Zmar Eco Campo Resort & Spa is a new concept for tourism that was created based on concerns about waste, construction impacts, and providing value for consumers. The resort was built using sustainable materials and practices to minimize its environmental impact. It offers eco-friendly accommodations along with high-quality amenities normally found at hotels. Since opening last year, Zmar has received several awards for sustainability and innovation in tourism and has welcomed over 106,000 guests from around the world.

2. We are here today to talk to you about our Eco Camping Resort & Spa. Its concept, how was it born, where did it come from?

3. All I’m gonna say now is: it isn’t a hotel, and it isn’t a camping site either. It’s a new product, and we call it Zmar.

4. The idea of Zmar started with my father’s strong obsession with waste.

5. He has always had this issue with waste and how much rubbish we can produce, the amount of plastic we buy, the amount of packaging we throw away etc etc etc! Which is great, because all my brothers and sisters were raised with this strong sense of responsibility when it comes to managing waste.

6. And we know waste is common to all societies, all classes, and all human beings. It ‘s the common factor between the poorest and the richest communities in the world.

7. We could go on and on about its impact on the environment, but we all know its negative effects are countless.

8. There’s really no need to talk about it, I’m sure everyone in this room is aware of this huge problem.

9. And that would be a waste of time, since we only have like 6 minutes.

10. My father also worked in Real Estate. So this was another issue: construction. We look at the Planet and realize it cannot handle no more hard constructions, no more cement, no more concrete, in the end no more impermeabilized soil. The Planet cannot take it anymore.

11. Antoine Lavoisier said ‘In Nature, Nothing is Created, Nothing is Lost, Everything is Transformed’;

12. So the idea was to build but mingle in and adapt to the natural landscape, knowing that if we ever wanted to move Zmar from where it is, we’d be able to do so;

13. and the land would still be intact; with almost no impact whatsoever. (This is a good definition of Sustainability).

14. So when building Zmar we took into consideration all the materials and architecture, (as you can see in the picture, all of Zmar is built in wood).

15. So Waste and Construction. Those were 2 major concerns, combined with yet another concern: the consumers.

16. What are people looking for, what they can afford, what they are getting, what they should be getting and what they deserve!

17. People have limited economic resources, and therefore are looking for value for their money.

18. And, as we keep educating and informing consumers, they are becoming more and more demanding in the products and services they purchase.

19. However, sustainability and going for the ecological choice can be harsh on our wallets;

20. And we all know, for the upper classes, everything has been invented and created. It’s the lower classes we must work for. It’s the lower classes we need to focus on. And they are in large numbers, unfortunately.

21. So that was part of our strategy in terms of sales: make Zmar accessible to all! And to all who can’t afford it. Give people something they deserve, give them value for their money, give them an opportunity to be treated with quality. Give them something they never had.

22. And with this in mind we set our example. We show people our vision, we educate our clients.

23. Believing that example is not the best way to influence someone, it’s the only way we created Zmar according to our vision of the future and of what Tourism in the 21st century should be like.

24. Zmar is a place that combines leisure with high technology, accessibility, sustainability and quality. An original family place, unique in its surrounding landscape, in its ecological awareness, in its services and modern facilities.

25. In Zmar everything you see is rural & rustic, and everything you don’t see is high tech!

26. 81 hectares of Eco-Tourism all built in wood and above the soil, in order not to impermeabilize it.

27. We have wooden houses and pitches for camping;

28. All the wood came from certified forests, which means that they are well managed and legally harvested.

29. In terms of construction and architecture we took into consideration all accessibility for people with disabilities, at Zmar we feel that we have a huge social responsibility as well, and eliminated all architectural barriers that might exist for people with handicaps;

30. In terms of hotel services we have: spa, restaurant, kidz house kidz playground, swimming pools, supermarket, indoor swimming pools with waves, gym, tree top adventure, paddle & tennis courts, bicycles for rent, Events Tent, Common Lounge, Medical Centre – it’s everything a 5 star hotel should have, but much more than a traditional camper could ever ask for.

31. Everything our clients need for eco holidays with both outdoor/indoor activities with all the comfort and quality you need, without ever having to leave the Resort;

32. In terms of sustainability, I can say that:

33. All the houses and commons areas have Thermal solar panels installed;

34. We have our own Water Treatment Unit to re-use all the water (we re-use it to water the gardens);

35. No vehicle circulation (we use our own golf cars with solar panels installed);

36. All products are bought nationally or locally to avoid CO2 emissions caused by transportation;

37. All outdoor furniture is made out of recycled plastic (nearly 400.000 tons of plastic that we prevented from going to a landfill);

38. In 2009 (in 6 months) we recycled:

39. 2000 kg of plastic

40. 3000 kg of paper

41. Nearly 4000 kg of glass

42. And 840L of vegetable used oil

43. Zmar opened in July last year, and up to this day, we’ve had 106.000 guests come to our Resort, from 28 different countries.

44. Zmar has also received 3 prizes:

45. Sustainable Construction 2009 by SIL – Lisbon Real Estate Salon;

46. Honorable Mention by Tourism of Portugal;

47. Innovation & Sustainability by Tourism of Alentejo;

48. and was recently certified as Eco Hotel by TUV Rheinland.

49. Thank you for this opportunity to be here. Talking is good, spreading the word, communicating among people. But I believe that more than talking, we have to do it, demonstrate it.

50. And that’s what we did. We believe Zmar is the Future, and the future starts today!

51. So what is the innovation in Zmar?

52. The Concept?

53. The Dimension?

54. The Safety?

55. The Quality?

56. The Feeling?

57. The Ecology? / The Sustainability?

58. The Opportunity

59. The High Technology?

60. The Accessibility?

61. The Offer?

62. The Services?

63. All of the Above?

64. Mostly, the Example!

65. Thank you!