Xanterra’s Commitment to Sustainability

Xanterra & the Environment

Our name “Xanterra” is derived from the combination of two words. The first part, “Xan” originates from the word “Xanadu,” as featured in the epic poem “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In the poem, Coleridge depicts Xanadu as an idyllic and beautiful paradise. The latter part of our names comes from “terra,” the Latin word for earth. Thus, the name Xanterra means “beautiful places on earth.”

At Xanterra we recognize the interdependence between our resorts and the natural environment and we are committed to the preservation and protection of the environment in each of our “beautiful places on earth.” For this reason, we’ve:

  • Banned endangered fish from all our menus
  • Installed emission controls on our tour buses
  • Reduced our global greenhouse gas emissions
  • Reduced our energy and water consumption

We will continue to set the standard for ecologically sound resorts that complement, not harm, the natural surroundings. Xanterra Travel Collection®, owner of The Oasis at Death Valley National Park, is committed to long-term business practices that aid the environment. Below are just a few of our initiatives.

  • Building the hospitality industry’s largest solar photovoltaic system
  • Replacing the 125 ton chiller and guest room fan units at the Inn, and added a Building Management System that will help keep interior space at optimal cooling levels at all times
  • Replacing windows at the Inn with high-efficiency, double-pane, gas-filled windows and doors, significantly reducing heat gain in public spaces and guest rooms.
  • Diverting from landfill more than 50% of construction and demolition wastes generated during recent (2011-12) remodel and renovation.
  • Producing biodiesel from waste vegetable oil to fuel the golf course maintenance mowers.
  • Using natural dye on the golf course during the winter on brown, dormant Bermuda grass to reduce watering.
  • Participating in a program called Demand Bidding with Southern California Edison to decrease electrical consumption during peak demand periods.
  • Discontinuing use of lights at the Inn tennis court.
  • Replacing (in process of) exterior lighting with “night-sky friendly” lighting, limiting light pollution in the park.
  • Reducing pesticide usage on the golf course by 84 percent.
  • Replacing golf course irrigation motors with new, premium-efficiency variable-frequency drive motors.
  • Conducting a complete lighting inventory and replaced over 300 incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFL or LED.
  • Encouraging guests to reuse their towels and linens when staying multiple nights.
  • The Oasis at Death Valley has been welcoming guests since the 1930s. The AAA Four-Diamond-rated Inn at Death Valley features 66 rooms, including two suites with a full array of amenities, fine dining, tennis courts and a spring-fed pool.

The Ranch at Death Valley is situated adjacent to the golf course and features 224 rooms in a casual setting, general store, spring-fed swimming pool, tennis courts, horseback riding and the Borax Museum.

The Furnace Creek Golf Course at Death Valley is the world’s lowest at 214 feet below sea level. The course has achieved the designation “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (ACSS), the educational division of Audubon International.