Almost a year ago, the Tourism and Culture Board Kranj opened the doors of a new tourist accommodation facility – Jenko’s Residence. Being sustainable, it has become part of the Zero Waste process implemented by the Ecologists Without Borders association. This year, the Jenko’s Residence has been awarded the title of a Zero Waste Accommodation facility.
Ecologists Without Borders, the national Zero Waste organisation for Slovenia, encourages stakeholders in the tourism sector in their transition to green economy and sustainable resource management.
In order for Jenko’s Residence to be awarded the title, it had to meet the following conditions: over 90 percent of waste collected separately, measures to reduce waste and training for employees. But Jenko’s Residence goes beyond these requirements in terms of sustainability measures.
In order to inspire the guests who stay there, it is dedicated to Simon Jenko, one of Slovenia’s most influential poets, who lived in the house between 1864 and 1866. In addition to emphasizing Slovenian cultural heritage, Jenko’s Residence has other sustainable aspects: most of its furnishings are made from sustainable materials and many pieces are “second-hand”, restored by the Vincenc Draksler Foundation. Guests are encouraged to separate waste, to use electricity and water responsibly, to drink tap water, and above all to enjoy what the local environment has to offer – from attractions to cuisine and events.
As it is a Zero Waste accommodation, we are committed to managing Jenko’s Residence with care in terms of waste management, while also striving to preserve all resources (water, air, land) in a way that minimises risks to the health of the ecosystem and to people’s health. The importance of this is demonstrated by the fact that, globally, the tourism economy generates 35 million tonnes of waste per year.
Implementing a zero waste strategy in tourism accommodation has proven to bring many benefits not only for the environment, but also for business – for the owners, for the employees and for those guests who appreciate environmentally responsible efforts of tourism service providers.
Jenko’s Residence is the first of the apartments in the emerging dispersed hotel or albergo diffuso in Kranj. We wish to offer an innovative option for tourist and cultural accommodation and thus contribute to the revitalisation of the old town centre in Kranj. Jenko’s Residence has been hosting tourists since last May. In eight months, we have achieved 50% occupancy, while in the summer season the occupancy rate was almost 90%. Our guest rated the accommodation facility with an average of 8.6.
Photo: Fotoarhiv ZTKK: Vida Dimovska
