Banyan Tree Mayakoba Launches 'Meet for Good' to Commemorate EarthCheck's Responsible Meetings & Events Standard Certification

Eco-Resort in the Riviera Maya Partners with Local School and Non-Profit Organizations to Develop Engaging and Educational Activities for Groups

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. May 25, 2016

Riviera Maya, Mexico - May 2016 : Banyan Tree Mayakoba continues to exceed expectations of group clientele by partnering with local charitable organizations to develop socially responsible activities as part of its new 'Meet For Good' programme. Underpinned by the globally-recognised EarthCheck Responsible Meetings & Events Standard certification that the resort was awarded in November 2015, 'Meet for Good' is a pillar of Banyan Tree's corporate social responsibility programme dedicated to supporting sustainable meetings and conferences at the group's award-winning properties around the world.

To support these efforts, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, a luxury five-star property on the shores of the Riviera Maya, has introduced several partnerships and programs that combine the richness of the destination with engaging, cultural experiences, all the while giving back to the local Rivera Maya community. Highlights include:

• The Gum: A Mayan Legacy - Groups learn about the chewing gum industry and the impact it has on the local economy with a day trip to the tropical jungle to visit a gum camp. Mayan families share stories about the practice, offering insight into their indigenous culture through a hands-on experience of extracting and molding gum. Following this educational adventure, guests head to the tranquil turquoise lagoon of Sian Kaan to relax and then to the Muyil community center, an ancient historic site to enjoy a traditional Mayan meal. The half-day program for groups of 8-12 people starts at $139 USD per person. Pricing varies for larger and smaller groups. All proceeds go to the gum camp.

• Bee Part of the Melipona Community - This workshop provides groups an incentive to support the conservation of the Melipona bee, a stingless and endangered species sacred to the Mayans for its spiritual benefits. Guests visit a bee farm where they get an introduction to the cultural tradition of Mayan beekeeping through hands-on activities such as soap making with the honey. The group also visits the classroom and playground at a nearby school, Vida y Esperanza, reading and playing basketball and volleyball with the children to encourage a healthy lifestyle through sports and fun athletic activities. The half-day program for groups of 8-12 people starts at $159 USD per person. Pricing varies for larger and smaller groups. All proceeds go to the Bee Part of the Melipona Bee Community and Vida y Esperanza School.

As the first hotel group in the world to achieve accreditation by EarthCheck's Responsible Meetings & Events Standard, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts continues to be an industry leader for practicing strong, effective corporate social responsibility. Banyan Tree Mayakoba's CSR efforts focus on six key themes: reducing resource consumption, tree planting to benefit local communities, clean-up initiatives, guest-related activities, and Seedlings, a two-year program where three underprivileged young adults from a local community are provided with financial resources for their education and future career development. As a result of Banyan Tree Mayakoba's Seedlings programme, one of the participants is co-managing one of Banyan Tree's restaurants, Bann Teng Thai, which is the sixth pillar of Banyan Tree's CSR efforts. Located in El Pueblito at Mayakoba, the restaurant sources local products to further support the community. The resort also works with Riviera Maya Sostenible to host K'iwik events, a market highlighting art pieces and crafts from Mayan artisans.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba was recently awarded the IMEX-GMIC Commitment to the Community Award, which recognises individuals or organisations that integrate corporate social responsibility into their meetings or events. Booking a meeting or group incentive with Banyan Tree ensures groups can reduce their footprint, give back to the community, and depart with the knowledge of making a positive contribution.

For further enquiries regarding Banyan Tree Mayakoba's Meet for Good programme, please call +52 984 877 3688 or e-mail the sales team at [email protected].

Media Contact: For press information please contact: Meredith Strodel (310) 664 8867, [email protected]; or Sara Swiger (310) 664 8841, [email protected].

About Banyan Tree Mayakoba The first Banyan Tree resort in the Americas, Banyan Tree Mayakoba sets the benchmark for a luxury holiday in the Riviera Maya. Located in the heart of a 1,600-acre resort enclave, the resort is built between lagoons and the Caribbean Sea, 40 minutes south of Cancun and 10 minutes north of the lively Playa del Carmen. This sanctuary offers 116 elegantly-designed private pool villas, several distinct dining options and an award-winning spa. Committed to creating a positive impact for the environment, the resort is EarthCheck Silver Certified, PROFEPA Tourism Environmental Quality Certified and a Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Standard-Setter Award winner.

About Banyan Tree Banyan Tree offers a Sanctuary to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul in awe-inspiring locations around the globe. Rediscover the romance of travel as you journey to iconic destinations and gateway cities. An all-villa concept often with private pools, Banyan Tree provides a genuine, authentic service and distinctive, premium retreat experience. www.banyantree.com

About Meet for Good Banyan Tree's Meet for Good program responds to market trends that indicate over 70 percent of meeting planners say they have 'green' policies in place for at least some of their meetings and 73 percent of planners say sustainable policies and procedures have some or a great deal of influence on the hotel they choose, demonstrating how the world has moved forward in terms of becoming more conscious about travel choices. With these venues and event teams now accredited by EarthCheck, companies choosing Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts can be confident their meetings offer a sustainable choice for both their business and the planet. Engaging event participants with the option to care for the environment is an honest and effective way for companies and organizers to demonstrate their corporate commitment to the triple bottom line definition of success - where social, environmental and financial success is achieved. We know that many attendees already make environmentally-responsible practices a priority in their private lives and appreciate being able to make a difference at work events and in the destinations they visit.

About EarthCheck EarthCheck is the world's leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism. Designed to help organizations improve the sustainability of their event-related activities and to ensure events leave a positive and lasting legacy, Banyan Tree has worked closely with EarthCheck to meet the international standard ISO 20121:2012 'Events Sustainability Management Systems' (ESMS) check-list. In order to meet this specific criteria, where sustainable products, services and activities can be offered to MICE groups, Banyan Tree and Angsana resorts were analysed on 10 key performance areas, each addressed to develop and improve the hotels' environmental and social performance: greenhouse gas emissions; energy efficiency, conservation, and management; management of freshwater resources; ecosystem conservation and management; social and cultural management; land use planning and management; air quality protection; wastewater management; solid waste management; and environmentally harmful substances. www.earthcheck.org