When you are traveling, choosing the right hotel is an essential part of your trip. Recently, more people are looking for hotels that align with their interest in purpose-driven travel. To meet this demand, American Express Travel is expanding its signature hotel programs and making it easier for Card Members to identify hotels that can have a positive impact on their local communities and the environment.
This year, Amex Travel added a record 250 new properties to its Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection programs. The new additions include some of the most sought-after hotels around the world, including more destinations across Europe, luxury escapes outside New York City, top resorts in Mexico, and the first addition of a Japanese ryokan. Card Members can now choose from over 2,300 highly curated hotels across 300 destinations in 110 countries.
78% of respondents from American Express Travel’s 2023 Global Travel Trends Report1 said they are interested in going on a vacation in 2023 that supports local communities. In response, American Express has introduced ‘Stay with Purpose,’ a new online directory of hotels committed to initiatives such as furthering conservation, community development, and inclusive travel, which Card Members can use to plan and book their trips.
“The perfect hotel looks different to every traveler. Through growth and innovation, American Express Travel is offering more luxury hotel options in more destinations, and we are making it easier for Card Members to find and book hotels that align with their values. These hotels are doing exceptional things when it comes to social and environmental impact – from coral reef restoration to horse rehabilitation, to employing local refugees – we are excited to highlight through the ‘Stay with Purpose’ directory,” said Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel.
Among the list of hotels included in the ‘Stay with Purpose’ directory are:
Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle
Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Thailand
Surrounded by the beauty of Chiang Rai, Thailand, the hotel encourages guests to participate in its environmental and biodiversity programs and engage in experiences that support the local community.
“We have built our identity as a hotel on our unique location and the storytelling of the culture and community we get to share with our guests. The most valuable moments here tend to be connection to our local team, and the sharing of knowledge and recipes they travel away with. We proudly curate tours which tell the history of our towns and temples, highlight the way of local life, and help guests leave with a deeper understanding of where they have traveled to. We love the curiosity of our guests and helping to create and then fulfill that curiosity is an immeasurable value we can help add to a traveler's experience,” said Macall C. Newman, Camp Manager for the Tented Camp Golden Triangle.
Photo: Courtesy of Rosewood Baha Mar
Rosewood Baha Mar, Bahamas
Located on Nassau's Cable Beach, the resort offers guests activities created to align with Baha Mar's conservation efforts. This includes educational programming with The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) to learn about marine conservation and preservation, including a tour of a living art gallery and the opportunity to contribute to the growth of a coral reef nursery and BREEF’s vital conservation and restoration efforts.
“Being located on an island is a privilege, and we have a tremendous responsibility to help the local economy by taking part in the preservation of our ocean and marine life. Our guests are also purpose-driven, and we have created experiences that give them the tools and education that can help them make an impact during their stay. It has been refreshing to see how engaged our guests are and how the community can come together to positively impact a destination,” said Monica Ortiz, Managing Director of Rosewood Baha Mar.
Photo: Courtesy of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam
Looking out to the East Vietnam Sea in Khanh Hoa, guests can immerse themselves in the local culture and come to understand the importance of helping to protect the community’s surrounding nature by signing up for exciting wildlife and conservation experiences, including a complimentary tour of its Earth Lab and an educational farming experience.
"The experiences we create are an opportunity for guests to become consciously aware of our impact on the environment. We help reawaken people’s senses, so they feel the purpose behind their travels and can reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them. And as a company, our purpose-driven work with the local community helps us make an impact on the environment including protecting the surrounding Langur monkeys, a threatened species of Vietnam, and the discovery of new plant life,” said Benjamin Kreuz, General Manager of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay.
Photo: Courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, Utah
Located in Wanship, Utah, the private retreat helps reconnect guests with nature and gives them a taste of the Lodge’s social purpose to live in harmony with the land, including an opportunity for guests to learn about The Lodge’s unique style of natural horsemanship through its Equine Experiences program which helps rescue horses in the surrounding area.
“Being genuine stewards of the land invites our team to get creative as part of our seasonal programming. There is beautiful simplicity in taking a mindful walk through the trees and sagebrush, pulling a carrot out of the soil during harvest season, feeding one of our special rescue horses, or taking a moment to appreciate the silence of the Wasatch Mountains from the privacy of your terrace. Slowing down, getting outside to explore nature, and joining our community is not only soul-enriching for our guests, but foundational elements of our Blue Sky's ethos,” said Jessica Cook, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Lodge at Blue Sky.
Photo: Courtesy of Wildflower Farms
Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, Hudson Valley
Nestled in New York’s Hudson Valley, Wildflower Farms offers a nature-inspired luxury experience that helps connect guests to the environment and local area. Guests can unplug and relax with the hotel’s evergreen and seasonal experiences that include farm to table dining experiences, receiving botanical treatments at Thistle, an Auberge Spa, and taking farm foraging tours.
“How a traveler spends their vacation time and resources is one of the most important choices they have to make. We designed Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection to offer a beautiful place to stay in nature with experiences that encourage moments of reflection. Our experiences are designed around local artisans, practitioners and purveyors in partnerships that sustain these communities and shine light on the bounty of the Hudson Valley. Guests can engage with our eco-conscious practices and education initiatives – discovering something that they would like to learn more about or share with others after a stay with us,” said Kristin Soong Rapoport, Owner and Managing Partner of Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection.
To read more about ‘Stay with Purpose’ on Amex Travel, visit here. And to check out the full list of newly added Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection properties, visit here.
1The American Express 2023 Global Travel Trends Report is based on data obtained through an online poll conducted by Morning Consult between February 3rd – 11th, 2023 among a sample of 1,000 travelers from Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, UK and 2,000 travelers in the US who have a household income of at least a $70k equivalent, and who typically travel by air at least once a year. Results from each market’s survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.