AHLA Partners With IncentiFind to Identify Sustainability-Related Savings for Owners, Operators
AHLA | October 30, 2023
SH Hotels & Resorts to Open First U.S. Treehouse Hotel in Sunnyvale, California
Treehouse Hotels | September 26, 2022
Sustainability
Choice Hotels International Unveils Year of Sustainability Milestones in Newly Published 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report
April 25, 2024
Highlights Include Committing to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Incorporating Sustainability into Property Improvement Plans, and a Refreshed Approach to Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention NORTH BETHESDA, Md., April 25, 2024 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, today published its 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report. The report details Choice's latest initiatives to drive sustainability across its portfolio of hotels. This includes new and expanded requirements to help reduce utility usage and identify savings through its revamped Room to be Green ve...
WTTC Launches Roadmap to Guide Businesses Through the Jungle of Sustainability Reporting in Travel & Tourism
WTTC | March 6, 2024
New report designed to tackle the sector´s unique sustainability challenges Berlin, Germany: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launched a pioneering readiness roadmap, aiming to simplify sustainability reporting in the Travel & Tourism sector. Launched during ITB Berlin, WTTC and Oliver Wyman announced the Sustainability Reporting Readiness Roadmap, a strategic tool to guide businesses through sustainability frameworks, compliance timelines, and readiness assessments, simplifying the journey towards sustainable compliance. This roadmap is more than just a tool; it’s a strategic compass, enabling companies to decod...
UN Adopts a New Global Standard to Measure the Sustainability of Tourism
UN Tourism | March 6, 2024
A groundbreaking statistical framework, developed under the leadership of UN Tourism, has been adopted by all 193 UN member states. The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) thus becomes the internationally agreed reference framework for measuring the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism. The adoption by the UN Statistical Commission at its 55th session (27 February – 1 March 2024) marks a historical milestone towards harnessing the full potential of the sector, providing a solution to the pressing need for a harmonized methodology to effectively assess the sustainability of tourism...
What Is the Triple Bottom Line and How Does It Work?
EHL Hospitality Insights | March 5, 2024
In a world where corporate greed and profiteering have been cited as two of the primary drivers behind the ongoing cost-of-living crisis that’s increasing financial hardship across Europe, the idea that businesses could exist for any reason other than profit seems hard to fathom. However, there’s a school of thought, called the triple bottom line (TBL), which suggests that businesses should be just as committed to improving the lives of people and the planet as they are to boosting their profits. In this article, we’ll explore: What is the triple bottom line? What are the three Ps? How do they apply to the hotel and ...
WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics Surpasses 1,700 Properties
WTTC | March 4, 2024
From Mexico to Mauritius, Basics is now a globally recognised scheme to verify hotels’ green credentials. Global partnerships strengthen as ITB spotlights sustainable Travel & Tourism Berlin, Germany: The World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) Hotel Sustainability Basics (Basics), the global initiative helping hoteliers on their first steps to improve their sustainability ratings, has reached a significant milestone with over 1,700 hotels verified across 70 countries worldwide. In her speech at ITB Berlin, WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson celebrated the achievement and highlighted the commitment of the industry towards a m...
Reframing Sustainability as a Hotel Profit Maker
Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky | February 28, 2024
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AHLA, HAC Unite to Expand Hotel Sustainability Certification
Green Key Global | February 28, 2024
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The Future of Hospitality Is Green: How Hotels Can Lead in a Climate-Conscious World
Tim Weiss | February 16, 2024
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Amadeus Brings Travel Technology Expertise to Membership in the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
Amadeus | January 11, 2024
Amadeus is the first global travel tech company to join the industry body The Alliance seeks collaborative approach to building a more sustainable hospitality sector Amadeus has joined the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance) to bring its travel expertise to the table in the quest to support a more prosperous and responsible hospitality sector. As a leading, global player at the heart of the travel and tourism sector, Amadeus sees great potential to work alongside and connect with hospitality industry stakeholders and, together, contribute on the journey to the Alliance’s goal of Net Positive Hospitality – ensuring the indust...
Why Is ESG Important? Navigating Challenges, Embracing Sustainability
Stefan Güldenberg | January 9, 2024
By Stefan Güldenberg Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are increasingly prominent in the decision-making processes of investors, consumers, and employees. With societal and environmental issues at the top of the global agenda, the ESG movement has surged in popularity and more people than ever before are considering the wider implications of their choices. However, the rise of ESG issues in the minds of investors and consumers has not been unchallenged. Last year, the backlash against ESG reached fever pitch when Tesla was removed from the S&P 500 ESG Index. It was cut from the indices over concerns about employer...
