Eco tourism – Carbon footprints – Sustainability – Corporate Social Responsibility – Green development…… Everyday we are bombarded by a plethora of terms, but what do they really mean? The answer is simple. Think ahead of your time; think ahead of yourself; think of your children; think about what you can do to make a difference everyday and everywhere; in short, think green, think sustainably. Which is exactly what Msolutions the founder of www.greenmedhotels.com has done.

Envisioned and created by Msolution’s team of highly trained and experienced professionals in environmental assessment and management, with over ten year’s experience in the field and a fierce commitment to promoting sustainability around the globe, this Salonika based company offers a myriad of projects ranging from Water Management, Energy Management, Waste Management, Beach Management to Fair Employee Relations, Web Marketing and ISO certification.

Their services encompass fully comprehensive business studies, on site and online workshops, training sessions and audits that aim to help businesses, but primarily touristic units embrace sustainable practices whilst reducing their costs and upgrading their corporate image within their local communities and abroad.

The world, people, perceptions and trends are changing. We have finally reached that point in time where an ever increasing number of tourists find themselves on a quest for destinations that offer an incomparable type of magic. An enchanting experience that brings them in touch with traditional cultures, exotic flavors, bustling local markets, virgin landscapes and a true insight into the lives and traditions of local communities. But above all, destinations that proactively demonstrate they care about their land and heritage by taking measures to nurture and protect both. Subsequently, the timing is perfect, because there was never a better instance when tourism and environmental sustainability could become natural partners, their agendas increasingly intertwined.

To date Msolutions has carried out projects all over Europe and as far as South Africa and Tokyo and is now embodying the concept of sustainability in North Africa in their latest grand scale project; ‘Heading North’.

Msolution’s CEO Sotiris Milonas says “North African countries need to step up into the ‘green game’. They have the means to strategically craft their tourism policies and preserve their local cultures by preventing environmental degradation if they take actions today. It is a fact that tourism is the only industry that has to walk the narrow line of environmentally responsible growth in order to secure its product and keep it attractive to tourists for years to come.”

Amongst the many green projects under their umbrella, Msolutions in collaboration with CTL Consult Ltd based in the UK has formed ‘Clean Blue’, a unique beach management system that sets Health & Safety and sustainability standards for beaches worldwide, creating signage systems and the most feasibly safe environment for tourists and locals.

Furthermore, in response to increased demand from tourists requesting greener destinations, the Association of British Travel Agents is now working with major Tour Operators such as TUI and Thomas Cook to ensure that hotels around the world meet certain basic sustainability standards in order to operate conjointly. Travelife, the certification model that they have come up with has stringent requirements, meaning that hotels will have to rethink their philosophy and operations in order to make visible changes. As Travelife auditors Msolutions has firsthand knowledge of the core points that will enable hotels to achieve the Travelife awards and encourages their clients to strive for Gold as the pay off is not only extensive advertising of their product but also reduced costs within their operations as a result of their newly acquired green practices.

Msolutions has a vision for North Africa; to begin a wave of water and energy conservation projects and waste management practices that will translate into substantial financial savings for the participants involved and catapult the region into sustainable growth. The possibilities don’t end there; sustainability is not just about resource conservation, it is about securing business and trade for local communities; it’s about sustaining societies and their people’s livelihoods.

In short, the facts cannot be ignored; if North Africa’s tourist destinations are to stay competitive, they will have to adopt sustainable practices or risk alienating an important, ever growing customer base. The question is how prepared are they to stop ‘borrowing’ against the future and start preserving their most valuable assets?