The Conscious Check In

This episode shows how nature-based tourism can deliver bucket-list safaris while creating real impact for wildlife, communities, and the planet.

Go beyond the Big Five with a purpose-driven look at modern safaris. Amy sits down with Liesel van Zyl, Head of Positive Impact at Go2Africa (a B Corp) to explore how luxury, conservation, and community can thrive together.

Learn how to plan a safari that feels indulgent yet regenerative—from choosing accredited partners to tailoring hands-on experiences for your interests and values. You’ll also hear practical tips for maximizing your impact, questions to ask operators, and how guest dollars translate into biodiversity protection and community uplift.

• Reframing “bucket list” safaris into journeys of connection, culture, and purpose

• What B Corp and third-party accreditations signal (and why they build trust)

• How Go2Africa vets partners for regenerative impact (beyond sustainability)

• Practical planning tips: share interests early; ask how your dollar benefits locally

• Nature-based luxury: low-volume, high-impact models, farm-to-fork, plastic reduction

Liesel van Zyl is the Head of Positive Impact at Go2Africa, where she helps redefine what a luxury safari can be by aligning conservation, community development, and exceptional guest experiences. Her work spans partner vetting, NGO collaborations, and guest education—turning every journey into a force for good across Africa’s diverse ecosystems.

Learn more about Go2Africa: https://www.go2africa.com/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/br/podcast/the-conscious-check-in/id1832522451

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YfXT8SElYqYEbhYqbD1AJ?si=00fad07476c14a70

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🌿 Learn more about Greenluxe: https://www.greenluxeinc.com/

Can luxury and sustainable hospitality truly thrive together? In this episode, we unpack how the Forbes VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality program is redefining five-star service through responsible hospitality—without sacrificing guest experience or profitability.

Legendary hotelier Hervé Houdré—creator and global ambassador of Forbes VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality—joins Amy to explore how sustainability becomes a competitive advantage in luxury hotels. From designing energy- and water-smart properties to eliminating single-use plastics across the guest journey, Hervé shares practical frameworks leaders can use now.

You’ll hear how the triple bottom line (People, Planet, Profit) informs winning brand strategy, why development and procurement decisions are decisive, and how verification (not box-ticking) builds real trust with guests and advisors. Secondary topics include GSTC certification alignment, energy efficiency in hotels (energy efficiency hotels), and elevating sustainable guest amenities.

- Takeaways:

• Embed sustainability at concept stage: align owners, architects, designers, engineers, and operators with shared KPIs.
• Focus on energy, water, and waste: design for efficiency first, then layer renewables where feasible.
• Procurement is the lever: buy local, reduce disposables, and choose durable, guest-loved alternatives.
• Verification vs. certification: Forbes VERIFIED follows the guest journey to ensure promises match on-property reality.
• Luxury x responsibility x profit can (and should) co-exist—done right, it drives guest loyalty and brand value. 

Hervé Houdré is the creator and Global Ambassador of the Forbes VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality program and a pioneer who helped popularize the term “sustainable hospitality.” A former COO of Kempinski and former leader at icons like the Hôtel de Crillon and Plaza Athénée, he advises global brands on integrating sustainability, GSTC certification principles, and operational excellence into luxury service.

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Stay Tuned on your favorite platform

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conscious-check-in/id1831789668

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YfXT8SElYqYEbhYqbD1AJ?si=00fad07476c14a70

Find us on Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theconsciouscheckin/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconsciouscheckin/

📅 Book a 1:1 with Amy: https://calendly.com/greenluxeinc/sustainable-hospitality

🌿 Learn more about Greenluxe: https://www.greenluxeinc.com/

#SustainableHospitality, #SustainableLuxury, #EcoFriendlyHotels, #ConsciousTravel, #ForbesVERIFIED, #GSTC, #UNSDGs, #EnergyEfficiency, #SustainableGuestAmenities, #GreenHospitality, #LuxuryTravel

Discover how The Palms Hotel and Spa in Miami Beach integrates sustainability into its core identity, proving that eco-conscious hospitality is more than a trend — it's a continuous journey. Join marketing and sustainability director Tanya Morariu as she candidly shares the challenges, successes, and impactful guest experiences that come with leading a truly green luxury hotel. This conversation offers valuable insights for hospitality professionals striving to embed sustainability authentically and effectively and inspiration for your next feel good tropical getaway!

