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A World First as Arabian Adventures Receives CEMARS Certification

Accreditation Demonstrates Arabian Adventures' Commitment to Help Create a More Environmentally Sustainable UAE Tourism Industry

DUBAI, UAE - 6 January, 2011 - Arabian Adventures, a division of the Emirates Group and the region's leading Destination Management Company (DMC), has been awarded the internationally recognised Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) certification. Over the past 20 years, Arabian Adventures has been at the forefront of developing the tourism industry in the United Arab Emirates. The company is now the first DMC in the world to achieve CEMARS certification.

The CEMARS certification scheme is an integral brand of the internationally recognised carboNZero^CertTM programme, managed by Landcare Research NZ (LCR) - one of the world's leading organisations in the assessment of carbon footprints and forest sinks.

"The CEMARS certification holds great value for us, as customers now have the option of dealing with a company that takes responsibility for its impact on the global climate. Consumers want to make confident environmental purchasing decisions and the CEMARS certification meets that need," said Peter Payet, Senior Vice President, Arabian Adventures. "It is important to us to reduce pollution at source rather than carbon offsetting as a way of merely clearing the corporate conscience. The certification cements our commitment to sustainability across all our operational activities by supporting energy efficient initiatives, recognising our carbon liabilities, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions," he added.

"A growing number of CEMARS certified organisations rate their certification as a vital component of their environmental initiatives and ongoing success of their business", said Professor Ann Smith, General Manager Technical at LCR. "It provides tangible and credible recognition for their actions to reduce the impacts of their organisation on climate change. CEMARS certification means Arabian Adventures can now confidently include carbon measurement and reduction claims to support their company values."

CEMARS certification indicates that the GHG emissions associated with Arabian Adventures' operations have been measured and independently verified in accordance with international standards. It also recognises the company's commitment to continuously managing and reducing its emissions.

The certification was issued following a comprehensive GHG emissions inventory assessment carried out by LCR. As part of the inventory, a thorough onsite inspection was conducted across key operational sites including the Emirates Holidays Building, the network of desert camps and the Arabian Adventures Operations Centre at Dubai Investment Park (DIP).

As part of the company's comprehensive emissions management and reduction plan, key initiatives include using the corporate environmental policy to support vehicle purchases - to ensure the most modern, low emissions vehicles are used in the fleet. Arabian Adventures is also working with various suppliers to trial suitable hybrid vehicles, as well as encouraging drivers to complete a driver training programme focused on techniques to ensure fuel efficient driving. The emissions reduction plan also encompasses an investigation into the use of solar photovoltaic panels at several desert camps used by the company, in order to maximise renewable energy use and reduce emissions from traditional sources.

The CEMARS certification includes an annual assessment process and Arabian Adventures is required to submit data on its GHG emissions yearly. To this end - the company will continue to identify the priority GHG emissions sources and set targets to reduce them. It must also prepare and implement annual emissions management plans, and report GHG emissions reductions, in comparison with its first year of measurement.

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Media contact:
Smita Natalia Deans,
Emirates Corporate Communications.
Tel: (+9714) 708 4470,
Mob: (+97156) 6848972
smita.deans@emirates.com
visit: ww.ekgroup.com/mediacentre

Martine Silve, FD
Tel: (9714) 332 8832,
Mob: (+97150) 876 3021
Email: martine.silve@fd.com

© Press Release 2011