new lodge in peru
The way people normally travel is completely wrong, says visionary hotelier Thierry Tessier. And for over 20 years, he's been teaching them how to do it better. His latest venture, his 700,000 Heures Impact, spans new continents and proves that rebirth travel doesn't have to be lectures and compromises, but instead can be real encounters and solace.
Mr. Tessier opened the award-winning Dar Alam Hotel in the Moroccan desert near Ouarzazate 22 years ago. Long before anyone told tourists to “travel deeper”, long before buzzwords like “transformative” and “regenerative” entered the lexicon. He was ahead of his time, opening hotels far from tourist centers and eliminating “standard” amenities such as televisions.
“People need to go to remote places,” he says. “You'll enjoy Marrakech, but you won't learn anything about Morocco.”
He followed Dar Ahram on the Memory Road, an understated and luxurious nomadic journey in the footsteps of the “free men” who crossed southern Morocco. It expanded to his 700,000 hours ('hour' in English, the length of the average human lifespan) and a series of pop-up his hotels and select small group trips were planned, led by himself. .
Since then, he has become more committed to regenerative travel, the idea that “hospitality brings a place to life” and creates a lasting impact rather than relying on traditional tourism jobs. We have started. To this end, he partnered with Diane Binder, founder of his Regenopolis, an initiative that supports local sustainability efforts.
His 700,000 Hours Became 700,000 Hours of Impact Last week they announced that their first permanent location in the ancient village of Tiskmoudine in Morocco will soon be joined by a microlodge in the Peruvian Amazon. This intimate location is located at the intersection of rainforest and cloud forest, allowing access to a diverse ecosystem.
Guest numbers are limited to just 50 per season, making it a quiet experience. They will only gain access if they become members of a kind of club by donating to nonprofit organizations that fund revitalization projects around Tessier destinations.
Waterfall Picnic in Peru
Below are highlights of an edited interview where he explains his vision.
why are you doing this?
Over the past six years, I've opened pop-ups in Cambodia, Brazil, Japan, Italy, France, and Morocco. Each project was also a collaboration with the local community. And we wanted to prove that hospitality is not just about walls and roofs. It's a feeling and a way to welcome you.
I wanted to create something different. We had a client who wanted to discover the world instead of spending energy trying to get new guests to come to their main hotel. So I said, “Okay, maybe we can form a club with all these guys and travel together.”
It was a great success. Everything we've done around the world has been amazing. But to be honest, something was missing. If you want to support your community, six months isn't much. And most likely, if you stop too soon, you'll be worse off than if you never came at all. So I decided to change my perspective and met Diane Binder. We worked together for several months to create this concept to help communities follow their own development paths.
traditional peruvian ingredients
What are the benefits for travelers?
Traveler has exactly what we've been doing everywhere. Dar Alam is not a hotel. This is a house filled with many experiences. What I'm saying is that we are his 1.5 billion tourists who travel around the world every year. And the land we travel to is less than 5% of the planet. First of all, the tourism industry has destroyed everything everywhere. But if you want to discover the true soul of a place, you need to go off the beaten path. I believe in micro-hospitality, a very small number of bedrooms, and exclusivity.
That means there are no other guests where you are, so you don't feel like a tourist. You will be part of the community and experience all of its daily moments. For example, resorts usually have a traditional bread ceremony where you can see a woman making bread, but she is paying for it and it is only for tourists. Thing. In this village, you will cross the path of women heading to the communal oven to bake bread for the village. You will enjoy everything, but that comes with real life.
I remember when I was a young backpacker. Even though I was connected to nature and people, I was sleeping on the ground. Now I want a comfortable bed. But you can also cross both to ensure a comfortable bed. Even if you don't have electricity or running water, you can still take a hot shower from a solar panel, but only if you're surrounded by candles. It also creates connections with the community.
Paper making workshop in Peru
Why did you choose Peru?
Peru chose me. The lodge already existed, but they wanted to do it differently. They wanted to go deeper into regeneration and hospitality. When we went there, we found that there was a lot of work to be done, so we offered to work together to realize their project. After three years, there's nothing you can do about it, but it's probably enough time to let them do everything independently.
Please tell me about the membership system.
I like the idea of everyone being a member. All you have to do is donate, there is no minimum requirement. 50 euros is also possible. What I'm saying is that before you ask for something (as tourists are usually predatory and tend to take things), start by giving something.
I believe we made a big mistake in telling everyone that hospitality is service. I disagree. Service means that you can ask for anything you want because you paid for it. That's not correct. You must respect the people you will meet.
I definitely want to talk about empowerment and the relationship between two people. I mean, if you come to my house, I think my mind will change and you will go home with very special memories. When you tell someone a story, it's an exchange. It's not a service where you order something and want to eat it. No, even if you're at his three-star Michelin restaurant, the nicest place, if you order a Coca-Cola, I don't have to say yes.
At least I say no. In my place, I have beliefs, I have a vision, I have some values, and you come to discover my world.
