From coastal conservation to sourcing responsible seafood, the latest TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes fam with Iberostar proved to agents how all-inclusive resorts can incorporate genuine sustainable practices into their everyday operations and wider projects – while also enhancing the guest experience.
The Ambassadors in Training enjoying the white-sand beach in front of their Iberostar hotel in Andalucia
“Look – crabs!”
There’s really nothing like the wonders of nature to convert adults back into their wondrous, child-like selves – and in Andalucia’s Bay of Cadiz Natural Park, five TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors in Training and I find ourselves bewildered by fascinating new species of flora and fauna we’d never seen before. Among them is the West African Fiddler Crab – known for its unusually large claw, which can fall off and regrow.
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From coastal conservation to sourcing responsible seafood, the latest TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes fam with Iberostar proved to agents how all-inclusive resorts can incorporate genuine sustainable practices into their everyday operations and wider projects – while also enhancing the guest experience.
The Ambassadors in Training enjoying the white-sand beach in front of their Iberostar hotel in Andalucia
“Look – crabs!”
There’s really nothing like the wonders of nature to convert adults back into their wondrous, child-like selves – and in Andalucia’s Bay of Cadiz Natural Park, five TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors in Training and I find ourselves bewildered by fascinating new species of flora and fauna we’d never seen before. Among them is the West African Fiddler Crab – known for its unusually large claw, which can fall off and regrow.
“They say size doesn’t matter, but for them, it really does,” grins Miguel, one of the park’s local guides, as we fixate on the several crustaceans crawling around the shoreline of a tidal marsh. “The bigger the claw, the more attractive they are to females.”
Our two-hour cycle around these little-known protected coastal estuaries is a leisurely one, with Miguel guiding us along an enjoyably flat terrain, stopping occasionally to teach us about the indigenous plants and wildlife we spot en route. It feels enriching to discover more about the region’s flourishing ecosystem – and it also gives us insight into how Iberostar Hotels & Resorts plans to restore one.
Alicia Alonso, Iberostar’s head of sustainability communications, joins us on our ride to tell us about the brand's new Blue Carbon Project – a first-of-its-kind initiative planned over several years in coordination with the local government. The project will restore another large area of land in the bay, with the aim of transforming it back into a thriving salt marsh – just like this one we're cycling through.
Although reducing carbon emissions remains Iberostar’s primary focus, Alonso tells us the Blue Carbon Project will not only restore a local ecosystem, but will also play a role in the brand's offsetting model.
“We’re really proud to be at the forefront of this,” she says.
Iberostar’s dedication to restoring and safeguarding nature isn’t only reserved for major initiatives like the Blue Carbon Project. It also happens on a smaller scale – often directly on its hotels’ doorsteps.
After our cycling excursion, followed by a delicious seafood lunch in Cadiz, we head back to our hotel – five-star Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa. Alonso then walks to the sand dunes that stand guard between the resort and the sea.
Here, wooden boardwalks provide guests at the Selection resort and neighbouring Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus with direct access to 5km-long La Barrosa beach – where ivory-white sands, sun loungers and the sea await. The boardwalks also protect the sand dunes beneath them, while Iberostar-implemented signs educate guests about this rich ecosystem.
Left Wooden boardwalks protect the sand dunes Right The agents cycle through a protected coastal ecosystem
“People often think of dunes as harsh, lifeless environments, but there’s actually so much life here and we want guests to know that,” she tells the agents, highlighting wildlife like chameleons, lizards and shorebirds who call the dunes home.
She recites the famous words of Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum: “In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” It's a sentiment that stays with me throughout the trip.
With Iberostar conserving coastal environments around its hotels, our first dinner gives us a taste of how those principles can extend to what ends up on our plates. At the D’cai Restaurant inside Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa, the market-style buffet offers a variety of local and international cuisine, alongside fresh fruit, salads and beautifully presented desserts.
There’s also a variety of show cooking stations where food is made to order. I find myself unable to walk past the fish station without ordering a couple of freshly grilled prawns, while some of the other agents opt for sea bass and sea bream. Making this dining experience even better is knowing 93% of seafood served across Iberostar resorts is responsibly sourced, helping to both safeguard marine ecosystems and support local fishing communities.
The Ambassadors in Training and some of the Iberostar team enjoying an a la carte lunch
As we sit down to eat, the agents discuss the thoughtful quantities of food they notice being served at the buffet. This is thanks to the hotel’s pioneering Winnow system – Alonso tells us – which helps kitchens across Iberostar’s portfolio reduce food waste by analysing what gets thrown away, allowing chefs to make better-informed decisions about what they order, cook and serve.
“I’ve stayed in all-inclusive resorts before, but I’ve never had a dining experience like this,” says Travel Counsellor and foodie Donna Minett. "It really reframes what all-inclusive means to me and sets Iberostar apart from other [all-inclusive] hotels."
The next day, we head to the resort's La Bodega restaurant for lunch, tucking into a Mediterranean a la carte meal – at no additional cost to our stay. With guidance from the hotel’s assistant manager Carmen, we opt to try several regional favourites, including pirinaca (tuna and tomato salad) and gazpacho. Sitting under the porticoes in the resort’s stunning, peaceful open-air courtyard, it’s the quietest we’ve been all trip as we savour the flavours.