WTTC’s ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ Ends 2023 on a High
The World Travel & Tourism Council | December 15, 2023
More than 1,300 hotels verified so far Industry titans agree three-stage hotel sustainability initiative London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Hotel Sustainability Basics is set to end if first year on a high with more than 1,300 hotels verified, across more than 30 countries from around the world. The Hotel Sustainability Basics is an independent global sustainability verification programme, overseen by internationally recognised verifiers, Green Key and SGS. The aim is for hotels around the world, regardless of their size, to follow a 12 step programme to reduce carbon emissions, protect and promote ...
Hilton’s Vice President of ESG and Global Head of Sustainability, Jean Garris Hand, Represents AHLA, Highlights ‘Responsible Stay’ in Senate
AHLA | November 8, 2023
WASHINGTON (Nov. 8, 2023) – Today, Hilton’s Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Global Head of Sustainability, Jean Garris Hand, testified on behalf of Hilton and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion. The hearing, titled “Sustainable Tourism for a Thriving Economy,” explored how to build a sustainable travel and tourism sector while balancing the needs of businesses, visitors, and local communities. Ms. Garris Hand’s written and spoken testimony highlighted how AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative is rallying the h...
AHLA Partners With IncentiFind to Identify Sustainability-Related Savings for Owners, Operators
AHLA | October 30, 2023
New partnership makes it easy for hoteliers to find $70 billion of incentives like tax credits, grants, fee waivers WASHINGTON (Oct. 30, 2023) – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and IncentiFind today announced a new partnership to help AHLA’s more than 30,000 members identify sustainability-related cost savings. IncentiFind, a leading green building incentive database, offers more than a half million incentives, including tax credits, grants, fee waivers, rebates, and bill credits. These lucrative credits support the implementation of green measures like energy efficiency, renewables, water conservation, and more, ...
Placing Wellness and Sustainability as Core Hotel Values With the Fairmont Mayakoba
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | October 11, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Spread across a sprawling 45-acre ocean-facing campus with 401 rooms and suites, the five-diamond, AAA Fairmont Mayakoba has long been on our bucket list of resorts worth visiting. Just outside of Playa del Carmen in the heart of the remarkably popular sun destination that is the Mayan Riviera (especially for Canadian snowbirds like the two of us), the Fairmont Mayakoba property intrigued us because of its diverse array of amenities, its sustainable luxury approach within the broader Mexican hospitality industry and its core focus on authentic wellness experiences. But it wasn’t until we caught wind of the...
CKI Solutions Transitions to Compostable Packaging
CKI Solutions | September 20, 2023
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.—September 20, 2023—Cadence Keen Innovations (d/b/a CKI Solutions), serving the hospitality industry, including cruise, for more than 20 years, is putting plastic packaging in the past and transitioning to compostable packaging for all its mattress and pillow encasements, bed doublers, as well as all other products using plastic or poly bags, including its Bed MadeEZ® Bed Maker. “The transition has already begun and will be included in all new products as they come in from the factories,” says Rachel Montross, Senior Marketing Manager for CKI Solutions. “We are moving away from zippered plastic packaging to ...
American Hotel & Lodging Association and Hotel Association of Canada Announce Expansion of Green Key Global Sustainability Certification Program
AHLA | September 19, 2023
Green Key Global is the best-in-class sustainability process and practice certification for the hotel and lodging industry, designed by hoteliers, for hoteliers. WASHINGTON (Sept. 19, 2023) – Today, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture company that will own and operate the Green Key Global certification program in the United States and Canada. The announcement, made at the Lodging Conference in Phoenix, represents a pivotal moment for environmental action in the hotel industry. Green Key Global is a North American environment...
How Hotel Owners, Operators Are Syncing Up on ESG Goals
JLL | September 6, 2023
Green agreements are helping owners and operators align on sustainability goals Hotel operators and investors are increasingly collaborating to accomplish shared green goals, a sign of growing interest in meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. Take luxury resort group Six Senses and its parent company InterContinental Hotels Group. Each Six Senses property embeds sustainability commitments, such as the adoption of green building standards, the allocation of funds toward local community and environmental initiatives, and even the appointment of in-house sustainability professionals. “ESG is quickly gaining si...
