Palma de Majorca, 5 June 2018

RIU Hotels joins the UN #BeatPlasticPollution program by organizing over 20 coastal clean-ups around the world

  • On the occasion of World Environment Day and to raise awareness about plastic pollution, the hotels invited staff and guests to participate in waste collection drives

RIU Hotels & Resorts wanted to join the program of the Organization of the United Nations on World Environment Day 2018, #BeatPlasticPollution, by organizing clean-ups of coastal areas and beaches in the majority of the destinations where the company operates. This initiative created by the UN, which RIU participated in with more than 20 waste collection drives, united the efforts of all sectors to carry out the world’s largest clean-up.

According to the UN, nearly a third of the plastic containers we use cannot be recycled, meaning that they end up polluting the environment. The figures are alarming. Worldwide, one million plastic bottles are purchased and five billion disposable plastic bags are used each year. In total, 50% of plastics are used just once. Likewise, every year 13 million tons of plastic are dumped in our oceans, where they destroy coral reefs and threaten marine fauna. All the plastic that ends up in the oceans in just one year could encircle the Earth four times and remain in this state for a thousand years before completely decomposing.

About RIU Hotels & Resorts

The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family's third generation. The company specialises in holiday resorts and over 78% of its establishments offer its acclaimed All Inclusive by RIU service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has 97 hotels in 21 countries. In 2023, the chain welcomed 6,4 million guests and provided jobs for a total of 35,808  employees. RIU is currently the world's 36th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean's most popular, the largest in Spain in terms of revenue and the fourth largest in number of rooms.