Over our four-night stay, the Ambassadors in Training get to know the character of the two neighbouring Iberostar properties and discover how they’ll appeal to customers. According to the agents, Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa has an intimate, almost boutique feel, perfect for clients looking for a little luxury. They also complement how the building reflects authentic Andalucian design, with its white-washed walls, terracotta rooftops and Moorish ceramic tiles.
Meanwhile, next door’s Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus is geared up for families, with facilities ranging from exciting splashpools with dragons and a Viking ship to a recently revamped playground for toddlers. There’s also Re-use Point where families can leave and borrow essential holiday items, from pool inflatables to buckets and spades. I see this in action as I wander past, with a mother and daughter leaving behind a pair of armbands, ready for another little one to use.
Left Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa has been designed to reflect authentic local architecture Right Inside Star Camp
While exploring the Waves resort, the agents and I are also shown Star Camp, Iberostar’s activity programme for kids. Here, it’s evident Iberostar’s environmental ethics are being introduced to guests of a young age, but in a playful and engaging way. Projects on the walls show how kids are educated on reducing plastic pollution in the oceans, while the garden is where they’re taught how to plant and nurture vegetables. I think back to that famous Dioum quote.
Despite each property having their own unique qualities, something I notice both hotels share is Iberostar’s deep-rooted sustainability values, with plenty of small, thoughtful, but essential details that may even go unnoticed by guests. For example, being single-use plastic free, rooms are equipped with refillable glass carafes of water and compostable coffee pods. Although these are simple things, I feel they make my stay feel even more premium.
It becomes clear this is not simply surface-level when we’re taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the hotels’ operations. Members of Iberostar’s dedicated Wave of Change team demonstrate how they sort, reuse and recycle absolutely everything guests throw away. We all gasp in amazement when they open the lid of a large wheelie bin filled to the brim with sea shells – all collected from guest rooms – which the team will redistribute back on to the beach.
At Iberostar, 93% of seafood served across its resorts is responsibly sourced
For our final stop on the tour, the agents and I get a sneak peek at Iberostar’s trailblazing technology. Alongside Winnow, we’re introduced to Braian, a new AI system being trialled that monitors energy performance across every single room in the hotel – helping to reduce energy consumption as part of Iberostar's decarbonisation efforts.
As we finish our tour and head for our final dinner, A’ARU Collective’s Kelly Forbes makes an interesting observation. “Staying at Iberostar really does reduce that decision fatigue," she says. “As a guest on holiday, I don’t want to always be thinking about making the right choices – I just want to be given them."
It's this concept that makes an Iberostar all-inclusive stay stand out. Although sustainability is embedded in the DNA of the brand, there is no compromise at all to the guest experience. If anything, it feels fulfilling and freeing, knowing I can relax and enjoy my holiday exactly how I like, while the Iberostar team ensure I have a responsible stay.
Much like the collected shells, La Barrosa beach is where the agents and I find ourselves returning to again and again during our stay – whether for a cocktail at the SeaSoul Beach Club under a peachy sunset sky, a quiet siesta on a sun lounger or a refreshing dip in the Atlantic waves.
The Ambassadors in Training and Iberostar team take a midnight stroll by the sea
On our final night, after a poolside party at the Waves resort to celebrate Spain’s La Noche de San Juan (the longest day of the year), Alonso tells us it’s tradition to dip our feet in the sea to make our wishes come true.
We head down to the beach once again and run into the sea together for a midnight paddle, all squealing as the gentle waves splash against our feet. I feel like we’ve returned to our carefree, child-like selves once again.
With a newfound love for a beautiful, protected region of Spain, a satisfied belly filled with responsibly sourced food, and a clear conscience knowing my stay supports pioneering hotel operations, my only wish is that I could stay in this Andalucian paradise for a little longer.
Learn more about TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes
The agents explored two Iberostar resorts in south-west Spain
Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa and Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus are both located within a 40-minute drive from Jerez Airport (near Cadiz), which has recently introduced direct Jet2 flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds. Alternatively it takes less than two hours to drive from Seville Airport. Below is a short guide to showcase what these hotels have on offer.
Who will like it? Couples; families with older children; luxury travellers
This five-star hotel reflects authentic Andalucian accommodation, with 271 rooms and suites – many with balconies overlooking the ocean and/or pool areas. It has five pools, a spa and fitness centre, plus two restaurants and two bars included in its all-inclusive package.
Who will like it? Families of all ages
This four-star property has two large pools – one for children with slides and entertainment, and another in a quieter setting. There are several all-inclusive eateries on site, including the main buffet, the Manolete Restaurant and the Star Cafe. Star Camp is split into four different age categories ranging from 0-15 years old. There’s also an onsite spa and 24-hour gym.
Both resorts are great for active travellers, with close-by facilities offering golf and racket sports.
Iberostar Novo Sancti Petri has two, 18-hole golf courses located minutes from both hotels (shuttle provided). Customers can choose from a selection of golf packages that they can pre-book with agents.
For tennis and padel enthusiasts, a sports centre is located a short distance from the hotels, with 11 tennis courts and six padel courts. Guests can enquire about booking at the resort.
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