I often come across partnerships that result in the planting of trees. I just learned about another one. Mastercard has teamed up with Preferred Hotel Group, the parent company of independent hotel brand Preferred Hotels & Resorts and new sustainable hotel brand Beyond Green, to support the growing number of travelers who wish to make more eco-conscious accommodation choices as members of the guest loyalty program I Prefer Hotel Rewards. For every I Prefer member rate booked and paid for online with a Mastercard, Preferred Hotel Group will fund the planting of one tree up to a maximum of 17,500 trees. This pledge to support global...

When it comes to the carbon footprint of a guestroom space in a hotel, the size of the space is of course critical. I heard today from a PR person informing me that Marriott has partnered with Ori, a robotics and architecture startup, to reimagine guestroom space. The announcement of the partnership was made at CES. The two brands will be working together as part of Marriott’s Design Lab to completely transform the way customers experience travel. Integrating Ori products and technology into Marriott guestrooms will allow travelers flexibility and adaptability and new kinds of rooms and experiences. This is the first large...

A Sustainable Tourism Destination Management certificate is being designed and produced by Cornell STAMP with eCornell to be distributed worldwide, via cooperation with the Travel Foundation and the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and with support from the German Corporation for International Cooperation. Lead instructors are Megan Epler Wood and Dr. Mark Milstein, who will be joined by a wide range of experts from leading institutions and destinations worldwide with illustrative case materials. The certificate will be offered through an 8-module online learning program with 40 hours of video and additional resource materials. The program will challenge professionals and students to advance their skills to document social and environmental...

EHL Insights recently released its 2022 top 10 hospitality industry trends. Three of those trends cross over into the space I cover. Here are those three along with EHL Insights’ descriptions: 2. Holistic Hospitality, Health & Well-being  Preventative medicine and self-care are undisputedly trending right now due to the COVID pandemic. The wellness industry is transforming into a booming trillion-dollar market and hospitality venues are well positioned to take a large piece of the pie, especially those with existing spa facilities. In addition to the usual beauty and relaxation spa offering, there is rapidly growing demand for health diagnostic technology and bespoke treatment plans...

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group have launched “Trending in Travel”, a new report that shows the latest trends in traveler behavior and future booking patterns in the wake of COVID-19. WTTC, representing the global Travel & Tourism sector, joined forces with leading global travel service provider, Trip.com Group, and its major consumer brands Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, to analyze consumer trends shaping the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector. WTTC’s latest projections show strong growth in international spending for 2022 and beyond, projected to overtake domestic spending in 2022, as more destinations ease restrictions and...

“Art hotels” are certainly becoming more common in our industry. In this case, the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa recently announced an exclusive, multi-faceted partnership with the Academy of Art University, San Francisco’s leading art school and one of the largest private, accredited art and design schools in the nation. The new hotel seeks to celebrate the local arts community by incorporating curated student works into the property’s public spaces as well as featuring them in the hotel’s executive and presidential suites. Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa worked closely with internationally recognized design firm BHDM and the teams at Academy of Art University to commission...

Most of you are familiar with Clean the World, the organization that repurposes partially or unused soap and bottled amenities. If your hotel is not yet participating in Clean the World’s programs, I strongly encourage it to do so. One of the benefits of supporting Clean the World is receiving its monthly newsletter. Here are some highlights from the organization’s November newsletter: Clean the World has a fresh new look with its new website. Says Clean the World, “Whether you’re a partner, a supporter, or just stopping by to say hi, our new website’s ease of navigation puts the user...

Climate Neutral Group (CNG) recently announced the launch of its Climate Neutral Certification Standard. According to CNG, the Standard is the first climate neutral one to target absolute zero. The initiative is open to any organization, product or service that wants to achieve Absolute zero, a state where it no longer produces any greenhouse gases. This goes well beyond net zero, where emissions are still allowed. The standard includes a unique reduction component, requiring companies to meet an annual reduction target with the aim of reaching Absolute zero by 2050. It paves the way for organizations to only offset what they cannot reduce, following the highest quality criteria. The certification standard provides a practical process and tools towards climate neutrality, while ensuring that a company is verified against strict criteria by independent certification bodies. Managing Director at CNG, René Toet, said, “It’s time for...

When Choice Hotels International announced earlier this week that its future headquarters would be housed in a LEED Gold-targeted building, it was part of a trend followed by others in the hotel industry. Choice’s new offices in North Bethesda, Md. are expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2023. More than three years ago, Marriott International broke ground on its new headquarters in Bethesda, Md. Set to open next year, it is also designed to LEED Gold standards, allowing an abundance of natural light, while providing new opportunities for flexible, collaborative workspaces. The campus will also offer Marriott...

It is not something you put on your calendar, but this week is Rodent Awareness Week. A big thank you to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) for sharing some tips on how to deter rodents. Perform regular rodent inspections. Knowing where to look and what to look for can help solve a rodent issue before it gets worse. The top sign of a rodent issue is seeing a live or dead rodent. Some other common signs of a rodent infestation are droppings, gnaw marks, nests, urine stains, and tracks or rub marks. It is also important to inspect...