P’apiu – the only entity with a valid “Travelife Gold for Accommodation Sustainability” certification in Vietnam
Last August, P’apiu Resort officially received the “Travelife Gold for Accommodation Sustainability Certification” from Travelife, an international organization for sustainable tourism. We became the only entity in Vietnam with a valid official certification.
Travelife is a certification initiative for the achievement of criterias for sustainability in tourism, to provide objectives, tools, and solutions for sustainable and realistic development in tourism. It is managed by ABTA – The Travel Association. Since its founding in 2007, Travelife has helped over 1300 members – hotels, restaurants, and tour operators around the world – to effectively improve their impact on the environment, society, and the economy.
Located about 18km away from the center of Ha Giang city, P’apiu is an unique retreat on the mountaintops of Bac Me District. We are one of the pioneering organizations in sustainable tourism development in Ha Giang.
To achieve this international certification for sustainable development, P’apiu has fulfilled 128 requirements according to criteria related to Sustainability Management, Environmental Management, and Human Management. Throughout the auditing process, the organization was supplied with monitoring tools to carry out tests and assessments for a long period of time. Empirical results and data were all evaluated and monitored by experts to ensure utmost objectivity and accuracy.
Even from our early days, P’apiu has focused on sustainable development by minimizing environmental impact, increasing socioeconomic impact for the local community, protecting human rights and children’s rights, ensuring fair labor practices, and protecting animal welfare and biodiversity.
Our core values have always been the north star in all of P’apiu’s policies. The villas here were designed to capitalize on natural energy sources. The construction of a retreat with few villas and limited guests helped to minimize negative impacts on the environment. In addition to energy-saving measures, P’apiu has also eliminated the use of plastic on the premises. All items in the resort are made of ceramic, glass, and biodegradable or recyclable materials. P’apiu also helps to limit unsanitary conditions in Ha Giang by using environmentally-friendly Jacuzzis.
All items in the resort are made from ceramic, glass and recyclable materials
Biodiversity conservation is also one of the sustainable development policies at P’apiu. We always maintain a proactive role in the protection of the rare flora and fauna of Ha Giang.
Culture-wise, P’apiu always pays attention to conserving and promoting local traditional values in tourism. From architecture to culinary and holiday experiences, our activities demonstrate P’apiu’s efforts in the protection and development of Ha Giang’s culture.
The Mellow – Villa with interior arrangements featuring typical highland people
Rau Rớn – The vegetable with bold flavors typical of Ha Giang
Notably, P’apiu has brought positive socioeconomic changes to the local community. Our entire staff is comprised of locals with professional tourism training. Papiu has created many jobs and stable income for the people. P’apiu respects the right to work, opportunities for promotions, and ensures transparency in salaries and working conditions according to Vietnamese legal regulations for every single employee.
80% of staff in Papiu are indigenous people, trained and equipped with tourism knowledge
Papiu is also striving for the protection of children alongside our partner, the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, to actively help resolve the issue of human trafficking in Vietnam, particularly in Ha Giang.
The certification as a sustainably-developing organization is the culmination of an entire process of efforts for a P’apiu. It all started from our love for humanity and the environment, as well as our wish to create sustainable development. Certainly, with this orientation, P’apiu will be a green, environmentally-friendly retreat location that will help improve social security for the local community.