Gondwana’s Canyon Collection, which includes the Canyon Lodge, Canyon Village, and Canyon Roadhouse, proudly bear their newly awarded Five Flowers from Eco Awards Namibia. All three accommodation offerings reached an amazing score of 95 percent!
The Five Flowers are awarded to establishments with commendable performance in criteria surrounding sustainability: responsible natural resource management such as energy, water, and waste management, dedication to ensuring staff well-being, and investment in local community development and care projects. In particular, Gondwana Canyon Park’s conservation initiatives, most notably the Adopt-a-Quiver Tree project, stand out as it intertwines ecosystem restoration and eco-tourism in the uniquely sensitive Fish River Canyon Landscape.
The three pillars of sustainability — social, environment, and economy — ensure that people benefit both economically and developmentally from responsible resource management. This, in turn, allows the environment to thrive as sustainable practices are implemented. As establishments invest in sustainability, the impacts ripple across communities and ecosystems, creating opportunities for them to prosper while promoting a circular economy approach.
Eco Awards Namibia serves as a beacon for sustainable tourism certification. In this programme, independent evaluators conduct thorough inspections of lodges, with their findings reviewed by a panel for assessment. Much like star ratings for accommodations, the eco seal of quality can award up to Five Flowers.
Participation in the Eco Awards is optional, with lodges undergoing reassessment every three years. This allows them to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to sustainability and transparency in the tourism industry.