Six Senses Ninh Van Bay are listed as rare and precious in the Vietnam Red Book 2007 and the IUCN Red List. Notably, a previously undescribed flower was discovered at the resort, now named “Curcuma sixsensesensis” (Six Senses Turmeric) and nine cycads trees, each 100 to 200 years old, are now designated as Vietnamese Heritage Trees.
Through continued monitoring, hidden cameras have sighted endangered pangolins and the recently rediscovered silver-black chevrotain, a species lost to science for nearly 30 years and endemic to Vietnam.
The surveys are funded by the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Sustainability Fund, which comprises 0.5 percent of total resort revenue, 50 percent of Six Senses water sales, and 100 percent of soft toy sales. The funds are allocated to enhance the quality of life for local communities and restore and protect the ecosystems of the Heo Peninsula.
Continued action to safeguard this diverse and valuable ecosystem is vital and the resort also partners with GreenViet to monitor the local population of critically endangered black-shanked douc langurs, whose population has increased from 109 to 194 since 2019. Community and engagement activities including guided hikes and birdwatching raise awareness about these local endangered species. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay has also conducted coral reef restoration activities with Vietnam Institute of Oceanography and has funded the planting of 4,000 trees upstream in Quang Tri province in collaboration with local authorities and social enterprise VARS.
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay follows Six Senses Global Sustainable Tourism Council-recognized Sustainable Operating Guidelines, addressing responsible, sustainable operations in all departments, from waste streams, natural pesticides, and procurement and purchasing, landscaping and Climate Action Plan.
“We are delighted to win this award as we focus on responsible, sustainable operations in all departments across all our properties,” says Jeff Smith, Six Senses Vice President of Sustainability. “In addition to biodiversity regeneration, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay follows Global Sustainable Tourism Council-recognized Sustainable Operating Guidelines in waste streams, natural pesticides, procurement, landscaping, and our Climate Action Plan. Guest and community engagement is also embedded throughout all our sustainability activities, including hikes to our solar farm, where 800 solar panels coexist with our organic vegetable farm, and 12 beehives. Our Earth Lab provides a space for innovative waste upcycling, creativity and learning, where daily workshops take place.”
Previous winners of HICAP Awards include Six Senses Vana (2023, for sustainable design), Six Senses Yao Noi (2020, for positive community impact and 2009, for project design), Six Senses Krabey Island (2019, for sustainable design) and Six Senses Fiji (2018, for climate action).