• Sustainability is a journey, not a destination — evolving with ongoing goals and challenges like composting and local sourcing.
• Combining marketing and sustainability roles creates clearer, honest guest communication and helps prevent greenwashing.
• Collaborations and certifications like Beyond Green and Green Key validate genuine sustainability efforts through rigorous audits.
• Engaging staff and guests with approachable sustainability initiatives boosts participation and enhances community impact.
• Sustainability strategies must be tailored to geographic and operational realities; starting small and pushing suppliers for accountability are key steps.

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📅 Book a 1:1 with Amy: https://calendly.com/greenluxeinc/sustainable-hospitality  

🌿 Learn more about Greenluxe: https://www.greenluxeinc.com/

#SustainableTravel, #LuxuryHospitality, #EcoChic, #HotelLife, #TravelSustainably, #HospitalityandTravelPodcast, #GreenluxeMedia, #BeyondGreen, #ThePalmsHotel&Spa,  #SustainableTourism,

In this insightful conversation, Greenluxe founder Amy Wald sits down with global travel influencer and digital marketing expert Scott Eddy to explore what truly drives loyalty and emotional connection in hospitality today. From storytelling and sustainability to personal branding and ROI, Scott shares lessons from decades of experience that hoteliers, marketers, and entrepreneurs alike can apply right now.

Make sure to follow along all of Scott's exciting journeys at:

Website:

www.mrscotteddy.com

Twitter:

@twitter.com/MrScottEddy

Facebook:

facebook.com/MrScottEddyPage

Instagram:

instagram.com/mrscotteddy

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy

TikTok:

tiktok.com/@mrscotteddy

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📅 Ready to take your sustainability marketing to the next level?

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www.greenluxeinc.com

Anegada is unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean.

Flat, wild, and naturally resilient—this coral island has preserved its beauty not because of development, but in spite of it.

In this special episode, I visit Anegada Beach Club and with Bunchie who know the island best. We explore:

• What makes Anegada geologically and culturally rare
• How tourism is being balanced with protection
• Why remoteness may be its greatest strength—and greatest challenge
• And what travelers need to understand if we want to keep places like this intact

This isn’t a sustainability success story. It’s a preservation-in-process story.

💚 For travelers who crave unspoiled destinations—and the hoteliers who want to protect them—this one’s for you.

📅 Ready to take your sustainability marketing to the next level?

➡ Book an intro call with Amy: https://calendly.com/greenluxeinc/sustainable-hospitality

🌿 Learn more about Greenluxe: www.greenluxeinc.com

Join Amy Wald in this inspiring episode of the Conscious Check-in as she sits down with Bria Guishard, General Manager of Long Bay Resort in the British Virgin Islands. Discover how Bria blends authentic hospitality with thoughtful sustainability initiatives to create a luxurious yet eco-conscious guest experience. Learn how community engagement, resilient leadership, and innovative practices define visionary hospitality in the Caribbean and beyond.

Discover:

• Authenticity is key: Long Bay Resort prioritizes genuine guest experiences and meticulous care to ensure consistency between online representation and in-person reality.
• Community integration enhances business resilience, talent pooling, and reputation – vital for island hospitality sectors like the BVIs.
• Sustainability efforts at Long Bay include eco-friendly products, protecting local wildlife habitats, and reducing plastic waste with initiatives like wristband room keys.
• Balancing technology with the human element preserves meaningful guest interactions, a hallmark of visionary hospitality management.
• Future plans focus on expanding farm-to-table offerings to increase local sourcing, reduce import dependence, and deepen the sustainable impact.

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📅 Book a 1:1 with Amy: https://calendly.com/greenluxeinc/sustainable-hospitality  

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Join us in this inspiring episode of the Conscious Check-in as Costas Christ, a pioneer of eco-tourism and sustainable travel, shares his groundbreaking journey transforming the tourism industry. Discover how sustainability not only protects our planet but also enhances profitability and creates lasting benefits for communities and businesses alike.

Discover:

• How early observations in Kenya led Costas to challenge traditional conservation and promote tourism as a solution, not a problem.
• The evolution from eco-tourism to sustainable tourism, expanding responsibility across the entire travel industry.
• The critical importance of embedding sustainability into a company’s core mission to outperform competitors and build credibility.
• Practical steps hotels can take immediately, like eliminating single-use plastic water bottles, to make impactful sustainability gains.
• Insights from the Blue Climate Initiative on innovative approaches to reducing carbon footprints in coastal tourism and balancing travel with climate action.

💬 Help us grow our podcast – don't forget to subscribe! 

📅 Book a 1:1 with Amy: https://calendly.com/greenluxeinc/sustainable-hospitality  

🌿 Learn more about Greenluxe: https://www.greenluxeinc.com/