Kerten puts community-based business practices at the heart
Lifestyle operator Kerten Hospitality not only develops hospitality projects but also connects communities with a positive impact. One example is the House Hotel Old Tbilisi in Georgia…
Kerten Hospitality, a mixed-use environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and lifestyle operator, is contributing to the hospitality’s industry changing mindset by demonstrating the support and engagement of local communities across its global footprint. This initiative has already brought forward tangible results for its projects in Georgia, which was the host country of ITB Berlin 2023.
Kerten Hospitality, a group with 60 operational and pipeline projects, last year introduced its ESG and responsible community-based business practices integrating it into each project with the purpose to have a long-term positive impact on each community where it operates. The brand’s ESG philosophy drives every project which is built on the ESG initiative ‘UBBU – United. Building a Better Universe’. Inspired by the butterfly effect, based on the fact that small actions have the power to prompt global impact, the brand’s UBBU philosophy drives every Kerten project.
UBBU to drive Kerten properties’ development
In each destination, UBBU is embraced from the start. It is the basis for hiring staff locally, utilising the local supply chain, art and culture collaborations, as well as contributions to do-good activities, further creating opportunities for local artists and artisans.
One of the most successful cases by applying UBBU principles, since its rollout started last year, is the House Hotel Old Tbilisi. The property, one of the group’s four lifestyle projects in Georgia, is a restored traditional merchant’s house in the capital’s historical heart, with murals by Musya Qeburia, a local Georgian artist. All interiors have been sourced and made locally and the carpets in each room are available for sale from neighbourhood businesses.
The project’s team is 90% Georgian while all the food in the restaurant is provided by local suppliers from local farms. The team has also partnered with a local beekeeper and cheesemaker who provides the ingredients for traditional items on the menu at Blue Fox, the restaurant in the hotel. The neighbourhood partnerships highlight local vendors, artists, and homemakers, – combining locality into guest experience with a “neighbourhood tour” of all local vendors and more.
The outcome is similar from the group’s operational properties in Aqaba Jordan, Kuwait, Istanbul Turkey, and Saudi Arabia where each has a different focus. At Cloud7 Residences Ayla Aqaba, the team has donated 5.5 tons of food waste to a local animal shelter and has supported a homegrown chocolate making entrepreneurship by offering its products as a welcome treat and showcasing them in the lobby.
Current footprint of The House Hotels brand includes projects that are under development or construction in Egypt, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Turkey. Kerten Hospitality is very keen to welcome new partners to contribute to the industry’s evolution and join the company’s visionary owners. And create unique place-making opportunities.
About Kerten Hospitality
Kerten Hospitality is a mixed-use ESG and lifestyle operator. The group has a collection of 12 ESG-focused lifestyle hospitality brands, 11 operational properties and a pipeline of 60 projects globally.
Kerten Hospitality’s robust pipeline with a purpose includes a footprint spanning across ten openings in the next 12 months, with ten additional signings in progress and a total of 50 projects in development. Upcoming projects include openings in Egypt, Georgia, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and range from urban to resort projects across key global destinations.
Its mixed-use destinations are suited for short or long-term stays, connecting guests to the local community with communal spaces, brand collaborations and vibrant culinary venues in addition to a rich events’ programme in each location.
