August will be a big month for trade shows and conferences—perhaps one of the biggest ones ever—with the AAHOA Convention & Trade Show from August 3 to 6, the HD Expo & Conference from August 24 to 25, and The NAFEM Show from August 26 to 28. The AAHOA event will take place at the Kay Bailey Convention Center in Dallas, the HD Expo & Conference will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and The NAFEM Show will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
As of May 20, more than 60 percent of Americans had received at least one vaccination shot and increasingly the travel and meetings industries are returning to normal. In fact, at the Hunter Conference earlier this month, in-person attendance was at more than 1,000.
Will sustainability-related topics be the focus of any of the three events? I checked the itineraries and found the following (is clear that session planning is still underway):
At the AAHOA event, there will be a session focused on “Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST). AAHOA has partnered with BEST to offer free training that includes a review of the risks to you and your hotel, the people involved in trafficking, the process for reporting to law enforcement, and how you and your staff can prevent trafficking in your hotel. Upon completion of the training, you will earn a certificate.
HD Expo says it will have 40 sessions, but it is not yet posting them. The event will feature a DesignWell Pavilion in the expo hall. Industry projections show the wellness market could reach $1 trillion by 2022. And thanks to COVID-19, health and wellness are more critical than ever to hospitality’s success and future. The site says, “Hear how brands are integrating wellness and sustainability into their projects and products and explore innovation from upstarts and legacy leaders alike as they look to redefine the market.”
The NAFEM Show is not currently showing its educational session list on its website. Of value is its various online News & Insights reports. One example: “Reacting and adapting: How foodservice operators are taking on change.” Another example: “Trend watch: Sanitation & safety.”
Product Focus
Of course one of the main reasons for attending these shows is to learn about products and services that can save you energy, water, reduce waste, improve indoor air quality, and enhance the guest and staff experience in various healthy and sustainable ways.
AAHOA is not currently listing its exhibitor list.
HD Expo is listing its exhibitors and the list is fairly long. One example of a green company that will be exhibiting is Mama Green. Outdoor furniture designs incorporate a majority of recycled or recyclable materials, and business ethics extend to demonstrable social responsibility. SolarSynthesis will offer its solar powered mobile device charging centers with battery back-up. Also at the show will be Valley Forge Fabrics. Valley Forge is recognized as the sustainability forerunner in the production of high quality, decorative Fire Retardant fabrics worldwide. For over 40 years, they have specialized in the hospitality and lodging industries with a continual focus on exceptional design and product innovation, including a new division focused solely on Window Treatment Products & Installation Services. This is in addition to their existing product lines of sustainable textiles, finished bedding, decorative sheers, coated blackouts, printed fabrics, and fabricated decorative roller shades.
The NAFEM Show has posted its current exhibitor list. Environmental Products & Services LLC will feature its proactive grease recovery system that the company says offers the lowest energy consumption of any grease removal units. ExBio NA, Inc. will be at NAFEM with its food digesters. Its aerobic digester technology uses Enzyme 159 and Biostar Accelerator to turn food waste into grey water in 24 hours or less. Somat Company will feature its pulping systems that provide an economic and efficient answer to cutting the high and ever-increasing costs associated with foodservice waste handling. Somat Pulping Systems are engineered to reduce waste volume by eliminating void spaces and liquids providing an 8 to 1 reduction in volume (up to 85 percent.)
It is great to see these shows back, “live”, and in-person. It is all due to the many Americans who have gotten vaccinated. If you have not yet gotten your shots, please do so. I look forward to seeing you at our industry’s upcoming shows.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 23,680 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2021?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2021. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2021 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 23,680. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,771 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 985 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