How to Address AI’s Energy Demands? AI Can Help With That
JLL | August 4, 2023
Sustainability efforts are putting the focus on data centers Generative AI technologies that can turn simple phrases into stunning, photo-realistic images have sparked the world’s imagination. They also require a substantial amount of energy. Researchers estimate that running one generative AI algorithm requires up to five times more energy than a regular search engine query. Just training ChatGPT took the same amount of energy as driving 123 combustion vehicles for one year. With AI queries on the rise – openai.com alone pulled in 1.9 billion visits in May 2023, according to SimilarWeb – the boost in energy requirements matt...
Sustainable Business Travel: Our Partnership for a Greener Future
Jack Mahan | July 5, 2023
By Jack Mahan, Rod Clough, Janet Ott At HVS, we take sustainability seriously. It is an important topic for us as a firm and also for the hospitality industry as a whole. As consultants to hotels and hotel operators, we spend much time traveling to meet our clients and conducting site inspections at hospitality properties across the country and globe. Travel is an essential component of what we do as a firm. More broadly, business travel represents nearly one-fifth of all global travel. In 2019, U.S. residents alone took more than 460 million business trips, according to Sustainable Travel International. Unfortunately, business travel al...
GBTA Foundation Reveals the State of Climate Action in Global Business Travel in New Report
GBTA | June 13, 2023
Findings from GBTA’s “The State of Climate Action in Business Travel” report cite awareness, investment and communication as key factors in advancing global sustainability The time is now for the global travel industry to enact meaningful changes for the climate, according to a newly released report, “The State of Climate Action in Business Travel – Global Industry Barometer 2023,” from the GBTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). As reflected in the findings, “business travel is at a critical juncture” as the industry continues to adjust to new realities and envisions a more r...
Food Waste Management: Innovative Solutions for Hospitality
Dr Carlos Martin-Rios | May 25, 2023
By Dr. Carlos Martin-Rios, Julneth Rogenhoger Why is food waste a problem? In recent years, food waste management has become one of the most critical topics in the hospitality industry. Whether it's to cut costs or reduce environmental impact, food waste has become relevant, not only for hoteliers and people in management, but for the average guest as well. On the surface, food waste management sounds like it should be an easy problem to address. Hoteliers have already begun to tackle the issue with farm-to-table programs and projects like Second Harvest, but do these efforts actually make a difference? Source: The cost of food wa...
New Benchmarking Study Outlines Corporate Best Practices for Managing Business Travel’s Climate Impact
GBTA | April 24, 2023
Coinciding with Earth Month, the GBTA Foundation report showcases collective best practices and insights from leading companies taking action on Scope 3.6 emissions for greener corporate travel As companies strive to reduce their carbon footprint, they are implementing various strategies to decarbonize their employee travel. But which practices are effective in driving change and ultimately empowering organizations to continue leveraging business travel while reducing their climate impact? A new benchmarking study released today, “Managing Emissions From Business Travel Programs: Overview of Corporate Best Practices,” sheds light on...
Cost vs Conscience: Booking.com Delves Into the Dilemma Dividing Sustainable Travel in 2023
Booking.com | April 21, 2023
NEW YORK, APRIL 21, 2023 – Booking.com releases new research, with insights gathered from more than 33,000 travelers across 35 countries and territories, that highlights a dilemma where people feel potentially forced to choose between cutting costs and being more mindful about making more sustainable travel choices. At a time of general global uncertainty, traveling more sustainably continues to be front of mind for US travelers, with two thirds (67%) believing people need to act now and make more sustainable choices to save the planet for future generations. The news continues to be a key influence driver for 44%, who say the recen...
MDO Celebrates Earth Day by Helping Hotels Reduce Environmental Footprint
MDO | April 21, 2023
Adopting a Paperless Night Audit process – which moves critical financial documents into a secure, digital environment for storage and compliance – can be directly correlated to significant reduction in tree and forest harvesting. BETHESDA, MD., April 21, 2023 – MDO, the world’s fastest-growing hotel performance management platform, continues to shine the spotlight on hotel owners and operators dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint. This Earth Day, MDO celebrates the 15 operators comprising more than 1,500 hotels who have qualified for MDO Sustainability Certification by verifying a paperless night audit process to s...
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