+ What is your name?

Prerna Prasad

+ Are you submitting as a team or as an individual?

Team submission

+ Where are you located?

India

+ In one sentence, tell us about your idea.

Promoting and booking sustainable hotels in India for both domestic & inbound travellers.

+ Describe your ideal collaborative partner or partners.

In search of collaboration & sharing of customer data with travel companies based in the US, UK, India, Australia, and parts of Europe. Layered within this tour is an environmental component. In South Africa, we partner with GreenPOP to help reforest areas of cities like Cape Town, as well as rural areas throughout South Africa.

+ What is the most immediate or most pressing challenge you're facing right now?

Finding a technology partner for Ecoplore

+ What is it about your idea that makes you feel good?

As per a calculation by Europe based Know Carbon, an eco-hotel promoted by Ecoplore emits 9 kg carbon per room per night. An average hotel in India emits 75 kg carbon per room per night. And, a luxury hotel emits 1000 kg carbon per room per night.

+ What makes your idea innovative? Why has no one ever done it before?

We have built a booking platform only for sustainable hotels. We have identified easy to understand sustainability criteria that differentiates an eco hotel from a conventional hotel. All the hotels promoted by Ecoplore are made of mud, wood, bamboo, stone or any local material. These hotels have at least 33% tree coverage inside their campus. All eco-hotels are personally visited & verified by a team member of Ecoplore to assure safety, hygiene & comfort.

+ Who will benefit the most from your idea?

Local community as the earnings will go to them, employment will be generated. Carbon emission will be atleast 6 times less than conventional travel. So, Planet will be conserved. Guests will have more fun as we have several experiences and they will also be living in close proximity with nature. The food served to them are home grown and cooked in home made style.

+ Ideally, when would you launch this idea?

I've already launched my idea

+ Indicate which UN goals your idea relates to?

Responsible Consumption and Production

+ At Sigmund, we are interested in ideas at the intersection of People, Planet, and Profit. How does your idea relate to these three categories?

At Ecoplore, People's lives at the local level are impacted as we generate revenue for them by creating employment, buying food and other products. Planet is being protected as the carbon emission through our travel is 6 times less than conventional travel. We are a for profit company and aim to grow by earning revenue and becoming sustainable. We sell eco holidays and generate revenue. The future of travel is sustainable, so the potential in our idea is immense.

+Your website URL

https://ecoplore.com/