Englewood, Colo. –  Jan. 19, 2010 – Building on its successful Destination Earth environmental sustainability program, Destination Hotels & Resorts has created a new platform for all group and meetings business which is built on green practices to reduce waste, conserve water, better manage energy output and more. 

“A ‘green’ meeting will now be standard throughout all group, meeting and conference center properties in the Destination collection,” said Mark Hickey, senior vice president of operations for the company. “Basic principles of waste reduction, water conservation, as well as sustainable food and beverage practices are among the customary meeting offerings. However, there are different shades of green available too if a planner wants to employ even more aggressive sustainability practices. We believe this will provide our corporate clients, meeting planners, wedding planners and others to make informed choices about the environmentally aware options available throughout the collection.” 

The Destination program was developed in conjunction with existing clients to address and meet their changing needs for group and meeting programs. Meeting planners who have worked with the company provided input and recommendations as the company developed its green meetings platform. “We really listened to the meeting planning community,” added Hickey. “We understand how important these offerings can be to a company who practices sustainability, and we kept this in mind as the program offerings evolved.”

Meetings, conferences and events at Destination properties now will take into account various sustainability practices in food and beverage operations and sourcing, meeting room setup and supplies, waste management, purchasing, energy efficiency and water conversation. Some of the key principles include:

• Recycling stations and bins will be available in all meeting rooms.
• White boards will be available instead of flip charts. However, if flip charts are used, only post-consumer recycled content paper will be available.
• Leftover conference supplies such as pens and paper will be donated or reused until depleted.
• Condiments such as ketchup, cream and milk will be offered in service vessels instead of individually packaged items.
• Local and in-season regional ingredients from sustainable suppliers and partners will be incorporated into menus.
• Any bottled water that is used will be sourced from within 750 miles from the hotel’s location. 
• Digital thermostats will be installed to control meeting room temperatures. 

Group and meeting planners also can choose to enhance their function by selecting even more sustainable options. Based on the needs of the planner, budgets and access to various products, properties also will offer:

• Organic food and beverage options along with sustainable meat, fish, pork and chicken.
• Bio-based flatware and recyclable/biodegradable plates and cups instead of plastic items.
• Various options can be selected to create a carbon-neutral event such as alternative fueled airport shuttles, free parking for hybrid vehicles and access to purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs or Green tags). 

Destination offers a variety of distinctive settings and experiences for group and meeting planners seeking the perfect setting for their function. From intimate gatherings to seven IACC-certified meeting facilities, there is a destination for any group or incentive program. The selection spans coast-to-coast and from sea level to altitude, with meeting experiences in one-of-a-kind settings. With such a unique array of choices, and valuable input from customers, Destination created a baseline meeting program that supported sustainable practices across the portfolio.

The program was designed in conjunction with Destination Earth, which creates a baseline standard of sustainable practices for the company’s hotels and condominiums while encouraging individual properties to be innovative in their operations. As properties reach various stages in their implementation, new levels of green business practices are identified and outlined for the collection. All properties are encouraged to be resourceful in indentifying and implementing green practices that are relevant to their operation and community.

“The collection’s green meeting standard is just one example of how we’ve created new levels of sustainability throughout the collection,” said Hickey. “Destination Earth is a dynamic program which evolves at each property based on the feedback of guests and associates. We believe our green meetings program will take on the same dynamic evolution as we continue to receive feedback from meeting planners, our suppliers and other key stakeholders.” 

Destination Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to practices and programs that pay respect to and lessen its footprint on the changing environment. Destination Hotels & Resorts recognizes that its customers, owners and associates all benefit from and desire a healthy, sustainable environment. As the company continues on the journey of environmental stewardship, it is committed to maintaining the superior guest experience that customers have come to expect while reducing impact on the earth’s natural resources.

For more information on the company’s green meeting program or to book a program at a Destination property, please visit www.destinationmeetings.com. 

Destination Hotels & Resorts is consistently rated one of the top 10 independent hospitality management companies in the United States with more than 30 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers. The company has developed a variety of initiatives to better serve its communities, stakeholders and customers including Destination Earth, an environmental sustainability program, and the Destination Delivers guest loyalty program, which provides the best available offers to members. Destination operates properties in key metropolitan areas and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Palm Springs, Houston and Lake Tahoe. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises.  For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.destinationhotels.com or to join Destination Delivers, visit www.destinationdelivers.com.