From
conscious design and circular operations to community-first practices, the
brand is shaping a more considered approach to luxury travel, where
sustainability is built into every experience
National,
23rd April 2026: Tamara Leisure Experiences has, since
inception, embedded Responsible Hospitality into its core, guided by a
clear vision of people, planet, and profit thriving in tandem. Across its
portfolio of nine properties, from luxury resorts in Coorg and Kodaikanal to
upscale O by Tamara hotels in Coimbatore and Trivandrum, mid-scale Lilac
hotels, and its flagship wellness offering Amal Tamara, a NABH-accredited
Ayurveda hospital, this philosophy translates into an elevated form of
eco-conscious hospitality where design, service, and setting come together to
deliver immersive, low-impact luxury. The flagship property, The Tamara Coorg,
holds the Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification, underscoring its
alignment with global sustainability standards, with a clear roadmap to extend
this benchmark across all Tamara properties.
Samir
MC, CEO, Tamara Leisure Experiences, said,
“Our nine property portfolio is aligned to GSTC principles. And I want to be
honest about what that distinction means, because the certification is the
outcome, but the real value is in the discipline the journey instills across
your entire organisation. This is not a badge. It is a framework to make your
circular systems auditable, measurable, and accountable. Our goal is to make
that the portfolio standard, not a novelty at one property.”
“Earth
Day serves as a timely reminder of shared responsibility towards the planet,
and at Tamara Leisure Experiences, this is reflected through on-ground actions
across its properties, from farm to table experiences and community clean-up drives
to sustainability-led engagements. These efforts extend into Earth Week (22–28
April) through nature-led activities, conscious dining, and community
participation, where sustainability is not an add-on but the experience itself.
At Tamara, responsible hospitality is foundational, shaping every stage from
design and conceptualization to operations and guest experience. For us,
sustainability is not a seasonal campaign, but a part of our daily operating
philosophy.”
Here’s
how this philosophy comes to life across key pillars:
Sustainability
in Design
Each
Tamara property is planned with the local environment in mind, designed to
retain and work with its natural surroundings, allowing the ecosystem to shape
how the space is built and experienced. For example, At The Tamara Coorg,
sustainability is a design decision guided by a clear ethos, build less to
preserve more. Set across 28 acres of largely untouched landscape, the resort
was developed with minimal ecological disruption, felling just 17 trees and
consciously scaling down from 60 to 56 cottages to protect even more. Elevated
on stilts, each structure sits lightly on the land, allowing the forest to
remain undisturbed, where trees are not cleared but seamlessly woven into the
architecture and experience.
Rooted
in Community care, designed for continuity
At
Tamara, sustainability extends to the people who shape the experience,
expressed through local immersion, farm to table practices, and menus rooted in
regional flavours and wellness, from Kodava cuisine in Coorg to place-led
dining across properties. This continues at Verandah, the in-house boutique,
where locally inspired crafts, natural wellness products, and plantation-grown
spices offer a tangible extension of the region’s heritage.
Guided
by community and circular thinking, nearly half the workforce is locally hired
and close to 40% of procurement is regional, strengthening livelihoods while
keeping operations rooted. This comes through most tangibly in the organic
minibar, where every product is local, organic, and traceable, and in the
kitchen, where menus are shaped by what is locally and seasonally available,
ensuring procurement drives the plate. Ongoing support for education and local
institutions reinforces a long-term commitment to community development.
Zero
Waste Living
Across
Tamara properties, 15-40 tonnes of waste is reimagined as a resource through a
closed loop system where nothing is discarded and everything is repurposed.
100% food waste is recycled in house through low impact processes like Bio
Manthan, plastic is replaced with glass bottles, stainless steel dispensers and
refillable amenities, while circular practices extend to repurposed linen,
reused bottles, kitchen gardens, greenhouses and seed saving, with food waste
reduced to 0.54 kg per head. With zero significant chemical spills in FY
2024-25, this carries into the guest experience, with leaf coasters, bamboo
alternatives, towel reuse, alternate linen changes, and sapling takeaways
ensuring the philosophy is both visible and lived.
Mindful
use of every resource
Resource
conservation is deliberate and deeply local. Natural waterfalls and stream
water are left untouched to preserve community sources. While rainwater
harvesting systems and tap aerators reduce consumption, LED lighting, heat
pumps, lithium battery buggies, key tag controls, EV infrastructure, solar
panels and emission management ensure energy optimisation. Behind the scenes,
efficiency is engineered into every system, smart laundry and advanced STP and
ETP plants enable reuse, while continuous monitoring of water, energy, and
carbon, along with thoughtful material reuse, keeps operations tightly
optimised and low impact.
Quiet
design and conscious tech
Throughout
properties, impact is reduced through thoughtful restraint. The absence of DJ
music and harsh lighting limits noise and light pollution, while low lux
pathways, timers, and sensors minimize ecological disturbance. A seamless tech
enabled journey with digital check ins, e-bills, and paperless feedback reduces
waste, supported by in-house water systems over plastic. From horn free EV
buggies to reusable linen elements and locally rooted touches, every detail is
intentional and quietly conscious
At
Tamara, responsible hospitality shapes how we think, design, and operate across
the portfolio. It brings sourcing, consumption, and recovery into careful
alignment, ensuring that sustainability is quietly built into everyday
operations
About
Tamara Leisure Experiences
Established
in 2005, Tamara Leisure Experiences (TLE) stands as a paragon of
"Responsible and Memorable Hospitality." The organization harmonizes
Profit, People, and Planet through its signature ‘touch-the-earth-lightly’
architectural philosophy, ensuring each destination honours its natural surroundings
while fostering deep community empowerment. What began as a transformative
vision at the flagship Tamara Coorg, a sanctuary set within a sprawling organic
coffee plantation, has flourished into a distinguished portfolio making it a
multi-brand hospitality group exceeding 1,000 keys.
TLE’s
curated portfolio offers a spectrum of travel experiences that includes Tamara
Eco Resorts providing immersive luxury nature retreats; O by Tamara delivering
refined excellence for the discerning business and leisure travellers; Lilac
Hotels offers thoughtful, high-value urban stays; and Amal Tamara offers
holistic, clinical-grade Ayurvedic wellness. Pioneering responsible tourism in
India, TLE is among one of the few hospitality groups to hold the prestigious
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, reflecting a profound
commitment to environmental stewardship and authentic cultural storytelling.
Currently in a phase of strategic expansion across Indian and international
markets, Tamara Leisure Experiences remains dedicated to proving that
responsible business and high-end hospitality are essential for the future of
global travel.