FRANCE: Luxury ecolodge brand and management company ENVI Lodges has entered a strategic partnership with Blue Ocean Capital France (BOCF) to develop four lodges in France.
ENVI Lodges specialises in low-impact alternative accommodation such as lodges, tents, cabins, treehouses, and biophilic pods and every lodge is built around three key pillars: the protection of wildlife, the mindful use of natural resources and supporting local communities.
Paris-based developers, BOCF, adopts a ‘Business with Purpose’ philosophy and has developed upscale hospitality projects across Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.
The deal, which leverages a funding strategy that will combine equity, debt, and government support for impact investments, will kick-start ENVI’s European growth plans.
The four new lodges will be located in the mountains, by the beach and at farm locations across France over the next five years.
Chris Nader, co-founder, ENVI Lodges said: “With its responsible development approach, Blue Ocean Capital is a perfect fit for ENVI Lodges as we map out our European growth plans in line with the global shift towards sustainable and regenerative tourism.”
Walid Maalouf, president at Blue Ocean Capital France, said: “Our partnership with ENVI Lodges, an ecolodge pioneering operator, aims to showcase a new model for ecotourism success in France, based on a triple bottom line mindset: Measuring and balancing social, environmental and economical results.”
The developments in France will mark phase one of ENVI’s finance and development collaboration with BOCF, with phase two eyeing developments across Europe in markets including Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.
In September ENVI announced its first property in Africa (see below) and this year the low impact lodge will launch in Saudi Arabia.
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