National Geographic Traveler Magazine announced this week the 2013 list of "Best 25 Ecolodges" in the world. Feynan Ecolodge, located in Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan was among the winners of this award. The list is published online
It will be featured in the June/July 2013 issue of the magazine that will be available on newsstands from June 4.
Feynan Ecolodge is a 26-room solar-powered lodge with an ethos of providing unique visitor experiences, with minimal impact on the environment, while contributing to conservation work and providing income generation opportunities to the local community.
The last time that National Geographic compiled the list was in 2009, when 50 properties from around the world were chosen. Feynan is one of only 5 lodges in the world to make both the 2009 and the 2013 list.
"The selection process was competitive and our editorial team worked long and hard to find 2013's best, most authentic, most sustainable lodges," said National Geographer Traveler's associate editor Amy Alipio. She added, "This year marks the 125th anniversary of the National Geographic Society. The lodges we selected capture the Society's spirit of exploration and commitment to the environment."
Nabil Tarazi, Founder & Managing Director of EcoHotels, Feynan's operating company commented: "We are very proud that Feynan was named by National Geographic to this prestigious list. We are very excited to also be one of only 5 lodges in the world to be recognized twice by National Geographic. This is a testament to the pioneering work that we have been doing since 2009 to make Feynan a world class lodge and an ecotourism model.
"The RSCN is thrilled that our flagship property, Feynan, has won this award" said Yehya Khaled, Director General of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), the agency responsible for Dana Biosphere Reserves and owners of Feynan Ecolodge. Khaled continued "It reinforces the importance of ecotourism as a tool for conservation and it further solidifies the position of Jordan on the world ecotourism map."
This latest award adds to a number of other accolades that Feynan has won in recent years; awards that include:
- One of the top 50 ecolodges in the world for 2009 by National Geographic Adventure Magazine.
- One of the top 15 ecolodges in the world for 2012 in CNNGo
- Best project that combines conservation work and local community benefit in the Guardian's 2010 Green Travel list,
- Travel + Leisure's 2010 Global Vision Award for Sustainable Design,
- Highly Commended for Best for Poverty Reduction in the Responsible Tourism Awards 2011.
- Certificates of Excellence in 2011, 2012 and 2013 from TripAdvisor
- Tripadvisor's 2013 Traveler's Choice Award for Best Service
About Feynan Ecolodge: The 26-room solar powered lodge provides an adventurous, enchanting escape into the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Developed by the RSCN in 2005, and managed by EcoHotels since 2009, Feynan is a model of sustainability and ecotourism. Operated with minimal impact on the environment and contributing to the conservation of nature, Feynan also provides income generating opportunities and benefits for the local communities surrounding the Dana Biosphere Reserve. In 2012, over 400 people from the community benefited from Feynan, and over 50% of the revenue paid by the guests stayed within the community.
Feynan is more than an accommodation; it is a set of unique experiences. Guests can be found hiking or biking across diverse landscapes, interacting with the local Bedouin community, stargazing and exploring archeological sites including some of the world's oldest copper mines. www.feynan.com.
About EcoHotels: Founded in 2009, EcoHotels is a privately owned Jordanian company currently employing 33 people at the head office in Amman and at Feynan Ecolodge. EcoHotels aims to provide escapes embedded in local culture, filled with new experiences, with minimal environmental impact and delivered with a passion for impeccable service. Feynan Ecolodge is the company's first management project, a business model the company has perfected to replicate in its future projects. In 2012, EcoHotels was chosen as the second fastest growing company in Jordan in the AllWorld Network Arabia 500 list of fastest growing companies in the region.
About The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN): An independent, nongovernmental organization devoted to the conservation of Jordan's natural heritage, the RSCN was founded in 1966, under the patronage of His Majesty the late King Hussein. It has been given responsibility by the Jordanian Government to care for and protect the Kingdom's biodiversity. As such, it is one of the few voluntary organizations in the Middle East to be granted such a public mandate. RSCN has achieved international fame for its pioneering work in integrating nature conservation programmes with socio-economic development, and especially for its development of eco-tourism operations that help to sustain the Kingdoms' network of protected areas. www.rscn.org.jo.
About National Geographic Traveler: National Geographic Traveler is the world's most widely read travel magazine, with more than 8.5 million readers. It championed sustainable travel before it was cool and, eight times annually, celebrates journeys that are about place, experience, culture, authenticity, living like the locals, and great photography. It makes a distinction between tourism and travel, and stresses inquisitive not acquisitive trips. It employs storytelling and you-are-there photography to inspire readers to pick up and go. And, with the theme of "Nobody Knows This World Better," it eschews fashion and fluff in favor of articles that offer a strong sense of place, inspiring narratives that make readers take trips, and solid service information to help them plan those trips.
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