The Coca-Cola System, formed by the Coca-Cola Company and its bottling partner, Bepensa Dominicana, promoted the signing of a collaboration agreement with Asonahores, the Santo Domingo Hotel Association (AHSD), and the environmental organizations Nueva Vida para los Residuos (NUVI) and Recolectiva, with the objective of collecting PET plastic in hotels.
Implication of the agreement
The agreement involves the collection of bottles by Recolectiva in AHSD member hotels, along with awareness-raising activities carried out by NUVI, including training on recycling and circular economy for hotel staff. The project will start with a pilot in Santo Domingo with a view to expanding to the rest of the country.
The event was held as part of the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE 2024), organized by the National Association of Hotels and Tourism of the RD (Asonahores), and in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur).
David Llibre, president of Asonahores, said that “from our institution we have been looking for sustainable solutions together with Mitur to mitigate the environmental impact of solid waste, so we are excited to work hand in hand with Coca-Cola, Bepensa and all the signatory institutions to, together, implement this pilot plan that we hope in the near future will be the solution throughout the country”.
Alliances are essential
On his side, Juan Amell, representing the Coca-Cola System and Recolectiva, considered that strategic alliances are essential to carry out sustainability initiatives that achieve an impact, and urged other companies to join the transition towards a more responsible tourism destination with people and the planet.
“This action is part of the Coca-Cola System’s global initiative, A World Without Waste, with which we promote sustainability, the culture of recycling and the circular economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yudit García, president of the AHSD, explained that “this alliance is evidence of our commitment to promote programs that guarantee waste reduction, recycling and social integration to achieve sustainable tourism growth. Today Santo Domingo will be a pioneer destination, thanks to this pilot hotel recycling program”.
The agreement is in addition to other initiatives promoted by the Santo Domingo Tourism Cluster, such as electric cars, Turizoneando, the Colonial City Community Center, training, a project for solid waste management with new storage facilities and electric units for garbage collection; and by 2025 the electromobility system that will connect the two most important cultural centers of Santo Domingo: the Colonial City and the Plaza de la Cultura.
It also represents a boost towards the goal of turning the RD into an environmentally friendly tourist destination by promoting a culture of recycling and encouraging the proper disposal of waste.
Source: Arecoa.com
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