Sustainable tourism
To enjoy a truly wonderful and relaxed holiday you also want to feel in harmony with nature and your environment. We therefore strive to run all our Grifid Hotels and resorts according to the principles of sustainable tourism.
Grifid Marea is certified with the Travelife Gold Award.
Travelife is an independent, internationally recognised sustainability award scheme for the tourism industry. Around 160 criteria are assessed, including fair wages for staff and measures to minimise energy and water use, reduce waste and to give preference to local suppliers.
We at GRIFID HOTELS are aware how important is the environment and its protection for our busines to exist and develop. As a tourist service supplier we are extremely interested to have a policy that keeps and protects the resources and we strive to minimize our business operational impact on the environment through good practices and modern methods in our work.
We at GRIFID HOTELS engage all members of staff in our efforts to have sustainable and ,, green ,, business. We all work in several main directions that assist us achieving our goal to manage hotels that alongside with their operation, contribute to the environmental protection.
We strictly comply with the Bulgarian and European legislation and norms with respect to the environmental protection, labor and human rights, health and safety, financial norms and requirements.
We always set new criteria not only with respect to guest satisfaction, but related to reduction of electricity, gas, water and fuel consumption, less use of hazardous substances and detergents.
We inform, invite and make aware our customers and staff how to save water and electricity, to separate the waste, to be involved in activities related to cleaning and protection of the environment. We invite our guests to use their bath towels more than once in order to reduce the negative impact of the laundry detergents. Information on sustainable tourism can be found in the kiosks situated in our lobbies, on the information boards in the common areas in each of our hotels.
All rooms and common areas are with energy efficient lighting, movement censors and censor for automatic shutdown of the air conditioning in the room upon an open door. Showers, sinks and toilets are with minimum water consumption.
GRIFID HOTELS Laundry is opened in 2015, the machines are with highest class of energy efficiency and low consumption of water and laundry detergents.
All cleaning detergents used in our kitchens, restaurants and bars and housekeeping are environmentally safety – quickly or absolutely dissolved.
For all employees we provide transportation to the working place in order to minimize the negative effect of the car emmission.
Guests and staff both are so important for us. GRIFID HOTELS being an employer of approximately 1400 employees we strive to offer one of the best working conditions:
All 7 hotels of the chain are situated in Golden Sands resort. We provide transportation from Varna, as well as from other towns in the area such as Dobrich, Beloslav, Cherna etc.
Company provides staff uniforms
During off season employees can benefit of free foreign language courses
In 2015 was opened the Grifid education center. There we provide training for the following proficiencies: waiter, cook, ship cook, baker, bar tender, chambermaid. After finishing the theoretical part of the education, the students have the right to a practical training at GRIFID HOTELS. The center is licensed under Bulgarian legislation and the issued diplomas are internationally recognized.
We organize waste separation: paper, metal, plastics, glass, biodegraded waste. All goods are delivered in big packaging in order to minimize the disposal waste.
We from GRIFID HOTELS organize and take active part in social and charity activities to improve the touristic infrastructure, cultural and natural resources of Varna region.
Upon purchasing the food products for our restaurants we prefer local producers. We do stimulate the numerous clients during summer season to visit more cultural and natural places of interest.
We do use electronic mail communication in order to reduce print outs and paper use.
Zlatni Pyassatsi Nature Park
Visitor Center
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.; Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Contacts:
Bulgaria, Varna 9007, P.Box 20
Phone: +359 52 355 591;
Phone /Director/: +359 52 355 561
Fax: +359 52 355 541
e-mail: dnpzlatni@nug.bg; dppzlatni@abv.bg
www.parkzlatnipiasaci.com
The smallest Natural Park in Bulgaria is called “Zlatni Pyasatsi” (Golden Sands). It covers an area of 13.2 square meters and is located 17 kilometers northeast of the sea capital Varna, along the seashore. The Natural Park surrounds the resort complex of Zlatni Pyasatsi. The park is 9.2 kilometers long, and its average width is 1.2 kilometers. Its highest point is 269 meters above sea level, and its average altitude is 110 meters. Its main purpose was to preserve and protect valuable plant and animal species along with the typical landscapes. The Natural Park is a protected area for protection of the natural habitats and wild fauna and flora. It is a part of the ecological network Natura 2000.
The diversity of plant species is extremely high for the small area of the Natural Park. The natural vegetation is characterized by tree community development, dominated by Oriental Hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris), Hungarian Oak (Quercus frainetto Ten.), Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens), Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus), etc.The development of dense vegetation in the lower parts of the park is one of its specific characteristics – Narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa), Field Elm (Ulmus minor), English Oak (Quercus robur), White Poplar (Populus alba), Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Smilax (Smilax excelsa), Silk Vine (Periploca graeca), etc.Numerous representatives of the sub-Mediterranean flora can be seen in the Park, such as Lilac (Syringa vulgaris), Jasmine (Jasminum fruticans), Jerusalem Thorn (Paliurus spina-christis), Scorpion Senna (Сoronilla emerus), Eurasian Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria), etc.About 50 algae species have been discovered. The presence of the red algae Audouinella chalybaea only in Kovshak fountain is a proof of the good ecological status of the waters in this area of the park.
The following species can also be seen in the park: Myxomycota, or Myxogastria, Ascomycota – Sac Fungi and Basidomycota – Higher Fungi, along with 77 other species and more than 500 species of higher plants. More than 150 species of medical plants can be seen in Zlatni Pyasatsi Natural Park.
The fauna is represented by 621 invertebrate species, 11 reptile species, 122 bird species, 46 of which are continuously breeding and 40 are migratory, predatory, etc.; 27 small mammal species, 14 large mammal and bat species.
Five special and five tourist routes have been developed for tourists and nature lovers. They present the biological and landscape diversity of the site and are suitable for hiking, natural cognitive tourism, biking, children’s tourism, photo tourism, tourism for people with special needs. Recreational sites are built along the routes – sheds and gazebos with benches, tables and fireplaces are located near ancient fountains. There are many viewing places in the park, which reveal the sea, the park and resort panoramas.
The most famous tourist site in the region – the rock monastery Aladzha Monastery – is located in the southwestern part of the park. Remains of a basilica and medieval fortresses were discovered in the park.
The protected area “Durankulak Lake” is situated 80 km north from Golden Sands Resort, and about 6 km from the border between Bulgaria and Romania. The greatest importance of the Durankulak lake is for bird protection. The migratory route Via Pontika passes through here, which turns it into a suitable destination for ornithology tourism.