News for the Hospitality Executive |
fresh ideas for hospitality |
|
Planting Seeds of Sustainability
Pineapple Hospitality pledges
to donate $1 for every attendee at upcoming
AH&LA events, helping fund
the Nature Conservancy�s
tree-planting initiatives in
the Amazon.
Saint Charles, Missouri � JUNE 17, 2009 � Pineapple Hospitality and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) are trading dollars for trees at industry events throughout 2009. As part of the AH&LA�s Green Partner program, Pineapple Hospitality
is pledging to donate $1 for every attendee of this year�s Summer Summit,
AH&LEF Golf Classic, HotelPAC Broadmoor Classic and Fall Conference.
AH&LA, in turn, uses each dollar to plant a tree through the Nature
Conservancy�s
With the Summer Summit approaching on June 23-24 in Chicago, AH&LA already has pledged to plant 840 trees to offset the carbon footprint of the event. And with the support of Pineapple Hospitality and AH&LA�s other Green Partners, hundreds � if not thousands � of more trees will be growing by year�s end.
With the help of national companies like Disney, AT&T, VISA, and many more, combined with local efforts and associations, the Nature Conservancy already has planted more than 5.2 million trees � though that still leaves a long way to go toward 1 billion. The Conservancy�s mission was the perfect match for what AH&LA was trying to achieve through its Green Partners program. �We chose the Nature Conservancy�s program based upon their longstanding reputation as an environmental leader, and in light of their Plant A Billion campaign, which is dedicated to planting a billion trees in Brazil �s Atlantic Forest,� says Netanya Stutz, Marketing Manager at AH&LA. �We were also drawn to the simplicity of the campaign: $1 = 1 tree. We took this a step further and applied this formula to AH&LA events, where 1 person = $1 = 1 tree, and posed this as an opportunity to engage our eco-conscious members to help us offset the carbon footprint at our events. �There is the potential for an unlimited number of Green Partners at each event, and event size ranges from 110 to over 1,000 attendees, so we have the chance to plant thousands of trees this year alone,� she adds. �Our hope is that this opportunity will gain momentum throughout the year, and that each event will have more Green Partners than the last.� Find out more about the Nature Conservancy and its Plant-A-Billion campaign at www.plantabillion.org. Upcoming Events When times get tough, it�s easy to target travel and conferences as places to cut budgets. But it�s actually times like these that make increasing education and building relationships all that more important. Find out more about the four AH&LA events being sponsored by Pineapple Hospitality as a Green Partner and be a part of the 1 person = $1 = 1 tree campaign. Summer Summit Being held June 23-24 in Chicago, the Summer Summit is your chance to meet other like-minded hoteliers by attending any of over a dozen committee meetings. The event provides attendees with the information they need to make more strategic decisions, while using the combined expertise of all guests to benefit the industry as a whole. Last year�s event drew 210 attendees, and this year�s Summit looks to be even bigger � despite these tough economic times. The keynote speaker is Geoffrey Colvin, FORTUNE Magazine�s senior editor at large and one of the world�s most respected financial journalists. Colvin will share key tactics for weathering a financial crisis and positioning your business to be stronger once the recession passes. AH&LEF Golf Classic Held August 23-26 in Pinehurst, N.C., this event offers community and connections along with unlimited golf at one of the country's premier golfing destinations. The Foundation distributed almost $1.3 million last year to support key industry initiatives in education, research and outreach programs. With about 110 key hospitality leaders and executives in attendance last year, events like the Golf Classic are crucial sources of funding. HotelPAC Broadmoor Classic 144 attendees made the trip last year. And as one of HotelPAC�s top-earning events, the golf tournament is also one of the most successful methods for raising vital funds which support industry-friendly candidates for federal office. AH&LA Fall Conference Last year�s event hosted 1,013 attendees, featuring more than 30 educational sessions focusing on strategies for success in hospitality. Set for Nov. 6-10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, the Fall Conference ties in directly with IH/M&RS � the largest hospitality tradeshow in the world, attended by more than 35,000 professionals. About Pineapple Hospitality
|
Contact:
Ray Burger
|