by Amanda Dolan, General Manager at Coronado Beach Resort
When you think of sustainable industries, chances are the hospitality industry doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But many hotels and resorts are thinking quite deeply about their impact on the environment, and Grand Pacific Resorts is leading the way with help from True Market Solutions.
Founded in 1985, Grand Pacific Resorts manages 21 timeshare resorts in California, Hawaii, Canada, and Montana. The company has a long history of caring for the environment, motivated in large part by its multigenerational and forward-thinking nature.
Stroll through a Grand Pacific resort, and you’re sure to spot grandparents watching their grandkids play tag on the lawn, young parents coaxing their toddlers to blow bubbles in the pool, and all three generations sitting down to dinner together in their home-like accommodations.
Year after year, these same families will return to the resort to reminisce and make new memories. The timeshare ownership will be passed down to each generation, becoming a treasured part of their family traditions.
It’s with these traditions in mind that Grand Pacific Resorts began its sustainability program. So much of what makes our resorts memorable is the natural setting. To give our children and their children the opportunity to experience these places, we need to care for more than the physical appearance of our resorts—we need to care for the destinations and the world as a whole.
Grand Pacific Resorts has a long history of caring for the environment. But we’ve always focused on the changes that are easy to make, like installing low-flow showerheads and having recycling bins in the units. Now we’re taking it to the next level by joining the San Diego Sustainability Circle led by True Market Solutions.
As we collaborate with the other participants and the True Market Solutions coaches, presenters, and partners, sustainability is coming to life for us in new ways. We’re only a few months into our journey with the Sustainability Circle, but we already have new ideas for our Action Plan and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a sustainable company.
One of the major ways we want to transform our world is by modeling sustainable practices for our owners and guests, so that they return home with a greater awareness of and commitment to green issues. We’re also looking at ways to engage our associates in the conversation, so that sustainability becomes a way of life both at home and at work.
There are still many opportunities for growth, and we recognize that in some ways this is an ongoing journey for us, our associates, our owners, and our guests. But as we move forward with our Action Plan and dialogue within the Sustainability Circle, we are encouraged by all the ways we are already helping our environment and preserving the beautiful destinations we serve for future generations.
Amanda Dolan is the general manager at Coronado Beach Resort and chair of the sustainability committee at Grand Pacific Resorts. For more information about Grand Pacific Resorts and its green initiatives, visit www.GrandPacificResorts.com.
