Castara Retreats: responsible hospitality of an eco-boutique resort in the Caribbean
Perched on the hillside where the rainforest meets the Caribbean Sea, Castara Retreats offers 17 treehouse-style eco-lodges, each designed in harmony with the surrounding landscape. The resort’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond architecture—it is a living-in-the-landscape experience where guests are immersed in nature while supporting a community-driven tourism model.
For the second consecutive year, Castara Retreats has been awarded Green Key certification, reaffirming its commitment to regenerative tourism and sustainable hospitality in the Caribbean.
As part of the Green Key recertification celebrations, team members and guests took part in a commemorative herb planting activity, using compost generated from Castara Retreats’ own sustainability efforts. These fresh, locally grown herbs and ingredients bring vibrant, nourishing flavours to Caribbean Kitchen, the resort’s in-house restaurant, where dishes are made from scratch with care and a commitment to sustainability. Guests and team members also explored the resort’s evolving butterfly garden, a biodiversity initiative designed to support pollinators and native plant life, reinforcing Castara Retreats’ dedication to conservation.
Speaking at the event, Director of Green T&T, Willard P. Harris, praised Castara Retreats for setting a high standard in sustainable hospitality:
“At the very core of Castara Retreats’ triumph lies a visionary sustainability policy and a brilliantly crafted action plan. These are not mere documents, but the very heartbeat of your operation, guiding every decision with purpose and passion.”
Harris further highlighted the resort’s deep integration with the Castara community:
“What truly makes Castara Retreats a shining star in the tourism industry is your profound connection to the local community. You have woven yourselves into the very fabric of Castara, ensuring that the fruits of sustainable tourism nourish the entire region. This is not just business; this is a beautiful symbiosis of commerce and community.”
Maisha Oben, General Manager of Castara Retreats, expressed pride in the team’s efforts to maintain and strengthen the resort’s sustainability:
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment of our team. The journey to being recertified was not easy, but with every step, we stayed true to our ethos—respecting nature, integrating sustainability into every action, and reinforcing our responsibility to both our guests and the local community. Let us continue this journey to be an exemplar for Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.”
The resort’s next steps include expanding its sustainable initiatives, deepening its conservation efforts, and continuing to foster meaningful connections with the local community.
About Castara Retreats
Nestled in the heart of Castara, Tobago, Castara Retreats is an eco-boutique resort designed for guests to "live in the landscape." Its 17 treehouse-style, self-catering lodges blend rustic luxury with a deep commitment to sustainability, creating a seamless connection to nature.
With a vision to be a regional leader in sustainable hospitality, Castara Retreats is shaping a resilient, prosperous, and inclusive model for tourism. The resort actively uplifts local culture, protects the environment, and supports sustainable economic growth, fostering a “community of practice” that shares in the transformative power of responsible travel.
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Green Key (FEE) and ATTA announce partnership to promote sustainable travel practices
ATTA and FEE have created a Memorandum of Understanding with the goal of jointly promoting sustainability awareness, fostering practical implementation, encouraging community engagement, and activating market participation among the members of both organisations. This collaboration will benefit the members of ATTA and FEE (Green Key and Blue Flag programmes), while aiming to build more sustainable destinations and companies.
“The collaboration between ATTA and FEE will lead to the development of more resilient and sustainable travel destinations and continue setting a high standard for the industry.”
By leveraging each other's strengths and resources, this partnership will enhance the visibility and impact of sustainability initiatives. It will provide a robust framework for members to adopt and showcase best practices in environmental stewardship. Additionally, it will facilitate deeper community involvement, encouraging local populations to actively participate in sustainability efforts. This concerted approach is expected to drive market activation, creating a competitive edge for businesses that prioritise sustainable practices.
According to Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA, "Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a necessity for the future of travel. This partnership between ATTA and FEE represents a significant step toward equipping more destinations and businesses with the tools and knowledge to implement meaningful change. By working together, we can create a more responsible and resilient tourism industry that benefits communities, protects our planet, and enhances the traveler experience."
About Foundation for Environmental Education
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world’s largest Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. With a network of over 50,000 educational institutions, the Eco-Schools, Learning About Ecosystems and Forests and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes empower young people to create an environmentally conscious world through experiential, project-based learning. The Green Key and Blue Flag programmes are globally recognised for promoting sustainable business practices and the protection of natural resources. With over 40 years of impactful experience in ESD, FEE’s strategic plan, GAIA 20:30, prioritises impactful action across all five programmes to address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.
About the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), established in 1990, is the largest global network of adventure travel leaders with around 30,000 individual guides, tour operators, lodges, travel advisors, tourism boards, destination marketing and management organisations, outdoor educators, gear companies and travel media who share a belief and commitment to sustainable tourism. ATTA’s mission is to empower the global travel community to protect natural and cultural capital while creating economic value that benefits both trade members and destinations. ATTA offers a portfolio of strategic solutions and a robust ecosystem of events around the world. ATTA has specialised expertise in research, education, media, and promotion.
