Thursday, February 15, 2024
Christopher Stafford is the visionary co-founder of Visama Hospitality Group, Asia. He is also behind The Occident & Orient Company, a boutique hotel management firm known for its luxury establishments. With a rich background that spans various cultures, having grown up in Africa, Asia, and Europe, Stafford brings a unique perspective to the hospitality industry. His company is celebrated for creating luxurious experiences that echo a bygone era of elegance, where guests are immersed in a world of distinguished charm and timeless style. Stafford’s leadership and vision have been pivotal in crafting the company’s reputation for excellence in service, ambiance, and cultural richness.
Travel And Tour World: How does the Visama Mae Chan tented camp integrate sustainable practices into its luxury hospitality offerings, considering its location in northern Thailand’s natural landscape?
Christopher Stafford: Visama means “to journey” in Sanskrit. Our whole concept is to take guests on a journey to encounter luxury and nature in northern Thailand. At Visama, we are also deeply committed to sustainable design practices in our tented camps. Our goal, therefore, is to offer our guests a luxurious and unforgettable experience while preserving the beauty of our natural surroundings.
For example, we practise sustainability in our culinary offerings with our herbal and edible flower gardens as well as our organic vegetable plots, which will soon be ready within the camp grounds. We have retained non pesticide rice paddies in the area.
The kinds of herbal teas and dried fruit snacks we leave in guest rooms are inspired by local cultivation; for example, our refreshing ginger, lemon, and honey iced tea, which is full of anti-oxidants, and the kleeb lamduan Thai biscuits in the shape of white cheesewood flowers. These thoughtful touches are both luxurious and inspired by the northern hills.
Travel And Tour World: How does Visama Mae Chan’s collaboration with the Friends of Thai Daughters Foundation support the camp’s dedication to social sustainability and neighbourhood support?
Christopher Stafford: Visama Mae Chan is proud to employ and help train several of the graduates of the Friends of Thai Daughters foundation to help them advance their careers in hospitality.
Our tented camp and the foundation are connected in other ways. For example, the Khiri Reach reforestation space on the camp grounds is where Visama guests can pay US$15 to plant tree saplings that are native species to the area. The money goes to the neighbouring Friends of Thai Daughters foundation, which provides support, safe shelter, education, and training for hill tribe women that need assistance.
Travel And Tour World: Can you elaborate on the environmentally friendly amenities and services provided by Visama Mae Chan to ensure a minimal ecological footprint while maintaining a high standard of luxury?
Christopher Stafford: All our boxed materials in guest rooms are made from banana leaf, including ice buckets, trays, and cup holders. All the amenities are natural fibre and recyclable. We recycle all waste water in a circular aeration process to create usable grey water. We use it on our reed beds, and it is pumped back into the camp grounds, the organic farm, and herb gardens. Water is sourced from deep wells on the property. It is a clean and safe source with no additives.
Travel And Tour World: How does Visama Mae Chan’s approach to personalised, sustainable dining experiences reflect broader trends in the hospitality industry’s response to environmental conservation?
Christopher Stafford: All our vegetables are organically grown. Our eggs are free range. The vegetables and eggs are sourced on our property and from the Friends of Thai Daughters organic farm next door. Our stated aim is to source 90% of all ingredients from within Chiang Rai district. We source all our coffees and teas locally, as well as all our vegetables and the majority of our meats.
We also have foods such as kaow rai mountain rice, which grows naturally in the surrounding mountains at higher altitudes. Our kitchen uses many locally sourced ingredients, such as nuts and mushrooms.
Around our five hectares of space, we have a dining-by-design option. Guests can choose from a variety of different locations to enjoy a starlit dinner or drinks surrounded by nature.
Specifically, we encourage guests to unplug and enjoy fireside chats or even an open air movie screening at Ambalamba, our outdoor seating area around a fireplace where guests can exchange stories and connect with each other as well as nature.
At Visama Mae Chan, we believe we have created an environment in northern Thailand where luxury, nature, and sustainable practices go hand in hand.
Tags: Conservation, hospitality, Luxury, nature, sustainability, Thailand, Tourism
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
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