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With green hospitality and sustainability growing among the tourism industry, voco Hotels - the upscale IHG Hotels and Resorts brand - has expanded its sustainability initiatives through a partnership with Wyld Bikes .

Under its ‘Tread Lightly’ philosophy, voco will introduce a fleet of handcrafted bamboo bicycles for guests’ use across its five Australian and New Zealand locations – three of which are new openings in Melbourne, Auckland and soon, Brisbane.

The thoughtful offerings build on voco's existing 'Tread Lightly' philosophy and lineup of sustainable initiatives, complementing recent research that reveals 86% of Aussie travellers are looking for more sustainable options while travelling in a post pandemic world.   

Dean Jones, Vice President of Commercial, IHG Australasia, Pacific and Japan notes “the voco brand has really carved its niche in the market, and supporting local communities and ecosystems sits at the heart of everything we do. We are hugely proud to be partnering with Wyld Bikes, who share our mission to create a positive impact in working toward a more sustainable future. As we grow our Pacific footprint with these new voco Hotel openings, there’s no better time to add new, eco-conscious initiatives that meet our guests’ needs.”

“Increasingly people are leaning into this movement towards supporting responsible, ethical and sustainable businesses that influences positive change”, said Natalie Simmons, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Barefoot Citizens, the visionary group behind Wyld Bikes. “Our range of bamboo bicycles now available at voco Hotels will offer Australian travellers new ways to commute on holidays that honour their values and are easy on the environment, too. Post-Covid, people are realising how important our planet is and that climate action is everyone’s responsibility.”  

voco’s unstuffy, refreshingly different service style and bustling restaurant and bar trademarks, have served the brand well since its launch just four years ago, with hotels adopting a strong point of difference making them a smart choice for business, eco-centric, and leisure travellers alike.    

The addition of Wyld Bikes to the voco Hotel offerings also doubles down on their growing ‘Tread Lightly’ initiates, which includes: 

• High-quality bedding made from 100% recycled materials and approved by the 100% Better Cotton Initiative, which as equated to over half a million recycled bottles to make voco bedding globally already!
• The use of glass water bottles in guests’ rooms
• Biodegradable straws by request 
• Aerated shower heads to reduce water usage and lower energy consumption

A ‘Tread Lightly’ travel guide has also been created in collaboration with environmentalist and model Laura Wells, with tips for eco-conscious travellers.  

To mark the announcement, voco brand ambassadors will roam the streets of Melbourne and Auckland today on the colourful Wyld bicycles to create awareness around the easy ways global travellers can reduce their environmental impact while on holidays.

To learn more about voco Hotels, its latest openings and promotions, please visit vocohotels.com/newrefreshingtwist

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