A PURPOSEFUL
YEAR
In a year of change, Banyan Tree Group pulled together to build a stronger, more resilient team. We committed to new ways of working, creating value and learning. We stayed connected and deepened bonds with our guests, associates and stakeholders. Anticipating new traveller needs, we grew our multi-brand ecosystem by adding five new brands, paving the way for good growth and a better tomorrow.
Agility and Leadership in Challenging Times
2021 saw us cement our reputation as a leader in the global hospitality industry. Banyan Tree Group won numerous prestigious international awards including being named by Travel + Leisure US as one of the top 25 hospitality brands in the world. Additionally, we garnered eight resort and city hotel-level awards in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure US World’s Best Awards.
An important part of our brand DNA is sustainability. We earned plaudits especially for our environmental protection and community development efforts, including wins at the regional Sustainable Business Awards 2021 and Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards 2021.
As the industry leader in wellbeing, Banyan Tree redefined the hospitality experience with the launch of 10 Banyan Tree’s Wellbeing Sanctuaries during the year, as well as new brands Garrya, Homm, Folio, Banyan Tree Veya and Banyan Tree Escape. These five new brands are responses to macro and regional trends in travel accelerated by the pandemic, as well as a greater desire for wellbeing and sustainability-minded travel offerings.
As the industry leader in wellbeing, Banyan Tree redefined the hospitality experience with the launch of 10 Banyan Tree’s Wellbeing Sanctuaries during the year.
Charting a Path to Purposeful Stewardship and Good Growth
To create an even greater impact in sustainability stewardship, we seek out meaningful partnerships with like-minded entities. Leveraging the post-COVID quest for better health and wellbeing through food, we launched ORI9IN in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2020. Besides offering fresh farm produce and nature, a picnic concept restaurant, Waiting for May, opened at the farm in 2021 with cuisine revolving around permaculture, low-carbon and a zero-waste concept.
On a wider scale, our Earth Day Campaign supported The Canopy Project by EARTHDAY.ORG. This contributed to the reforestation of Mexico’s Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, with over 5,000 trees planted there.
In April 2021, Banyan Tree Global Foundation awarded the inaugural Greater Good Grants to support eight external organisations whose projects will benefit local communities and natural environments in countries where the Group operates.
Meanwhile, we deepened our commitment to Responsible Travel with the signing of a tripartite strategic agreement with Expedia and UNESCO for the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge to share best practices and standards with the broader travel industry.
Leveraging the post-COVID quest for better health and wellbeing through food, we launched ORI9IN in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2020.
Caring and Celebrating Together
Internally, we continue to embrace our people-led passion with training for associates in our service culture of “I Am With You”. We also promote self-care as a way to build resilience at both the individual and organisational levels. The emphasis on empathy and wellbeing ensures that our associates are equipped to navigate the pandemic and offer the best service to our guests. Furthermore, to engage with our associates worldwide, we launched the BT Connect app – a platform that allows us to share and learn about latest events and developments as a Group.
While caring for one another, our properties worldwide are constantly exploring how best to meet local needs. In 2021, these included delivering meals to the needy and sponsoring a school canteen construction in Thailand, contributing safe drinking water to schools in China, and providing aid to wildfire victims in Greece. We also supported local artisans in Morocco and advocated stewardship for Sustainable Tourism through community projects in Indonesia. In these and myriad other ways, we celebrated our core values and served the greater good.
