InterContinental Danang’s monkey bridges help the resort’s resident red-shanked douc langurs travel safely around the forest canopy, their preferred habitat. Photo Credit: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, the five-star resort on
Vietnam's Son Tra Peninsula spanning 39 hectares of forest, has CSR at
the top of its agenda. It has installed three brand-new “monkey bridges”
– man-made bamboo and rope structures that help the resident population
of red-shanked douc langurs travel safely around the resort and access
their favourite feeding grounds.
The resort’s environmental manager, Anthony Barker, is creating a
network of bridges and ladders that let these arboreal animals move
freely through the forest canopy. Three new monkey bridges join the two
already in place, providing these colourful creatures with safe,
stress-free passages through the forest.
The resort now offers corporate groups the chance to take part in
important conservation projects such as monkey bridge construction with
the aim of creating closer bonds between team members and making a
positive impact on the planet.
Seif Hamdy, InterContinental Danang: preserving the precious ecosystems of the Son Tra Peninsula.Seif Hamdy, GM of the resort, said that since the border re-opening
and visa restriction was lifted in March 2022, international corporate
groups with regional offices in Singapore and Australia have started to
return to central Vietnam. However, the resort’s primary business in
2022 was Vietnam-based. He added: “We see that shifting now,
specifically (with) Singapore and Taiwan. The return of US & UK
groups is towards the second half of 2023 and 2024.
“Along with tree-planting, the building and erecting of monkey
bridges is an interesting opportunity for groups to build-in community
contributions to their programmes,” added Hamdy.
“At InterContinental Danang, we understand that we have a
responsibility to preserve the precious ecosystems of the Son Tra
Peninsula. One of the best ways to help protect the red-shanked douc
langurs is to keep their migration routes open. Our monkey bridges act
like aerial highways, letting them live, feed and breed in complete
peace and safety. The bridges are not only used by red-shanked douc
langurs, however; other native species such as macaques, squirrels and
even civets have been seen using them, which shows how beneficial they
are to our wildlife.”
The resort which has a monkey-themed nightclub for parties and its
very own cinema. It is targeting high-end groups occupying between 40
and 65 rooms with meeting packages starting from US$80 (half day) to
US$100 (full day) with lunch. It is encouraging planners to use the Meet
How You Meet programme which offers bonus points and exclusive perks
with IHG.
Besides CSR being a top priority for many businesses, Hamdy added
that certain trends have emerged, among which are a demand for less
formal settings and more creative offerings in both F&B and
team-building activities. Wellness is also getting more attention with
increased interest for healthy menus and mindfulness activities.