NEW DELHI—MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company has successfully supported plantation of one million trees through MakeMyTrip Foundation in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand and Udaipur districts as part of its efforts to support responsible travel. The drive has been carried out in partnership with Seva Mandir, a leading nonprofit organization that works with local communities on development projects, especially focusing on sustainability. MakeMyTrip’s GoGreen initiative is a 360-degree drive that aims to promote responsible travel and environmental sustainability by involving all stakeholders including customers, employees and local communities. The tree plantation effort covering 2,350 hectares of land has been carried out with...

VICTORIA, B.C.—When guests book a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Victoria, they have the option of also reserving a Toyota Prius. The hotel has two of the white Toyotas decked out with green leaves and the name of the hotel property on the doors. Guests can book the vehicles through a separate website called http://mystaymycar.com/. What is truly unique about the hotel, however, is its pair of Solo electric vehicles. Made in nearby Vancouver, B.C., the one-person electric vehicles have two wheels in the front, one in the back and are painted just like the two...

SPAIN—Across Spain, hotels are prominently flagging their green credentials as they increasingly take steps to reduce their environmental footprint and appeal to a new generation of eco-aware consumers. The country’s Paradores, state-run hotels in historic buildings such as former palaces and monasteries, are the latest to look to a greener future, switching to renewable energy sources by incorporating features such as biomass technology or solar panels. “The Paradores’ commitment to become 100 percent green energy driven is an important milestone in the Spanish hotels sector,” says Carlos Ortega, Executive Vice President of the Hotels division at JLL Spain. “Being a public-sector...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has again been recognized by CDP, the international nonprofit environmental disclosure platform, on both the Climate Change and Water A List. This is the company’s fourth year in a row to attain a leadership position for Climate Change and its first on the Water A List. Las Vegas Sands is proud to be recognized and continues to work towards additional reduction of its environmental impact. “The CDP provides a comprehensive framework that continues to inspire us to become leaders in our industry and provide guidance for strategic direction,” Norbert Riezler, Senior Vice President of Global Sustainability...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—As part of its commitment to global philanthropy and sustainability, leading global innovation company with textile, specialty chemical and floor covering manufacturing expertise, Milliken & Company’s Specialty Interiors business, announced its partnership with The Gifted Co. The Gifted Co. is a North Carolina-based subsidiary of a nonprofit organization dedicated to training and employing individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty to work in the textile industry in commercial sewing roles. Based in the historical heart of America’s textile industry, this organization works to break the cycle of poverty, homeless and hopelessness by working directly with local homeless populations to provide...

SINGAPORE—Greenview has released its 106-page Green Lodging Trends Report 2018. The Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. The Report highlights and summarizes responses to 115 survey questions in these categories: Energy Management, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Health & Wellness, Back of House, Communications, Staff Involvement, Community Involvement, and Climate Action & Certification. Greenview received data for 4,544 hotels across 61 countries. Of the overall data set, 2,202 properties were classified as City/Urban Hotels, 814 as Suburban Hotels, 607 as Resorts, 296...

ATLANTA—ASHRAE announced board approval of a $15.7 million budget to begin a renovation of its new world headquarters building in metro Atlanta, with the intent of being designed for net-zero energy efficiency. The building located at 180 Technology Parkway in Peachtree Corners, is approximately 10 miles north of ASHRAE’s current location. The 1970s-era building was selected from existing building stock with a goal of retrofitting it into a modern, high-performance building. “ASHRAE is excited to demonstrate innovative leadership in our industry by transforming an existing commercial building into a state-of-the-art built environment,” said 2018-2019 ASHRAE President Sheila J. Hayter. “We want...

GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA—In line with the sustainable tourism philosophy of Costa Rica Tourism Institute (ICT), Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas has implemented a mass solar panel installation on its path toward entirely renewable energy. The project, one of the largest solar energy undertakings in Central America, was completed in December and will provide Tamarindo’s premier eco-boutique hotel with 1,400 solar panels estimated to offset 34 tons of the hotel’s energy usage. “Travelers are more socially and environmentally conscious than ever, seeking vacations that have minimal impact on the planet’s resources,” said General Manager Federico Pilurzu. “At Cala Luna, we...

BRISTOL, ENGLAND—The Travel Foundation has partnered with Cornell University and EplerWood International to analyze how the more damaging impacts of tourism’s rapid growth can be better understood and managed globally. After decades of steady growth, international tourist numbers surpassed 1 billion for the first time in 2012. The report shows that destinations across the world are not prepared for the unprecedented demands this has placed on them, leading to alarming reports of overtourism. With growth set to continue exponentially, reaching 1.8 billion tourists by 2030, a global crisis is looming. While overtourism is an important symptom, the use of vital natural,...

When was the last time you took an objective look at your hotel operations? Have you ever drilled down on how much you spend on plastic cups and trash liners? One client spent $47,000 annually on trash liners. They were shocked, and even more surprising was this cost could be reduced by $21,150 annually. How? Recycling better and reducing trash liners, because recycled items tied up in trash liners are not accepted by most recycling facilities, anyway. Choosing the right-sized trash containers and liners reduces cost, because you don’t need a 60-gallon liner for a 30-gallon container. Eliminating desk...