Family-owned inns find real value in green business

Investing in green initiatives makes good business sense for family-owned vacation-stays like Irwin Inn, a four season, full service, luxury lakefront resort in the Kawartha Lakes tourist region of Ontario. The inn is aiming to reduce its ecological footprint while lowering expenses and increasing efficiency for its guests.

For three generations, the Irwin family have owned and operated The Irwin Inn on beautiful Stoney Lake in the Kawartha Lakes tourist region of Ontario. Over the years they have witnessed tremendous changes in the tourist industry and many fluctuations in the economy. In order to remain successful, they have had to keep up with emerging trends in society and to make the appropriate changes to their resort business to reflect the changing times. In today’s uncertain economy, it is more important than ever to have a clear understanding of what your customer wants and to do everything that is necessary to successfully provide it in a way that is economically feasible.

One recent and significant trend in society is the public’s increased awareness of environmental issues such as climate change. Over the past decade the number of eco-tourism and environmentally friendly resorts has increased dramatically. Preserving the environment is our social responsibility. It is not only good for business in attracting environmentally concerned customers; it can also help in reducing operating cost as well. For many years, Irwin Inn has made a priority of protecting the environment, practising conservation and adding to and improving their energy efficiency. “The Irwin Family, realize that it is the natural environment that has sustained our family and enabled it to grow successfully by attracting visitors to the area with Stoney Lake’s natural beauty and heritage. We are whole-heartedly committed to preserving and promoting our natural environment by doing everything we can to reduce our eco-footprint,” states Rob Irwin, now representing the third generation of the Irwin Inn.

The Irwin Family is pleased to welcome back Rob Irwin to The Irwin Inn. An environmentalist, Rob brings a wealth of knowledge in natural and sustainable building to The Irwin Inn. He has begun the implementation of exciting ideas to further reduce the resort’s carbon footprint, and to effectively market The Irwin Inn, as an environmentally responsible business.

This year Irwin Inn is making improvements to and expanding the resort’s solar thermal system, which has heated the resort’s hot water for over 15 years. Their goal is to heat almost 100% of their water by using only the sun. Clotheslines are being re-installed in Irwin’s laundry facilities to further reduce energy use. The resort’s well-established composting system will continue to be expanded. Adding to the compost bins in the commercial kitchen, bins will be installed in each accommodation to collect waste from coffee grounds and produce. This will not only save immensely in costs, it will enable Irwin’s resort property and farm to be enriched year after year. Irwin Inn is also working with local food suppliers to establish quality sources for local and/or organic food and wine to offer their guests. Buying food that is produced locally not only provides fresher food but also reduces transportation costs and pollution. Previous Irwin Inn conservation and eco-friendly initiatives will continue as well, such as the Inn’s lake source geothermal system, which provides air conditioning to the main inn building and lakeside cottages and their policy of using only environmentally friendly cleaning products in all areas of the resort. A dispenser system in bathrooms continues to eliminate amenity wrappers and bottles. Irwin Inn enables resort guests to play at part in conservation by posting in all accommodation units easy ways that guests can help conserve and protect the environment.

“In this our 62nd year in business, we are working hard to find new ways to continue offering our guests an exceptional level of service and a fantastic experience. Due to the present economic climate taking hold of the entire world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue offering the diverse range of activities and maintaining the excellent service and hospitality our guests return for year after year. Now more than ever, we realize our guests want more value for their dollar than ever before. By continuing to implement eco-friendly initiatives we will be able to lower operating expenses and increase efficiency. In this way, not only can we offer our guests a value-packed Ontario resort vacation experience, we are protecting our beautiful environment for years to come,” adds Rob Irwin.

About Irwin Inn
Located on Stoney Lake in Ontario’s popular Kawartha Lakes tourist region, Irwin Inn is a four season, full service, luxury lakefront resort offering friendly service, superior accommodations, fine dining and deluxe amenities including a 9-hole golf course, English riding stable, and tennis. The perfect destination for family vacations, romantic couples getaways, seniors’ holidays; Irwin Inn is also the ideal Ontario resort for weddings, small conferences and reunions.

For more information visit http://www.irwininn.com.