Iberostar Group, renowned for its sustainable business model, received the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler award in the “Sustainable & Eco” category, further reinforcing its international standing as a leader in responsible tourism.
This accolade recognizes the group’s pioneering Wave of Change movement, which drives the organization’s sustainability efforts.

During the awards ceremony in Madrid, Megan Morikawa, Global Director of the Iberostar Group Sustainability Office, said “sustainability is the pulse driving Iberostar’s determination to spearhead the responsible tourism model in the industry, with an objective of engaging and raising social awareness about the importance of taking care of our environment even when enjoying a relaxing holiday.” Morikawa went on to welcome this recognition as a way “to raise the visibility of projects in the company’s sustainability strategy, encompassed through our pioneering movement in the industry, Wave of Change, which has inspired our ambitious 2030 Agenda.” 

As declared when it launched in 2017, Wave of Change exemplifies Iberostar Group’s profound passion and commitment to safeguarding and preserving the seas and oceans. It has enabled the Group to make significant strides in recent years, aimed at conserving the environment and combatting the pressing challenges of climate change. This movement has also given Iberostar a solid scientific foundation that has enabled the development of strategic guidelines to drive its own Agenda 2030, that propels Iberostar towards a circular economy, promoting responsible consumption of fish and seafood, and improving the coastal health of all the ecosystems surrounding its hotels.

The company supports and promotes Wave of Change through a dedicated Sustainability Office, housing a dynamic and multidisciplinary team of more than 30 experts, including marine biologists, scientists, and other academic profiles, working together to devise action plans and make science-based decisions aligned with the goals set for this decade.

Since its inception, the company went on to become the first hotel group in the world to eliminate single-use plastics from all its operations by 2020. This achievement inspired Iberostar to define a roadmap toward zero waste by 2025, which includes cutting down on food waste by implementing its own 3R department for waste management and artificial intelligence systems in its kitchens across the globe. The roadmap also advances Iberostar’s strategy toward decarbonization, with the most ambitious goal in the sector: achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, a full two decades ahead of the global net zero target set by the industry. Currently, Iberostar is operating four 100% electric hotels in Montenegro and Mallorca and supplying electricity from renewable sources with a guarantee of origin at all Iberostar hotels in Spain and Brazil.

Additional milestones championed by Wave of Change include the company’s achievement in 2022 to ensure that all fish and seafood served in Mexico is responsibly sourced, globally surpassing 78% traceability for responsibly sourced fish. Furthermore, with the objective of improving the health of the ecosystems surrounding Iberostar hotels, the scientific team in the Sustainability Office promoted the construction of five coral nurseries in the Caribbean, three mangrove nurseries in the Dominican Republic and four coastal dune nurseries in Mexico. Lastly, Iberostar is also on track to achieve the 2030 goal of having 25% of the space at its resorts occupied by green areas with large gardens to encourage the flourishing of local species and thus protect biodiversity at destinations where it operates.

In addition to its recognition in the Sustainability & Eco category, Iberostar was also a finalist in the ‘Best National and International Resort’ category of the Condé Nast Traveler awards with its hotel Iberostar Grand El Mirador in Tenerife. The nomination of this adults-only resort, located on the golden mile of Costa Adeje at the foot of Playa del Duque beach in the southwest corner of the island of Tenerife, recognizes its architectural ensemble designed with a careful and romantic decor to indulge in the authentic essence of the Canary Islands with privileged sea views.