This document summarizes the sustainable tourism and biodiversity conservation efforts of El Nido Resorts in Palawan, Philippines. El Nido Resorts operates several island resorts and has implemented various programs to support the local environment and community, including installing mooring buoys to protect coral reefs, supporting wildlife monitoring and protection initiatives, and hosting community cleanups and education events. Their efforts have received recognition from several sustainability awards and helped establish a model of balancing tourism development and conservation. Ongoing challenges include maintaining this balance of economic and environmental interests.

1. SUSTAINABLE TOURISM FOR
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Case Study: El Nido Resorts
Palawan, Philippines

2. Who We Are

3. Ten Knots Group
• TEN KNOTS is based on the definition of knot as a
unit of speed of one nautical mile per hour.
• Ten knots: ideal speed for getting to a dive
destination while cruising leisurely to appreciate
nature

4. Ten Knots Group
• Miniloc Island Resort – 1981
• Lagen Island Resort – 1998
• Apulit Island Resort – 2010
• Pangulasian Island Resort – 2012

5. Quadruple Bottomline
• Financial growth
• Environmental
stewardship
• Community
engagement
• Organizational
development

6. Our Biodiversity
Conservation Programs

7. Mooring Buoys for Everyone’s Use
• El Nido Resorts’ dive
team installed (and
maintains) mooring
buoys in 21 sites
around Bacuit Bay

8. Support of Community
Conservation Efforts
• Installation of
artificial reef
modules in
partnership with
the local
community and
El Nido
Foundation

9. Support of Community
Conservation Efforts
• Supported first-
ever Philippine
Cockatoo
Translocation
Project, an
initiative of the
Katala Foundation,
Inc.

10. Support of Community
Conservation Efforts
• Sea turtle nest protection and turtle hatchling
releases

11. Support of Community
Conservation Efforts
• Crown-of-thorns
starfish cleanups

12. Wildlife Monitoring
• Nature Interpretation Training

13. Sharing
• Print and online media

14. Celebrating the Environment
• Earth Day
• World Ocean
Day
• International
Coastal
Cleanup Day

15. Celebrating the Environment
• Earth Hour
• Green Hour

16. Cleanups
• Coastal and underwater cleanups

17. Training
• Be G.R.E.E.N. (Guard, Respect, Educate El Nido)
Training Seminar

18. Other Initiatives

19. Waste Management

20. Management of Carbon Emissions

21. Success and Best Practices

22. Success and Best Practices
• Resort operations have
discouraged
environmentally
destructive and illegal
activities
• Negative impacts of
resort operations are
mitigated

23. Success and Best Practices
• Expansion of the base
of partnerships for
conservation
• Consistently favorable
reviews from guests in
the enjoyment of
nature and nature-
based activities

24. Success and Best Practices
• Pacific Asia Travel Association
(“PATA”) Gold Award for
Environmental Education
Programme for El Nido Resorts
Be GREEN Campaign, 2011
• ASEAN Green Hotel Award for
the years 2008-2009 and 2010-
2011

25. Success and Best Practices
• Travel and Leisure’s “Our
Fifteen (15) Favorite Green
Hotels,” 2008 and 2007, for
US, South Asia and Australia
• British Airways’ Tourism for
Tomorrow Awards, 2007,
Investors in People Category

26. Success and Best Practices
• Conde Nast Traveler Green
List Awards, 2006
• Islands Blue List Award, 2007

27. Challenges

28. Challenges
• Finding a balance between economic
development and environmental
conservation
• Equal, proper, and efficient enforcement
of laws

29. Thank You!