Bohinj Park Eco Hotel (SI)

Good Practice Innovation Sheet

Items

Description

1. WHO

Key people and organisations (initiator, leader, partners)

 Company: MPM Engineering d.o.o., owner Mr. Boštjan Čokl

 Facilities: Bohinj Park ECO Hotel & Aquapark Bohinj, General Manager Mr. Anže Čokl

   1st Ecological Hotel built in 2009, involving European Union funding

Key Figures (Bohinj Municipality)

Surface

Inhabitants

Tourism arrivals

Tourism nights

333,7 km²

5,277

138.724

398.053

2. WHY

Reason for taking the good practice action

When building a resort in Bohinj glacial valley and rural region, on the brink of Triglav National Park, it was crucial to take environment into consideration. Constructing an ecological, energy efficient Hotel, was the best possible option for the area, fortelling future sustainable tourism development not only regionally but in Slovenia overall.

Issues and challenge

-      Implementing most efficient, best available technologies possible

-      Marketing a 5* ecological Resort (no competition or comparison in SE Europe)

-      Facing challenges on account of innovative approaches (people's prejudice, bureocratic obstacles, bigger starting investments)

-      Sustainable management including hiring local people (even when uneducated, then investing into their knowledge and expertese, improving standards)

-      Uniting the concept of Luxury with environmentally friendly behaviour

-      Bringing (more) guests to an industrially undeveloped region (facing challenges involving destination management, trafficing, regional co-working)

3. HOW

Methods /steps / tools used (to develop the good practice)

MPM is an engineering company which specializes in energy-efficient construction. They built an energy efficient Hotel from scratch, using top technologies available, even implementing some pilot systems (which require constant surveilance, adaptation, improvement, monitoring). An enthusiastic managerial team took over marketing and leading of the business, setting an example in sustainable management overall (preferring local food suppliers, recycling and separating waste, promoting cultural and historical heritage, launching sustainable incentives and events for seminar groups, etc.).

4. RESULT

Specific/measurable results, benefits

 When a guest sleeps in Bohinj park ECO Hotel, over 10 x less CO2 emissions emerges (data comes from former Slovenian Tourism Board calculation). The Hotel is equipped with LED lighting, which bringe enormous energy savings. It produces electricity (it has its own cogeneration station) and entire heating & cooling is based on heat pumps utilizing water from its very own energy source – 430m deep energy drilling. Extra heat produced in the computer rooms and in washing rooms is extracted and used for Aquapark swimming pool water-heating. Etc. As a consistent benchmark Bohinj Park ECO Hotel also received Green Globe Certificate, which requires the venue to improve on all areas (water management, energy efficiency, waste management, social responsibility, environmentally friendly practices) up to 5% each year. 

Recognitions (e.g. awards)

Since it was built in 2009, the ecological building has been proclaimed as the most frequently awarded Hotel. Among noticable recognitions from general and professional public are: Green role model in tourism (STO, 2009), Turistićka prizma for innovation in tourism (Novi Sad, 2009), Energetic building and Energetic manager of the year (IJS and Finance magazine, 2010), Green Globe certificate (Green Globe Society, 2010), Zlati Sejalec (STO, 2010), Conventa Award for innovation in congress activities – implementation of sustainable events management on broader South-East European area (Conventa Academy, 2011), Recommended by Green Traveler Guides badge (Green Traveler Guides, 2011), Good practice in energy saving building (Umanotera – The Slovenian Foundation for sustainable development, 2011), Congress Star – Anže Čokl for innovative marketing approaches and products in tourism (Conventa Academy, 2011 and again in 2012), Best Value non-UK spa (Sunday Times Travel, 2012), Nedelova Sončnica meseca - reader's choice of popular innovation in Slovenian tourism (Delo, May 2012), Responsible Tourism Award - Highly Commended in the category of Environment friendly Accommodations (Virgin Holidays Sustainable Travel Award, November 2012), Traveller's Choice Award (Tripadvisor, December 2012), Certificate of Excellence (TripAdvisor, May 2013 and again in January 2014).

5. REFLECTION

Lessons learned

The greatest obstacle for innovators in Slovenia is the bureaucracy system which is a stop sign for foreign investors. It takes a lot of persistence and knowledge to see (even the best and most beautifully constructed) projects through.

Challenges met

We have successfully adressed all the previously stated challenges (though in some aspect most of them present constant struggles and are a neverending process). New horizons brought the opportunity to expand the ECO Hotel and create the biggest Slovenian ecological Ski retreat (known under the (not yet commercially present) cover brand Ski 2864). The new projects, which apart from 47km of Ski pistes area include the renovation of a war bunker into a 85% energetically self-sufficient mountain restaurant, are bound to be finished within the upcoming years.

Critical success factors

 Energy efficient construction requires a greater beginning investment, but the costs are   returned within the first few years. This is the most critical success factor for our venue, since it has brough us not only lower monthly bills (which enables us to invest into new projects and constantly increase service quality) but furthermore worldwide recognition, differentiation on the market and the best possible guests (loyal, nature-loving, health-sports driven, people who share our values and are interested in our local heritage). 

6. MORE 

web-references, documents

Company websites:

www.bohinj-park-hotel.si
www.2864.si

European comission chose Bohinj Park ECO Hotel as best practice example, they have recorded the following informational video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeNfrk8qvF4

Some recent international publications:

A world you like with a climate you like campaign including Bohinj Park ECO Hotel: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/publications/docs/campaign_mobile.pdf

Article in Revolve magazine mentioning our actions: http://www.revolve-magazine.com/home/2013/11/26/a-world-you-like-part-2-of-5/

Tripadvisor: ranking, Travellers choice 2014 winner http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g815572-d1223113-Reviews-Bohinj_Park_ECO_Hotel-Bohinjska_Bistrica_Upper_Carniola_Region.html

Responsible tourism Awards: http://www.kongres-magazine.eu/2012/11/bohinj-park-eco-hotel-received-higly-commended-in-the-category-best-accommodation-for-the-environment/

Sejalec Award http://www.slovenia.info/en/sejalec-nagrada-za-inovativne-dosezke/Eco-Hotel-Bohinj-Park.htm?sejalec_nagrada_za_inovativne_dosezke=6162&lng=2

Three awards Tripadvisor: http://www.seebtm.com/en/three-awards-for-bohinj-park-eco-hotel/

2012: Responsible Tourism Award for Bohinj Park ECO Hotel http://www.responsibletravel.com/awards/winners/2012.htm

Adriaan Bridge early Review: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/slovenia/8639516/Bohinj-Park-Eco-Hotel-Slovenia-review.html

Certificate of Excellence 2013: http://www.kongres-magazine.eu/2013/06/eco-hotel-bohinj-received-certificate-of-excellence-and-hosted-the-president-of-republic-slovenia/

About the 2864 Brand: http://www.kongres-magazine.eu/2011/11/the-story-behind-2864/

http://www.slovenia.info/?news_items=608&lng=2

Future Ski resort, mention: http://www.seebtm.com/en/new-ski-resort-2864-bohinj-slovenia/

https://www.thinkslovenia.com/ski-slovenia-vogel-kobla.php