CLIMATE RESILIENCE
EMPOWERING WATER-SMART TOURISM
PETRA, JORDAN
Water conservation is a shared responsibility that requires everyone’s participation, especially in water-stressed environments. In Jordan, visitors can do their part when staying in hotels that provide accommodations that reduce water waste in the same ways you can at home.
What's
changing
Sixteen of the world’s 25 most water-stressed countries are located in the Middle East and North Africa. Finding ways to conserve water as temperatures rise and precipitation falls is necessary for both residents and businesses that cater to tourists.
What's already
possible
Mövenpick has undertaken projects to retrofit its hotel in Petra to save millions of liters of water.
Seizing
the opportunity
The hotel converted 90% of its bathtubs into walk-in showers. The transition took two years.
Standout
tactic
The bath-to-shower retrofit came after the hotel switched to water-saving aerators at sink faucets and dual-flush toilets that use less water when there is nothing solid to send on its way. The hotel property landscaping also contributes to water conservation by relying on drought-tolerant plants. A phased approach like this can help smaller hotels with lower budgets make similar changes to stop wasting water.
How
it helps
Since 2022, water consumption at the hotel has dropped 25%.
Diving
deeper
Nearly 1 million visitors come to Petra every year. While one property in the area is decreasing its water use, how much will this single initiative benefit the entire region? What can hotels, like Mövenpick, do within their spheres of influence to draw others to conserve water?
Increasing
impact
The Nabateans who lived at Petra from the fourth century B.C.E. to the second century C.E. used innovative water harvesting and recycling techniques. Hotels located at the gateway to the ancient city can give travelers a compelling reason to think differently about water use by pairing water conservation education with storytelling about how the Nabateans thrived in an arid environment.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