Six Marriott International hotels receive Green Key certification in Mexico
On 29 January, Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort in Los Cabos, received Green Key certification. Additionally, on 6 February, four more hotels—Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta, The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, and Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center in Puerto Vallarta—were awarded the certification, bringing the total to six Marriott International hotels in the programme. With these additions, Mexico now has 248 certified hotels.
The hotels have implemented measures focused on the sustainable use of water and energy, as well as proper waste management. Thanks to these actions, they comply with the Green Key International criteria and demonstrate their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.
Among the numerous good practices promoted, the following stand out:
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort in Los Cabos, has a composting project that has produced 351 kg of compost, which is used as organic fertiliser for the soil and green areas.
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa has maintained an orchard for five years, using the harvested fruit in its restaurant to ensure zero-kilometre sourcing.
The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, and Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center simultaneously implement the Blue Flag programme to keep their beaches clean and ensure proper environmental management for their preservation.
These hotels follow in the footsteps of Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center, the first Green Key-certified hotel in Mexico. For more than 10 years, this site has continuously worked to meet the certification scheme’s requirements and was also a pioneer in obtaining both Green Key and Blue Flag certifications in the country.
A sincere thank you to Green Key Mexico for its leadership in overseeing the programme at a national level and for its dedicated coordination with Green Key-certified establishments, culminating in the successful achievement of 248 certified establishments as of February 2025.
Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan Becomes Armenia's First Green Key Certified Establishment
On 20 December 2024, the Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Green Key-certified establishment in Armenia.
This achievement not only marks a significant step forward for the hotel itself but also represents an important moment for Armenia’s tourism sector as it embraces sustainability.
The certification ceremony was attended by notable guests, including H.E. Ambassador Eric de Muynck, Ambassador of Belgium; Mrs. Sabina Nováková, First Secretary andDeputy Head of Mission of the Czech Embassy; and representatives from the Ministry of Economy, the United Nations, the Armenian Hotel Association and other distinguished guest. Their presence highlighted the importance of this accomplishment for Armenia and the international recognition Green Key certification brings.
The process has been coordinated by Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities (ISSD) NGO, the National Operator of Green Key program in Armenia. ISSD’s work ensures that more Armenian businesses can become part of this global movement for sustainability. As several other hotels in Armenia are undergoing the certification process while others are planning to, 2025 might be a very promising year for the path of Armenia's hospitality industry.
The ISSD’s primary goal is to encourage the adoption of good practices among accommodation providers in Armenia's Lori, Tavush, Shirak, and Gegharkunik regions. Through a series of targeted activities, the ISSD sets clear objectives to drive change. Some of the main activities include:
providing training of local professionals,
developing sustainability plans,
implementing awareness raising campaigns,
developing case studies.
ISSD encourages a broader shift towards sustainability; by combining environmental responsibility with financial benefits, they aim to boost business opportunities for hospitality service providers, positioning Armenia as a leading green travel destination.
Penta Hotels ends year in style as all German properties earn Green Key certification
Penta Hotels has taken a significant step on its sustainability journey, with all of its German properties now proudly holding Green Key certification as of December 2024.
The brand’s properties in Brussels, Liège, and Leuven had earned Green Key certification in recent years, and now all hotels in Germany have followed suit, marking a major milestone in Penta Hotels’ ongoing efforts to achieve certifications for all its properties.
"We are delighted that all German Penta Hotels now bear the Green Key certification. This demonstrates that our sustainability actions and measures are bearing fruit and that we’re on the right track." said Kim Jasmin Junge, Property Coordinator at Penta Hotels, and leader for sustainability issues within the company.
"We’re working towards obtaining Green Key certificates for all our hotels, with the process already underway at the properties in Reading and Prague, as well as working on other further measures to promote sustainability," she added.
Since 2023, Penta Hotels has partnered with Too Good To Go to reduce food waste. Additionally, through a collaboration with Recup, the hotel chain offers sustainable, reusable bowls and cups for take-out orders. All Penta hotels have plastic-free breakfasts as standard, and have removed all disposable items from bathrooms, so that water, electricity, and waste consumption are carefully monitored.
In 2023, Penta Hotels launched a successful tree-planting partnership contributing to the planting of 2,200 trees in that year alone. In other efforts, the company also captured attention with its Earth Day 2024 campaign, where plastic waste was displayed as a pseudo-art installation in the hotel lobbies to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis amongst its guests.
About Penta Hotels
Penta® represents a new generation of lively neighbourhood hotels offering modern-minded individuals and business travellers' comfort and style in a relaxed atmosphere. Known for its unique interior design and attitude, the brand stands for true innovation in the industry’s upper-midscale segment. The hallmark of the hotel chain is the Pentalounge – a combination of lounge, bar, café and reception – that stands out with its "living room" look and feel. For further information, please visit www.pentahotels.com and follow @pentahotels on Instagram.
