Going green is good business

Kahil manages Alexandria’s world-famous Cecil Hotel Cairo - Mohammed Salah “We have notices all over our hotel to teach people about the environment,” says Nabil Kahil, manager at Alexandria’s world-famous Cecil Hotel, as he passes Room 209 – once home to Elvis Presley. Kahil is a fervent believer in making his business as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible. “In the long-run, environmentalism becomes a great marketing tool because people are increasingly turning to eco-friendly hotels,” he tells Arabstoday. Kahil explains how he attended an industry workshop in Nice, France, where he exchanged knowledge, expertise and ideas with other industry leaders in tourism. Representatives from six other countries – Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan and Tunisia – aimed at promoting environmentally-friendly management and business models for hotel owners. That ethos goes down to what cleaning products are used in the Cecil, how the hotel uses energy and water, and how it cuts back on waste, Kahil claims. The manager has already reduced water consumption by 45 percent since 2011. As a result, costs went down by another 12 percent. Walking down the antique wooden staircase to the lobby, Kahil points to the chandeliers which have been fitted with energy-saving light bulbs. “A regular light bulb costs EGP3. But energy-saving bulbs cost EGP30. It’s a long-term investment because they last longer and save energy over time.” Kahil’s hotel has been home to some of the world’s most famous figures – Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie among them. But the man in charge of one of Alexandria’s most luxurious destinations sees the city’s tourism trade as waning. “Alexandria isn’t the cosmopolitan city it once was. Now 80 percent of visitors coming to Egypt head straight for the Red Sea to go diving and visit the nature reserves,” he said. “The Mediterranean coast is fantastic but it doesn’t attract as many tourists.”