(New York, NY, November 9, 2022) Songtsam, an award-winning luxury boutique hotel collection and Destination Marketing Company, located in the Tibet and Yunnan Provinces of China announced the construction of Songtsam’s first zero-carbon hotel, the Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso located in Tibet. Expected to open in July, 2023, the 120-room Retreat will be Songtsam’s 16th and largest property.
Founded in 2000 by Mr. Baima Duoji, Songtsam has always had a strong commitment to the preservation of the essence of Tibetan culture, as well as environmental conservation and sustainability by supporting the economic development of the local communities.
In making the announcement, Mr. Baima noted, “Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will partner with Siemens and Schneider Electric to strive to build Songtsam’s first zero-carbon hotel. The entire hotel will achieve maximum zero carbon dioxide emissions through building energy saving systems and by making full use of solar power generation and energy storage.”
Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will also give 5% of the operating income to the adjacent Jieba village every year. Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will provide at least 120 jobs for villagers from the local community. The property itself will be built in such a way that it will become an integral part of the beautiful landscape surrounding the local village.
Mr. Baima hopes that the opening of the hotel will allow more guests to experience the beautiful Tibetan scenery, and also hope’s Songtsam’s zero-carbon implementation will serve as a model for other businesses in the area to become more sustainable.
Lake Basong Tso Area – Popular for Hikers and Outdoor Adventure
Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso is situated near Lake Basong Tso in Gongbujiangda County, Nyingchi. The largest natural lake in southeastern Tibet, Basong Tso means “green water” in Tibetan. It is a 4 ½-hour drive from the holy city of Lhasa and the world-famous Potala Palace, as well as the Songtsam Linka Retreat Lhasa.
Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava is said to have subdued “demons” in Lake Basong Tso, and the lake has since become sacred to members of Tibetan Buddhism. Every year the lake attracts a large number of pilgrims who come to honor their Guru.
In recent years, Zhongcuo, Xincuo and other places near Lake Basong Tso, have become increasingly popular hiking destinations, topping the list of favorites of many outdoor adventure enthusiasts. As tour routes are constantly expanding to these off the beaten track areas of breathtaking natural beauty with an abundance of places to see and explore, Songtsam recognized a need for upscale accommodation to meet the growing number of travelers exploring this area. Surrounding the lake are a number of villages and Cuogao and Xincuogou, where the two snow-capped mountains of Basong Tso, “the King’s Throne” and “Burning Flame”, can be seen towering over the blue-green waters of the lake.
