The founding father of the eco-luxe resorts connects the dots between luxurious and sustainability.
We dive into the world of luxurious and sustainability with Andrew Dixon, the unintentional hotelier and mastermind behind the beautiful Nikoi Island and Cempedak Island resorts in Bintan. He spills the beans on how he stumbled into the hospitality trade and ended up crafting a one-of-a-kind sustainable haven.
Be part of us as we uncover the explanations behind his eco-friendly strategy, his ardour for cultivating an distinctive tradition, and the significant impression his resort has on each company and the atmosphere.
5 issues we found about Andrew Dixon
#1: Andrew was really on the lookout for a vacation home on the east coast of Bintan
Andrew initially labored in finance and banking when he arrived in Singapore. He wanted an escape from town on weekends and that’s when he stumbled upon the east coast of Bintan. He was blown away by the entire space, and he struck up a dialog with a man who had some expertise there. Subsequent factor he knew, he was on the hunt to purchase islands.
A couple of courageous souls joined the journey, and once they stumbled upon Nikoi Island, it was greater than what he had in thoughts. However he couldn’t resist the chance. So, he gathered just a few extra buddies, made the acquisition, and began growing it. In the course of the early days, they camped on the island and had insane weekends. That’s when a advertising and marketing pal insisted that Andrew wanted a singular promoting level.
The USP ended up being a non-public island escape, a getaway from the hustle and bustle of Singapore, and a spot for individuals to reconnect with nature and expertise simplicity. Andrew wasn’t a hotelier, however he knew what he wished as a buyer. So, he put himself in a buyer’s footwear and constructed an expertise he liked.
#2: Constructing a non-public island escape was a logistical rollercoaster
“The logistics had been a nightmare”, Andrew shares. “We couldn’t even discover the nicely we had been promised. From organising tenting journeys to managing the venture, it was one huge headache from day one.” However Andrew and his buddies tackled it step-by-step. That they had a man on the bottom guiding them, and regardless of some challenges, they discovered superb native help.
Andrew was nonetheless working full-time, however he had a job winding down, which gave him a bit of additional time. He’d jet off to Singapore, researching sustainable constructing strategies and sourcing technical stuff. It was a juggling act and a wild experience however Andrew says he received’t commerce it for something.
#3: Group, tradition, dialog and commerce are the muse of his companies
Andrew and his staff are a part of the Lengthy Run neighborhood, an organisation of 40 nature-based tourism companies world wide dedicated to driving holistic sustainability.
The Lengthy Run follows a framework known as the 4 Cs: neighborhood, tradition, conservation, and commerce. It’s just like a sustainability mannequin. What’s distinctive is the give attention to tradition. Different frameworks don’t actually discuss that, nevertheless it’s essential within the hospitality trade. They’re proud members, and so they went via this audit to show their sustainability claims.
#4: Andrew has by no means actually tried to promote sustainability
Andrew says he’s actually no visionary when it comes to taking place that route. It was pushed extra out of necessity. “Being immersed in nature, we wished to have a optimistic impression. We noticed the worth within the property being pristine and targeted on restoring it. So it was naturally in these circumstances that we must be sustainable. It simply made sense.”
Andrew’s workers additionally goes to him for sustainable concepts. That led him to create a program known as Inexperienced Leaders, the place his staff selects somebody from every division who reveals potential and needs to develop with the enterprise. He’d clarify his imaginative and prescient, telling them they might conceptualise concepts and proposals with none price range constraints. They usually liked it! They began brainstorming their finest concepts, and Andrew accepted nearly all of them.
“It’s superb how these small adjustments empowered them and made a distinction. And now, they’re even taking these ideas again to their households. It’s like a sustainability revolution, and it’s tremendous highly effective.”
#5: A enterprise can’t be 100% sustainable from day one
With a stable framework and ethos in place, his staff recognises you may’t change into a sustainability famous person in a single day. “It’s a journey. Individuals typically declare they’ll be 100% sustainable proper from the beginning, however that’s simply unrealistic”, Andrew says.
“We’ll by no means attain that actual mark as a result of we should always purpose to go above and past, making a optimistic impression. We’re getting there in some ways, however there’s all the time room for enchancment. The Lengthy Run has been a game-changer, serving to us give attention to what actually issues as a substitute of being in every single place. It’s like our roadmap to sustainability success.”
Uncover extra about Andrew’s inspiring journey on Launchpad’s Good Enterprise podcast episode.
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