Fern Hotels & Resorts Turns Earth Day Into Sustainable Tourism Action With Green Drive At 60 Properties: All You Need To Know

Written By: Moitreyi Dey

Moitreyi Dey

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April 24, 2026 04:31 GMT+5:30

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On 22 April 2026, The Fern Hotels & Resorts held an Earth Day celebration through a tree planting event that took place at 60 of their Indian locations and resulted in the planting of 1300 saplings on that one day. The group established itself as one of the top environmentally friendly hotel brands in India by using this event to demonstrate its sustainability commitments through an environmentally responsible practice that guests could observe and join.

Management indicated that sustainability is treated as a daily operating principle rather than an annual theme, and that Earth Day offered an opportunity to showcase this ethic across multiple destinations at once. For travellers, the drive underscored how eco-friendly hotels in India can blend comfortable stays with tangible environmental benefits on the ground.

Leadership vision: hospitality with a conscience

Suhail Kannampilly, Managing Director of The Fern Hotels & Resorts, has consistently framed the brand’s green focus as integral to its hospitality model. In previous plantation initiatives, he has shared that the company believes hospitality should create memorable experiences while also delivering a “tangible difference” to the environment, describing tree planting as part of an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off event.

His comments have highlighted a long-term view in which each sapling contributes to improved air quality, better biodiversity and increased urban and semi-urban green cover around hotel locations. Internally, this narrative supports The Fern Hotels’ positioning as a sustainable travel choice in India, where eco-aware guests can expect both comfort and environmental responsibility in the same stay.

Team-led action across 60 properties

The Earth Day plantation drive was executed at hotel level, with local teams organising on-site activities to suit their respective locations, from city hotels to resort-style properties. Staff members across departments joined in planting and tagging saplings, and at some hotels, guests and community members were invited to participate, turning the initiative into an informal micro event in each destination.

Organisers indicated that the activity was designed to foster a sense of collective responsibility, with employees experiencing first-hand how small, repeated actions can add up when multiplied across a national portfolio of hotels. For visiting travellers, the presence of new saplings in courtyards, perimeters and approach roads subtly signalled that their chosen property is contributing to a healthier local environment.

Sustainability woven into guest experience

The Fern Hotels & Resorts has developed a reputation as an environmentally sensitive hotel chain, with sustainability, recycling and waste management integrated into its operating philosophy from early on. The group’s properties typically incorporate energy-efficient systems, eco-friendly amenities and resource-conscious practices that reduce their overall environmental footprint while still delivering a modern guest experience.

This Earth Day initiative complemented those long-term measures by adding a visible, story-rich layer that resonates strongly with today’s eco-aware traveller searching for sustainable tourism experiences in India. For guests, the sight of freshly planted saplings and information about the initiative turns an overnight stay into an encounter with green hospitality in India rather than a purely transactional visit.

Linking local roots to eco-tourism routes

As interest in eco-friendly tourism in India grows, tree-lined hotel grounds and consciously landscaped areas can enhance the appeal of surrounding destinations for both domestic and international travellers. The Fern’s new saplings are expected to gradually add shade, birdlife and pockets of greenery to hotel environments, creating more immersive and nature-linked stays that align with the expectations of responsible tourists.

Industry observers note that such plantation drives strengthen the narrative of sustainable travel by connecting the guest’s chosen hotel with long-term environmental improvement in the area. Over time, these green buffers can support better microclimates around properties and contribute to more attractive, liveable neighbourhoods, which in turn benefits the wider tourism ecosystem.

Long-term commitment to a greener stay

Looking beyond Earth Day, The Fern Hotels & Resorts has indicated that it intends to continue monitoring the growth of saplings planted in earlier drives, sharing progress updates and environmental impact stories with stakeholders. This approach positions tree planting as the beginning of an ongoing relationship with each destination, rather than an isolated annual gesture.

The hotel teams develop a personal attachment to the young trees which they observe during their work hours at the 60 hotel locations where new trees are being planted. The growing green canopy at The Fern’s eco-friendly hotels in India will serve as a permanent reminder to visitors that their stay contributes to the national effort to develop sustainable tourism experiences.

Image Credit: Fern Hotels & Resorts