NEW YORK—Starwood Hotels, the hotel brand management company behind 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, announced that 1 Hotel Copenhagen, 1 Hotel Melbourne, and 1 Hotel Seattle have each been awarded one Michelin Key, marking an impressive debut year for all three properties. They join 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, 1 Hotel Central Park, 1 Hotel San Francisco, 1 Hotel South Beach, 1 Hotel Toronto, 1 Hotel Mayfair, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, 1 Hotel Haitang Bay, 1 Hotel Nashville, and Baccarat Hotel New York, which were among the first properties to receive the prestigious distinction and have each maintained...

SEATTLE—Expedia Group has released its annual global travel insights report, “Unpack ‘26,” which forecasts significant travel trends for the year 2026. The report, based on data from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, as well as a survey of 24,000 travelers across 18 countries, provides a comprehensive look at the future of travel. 2026 Travel Trends Overview The “Unpack ‘26” report identifies several emerging trends that are shaping the travel landscape. These include the rise of sustainable tourism, the popularity of unique lodging experiences, and the increasing desire for immersive local and cultural experiences. Sustainable Tourism & Smart Travel Health Check A key focus of...

MALDIVES—On October 29, 2025, as the world celebrates conscious living, The Nautilus Maldives, an ultra-luxury bohemian private island hideaway, invites families to embark on a journey of transformation, creativity, and renewal. Debuting on World Sustainability Day, The Nautilus introduces a new series of monthly sustainability workshops for families, developed by ecoBirdy, a like-minded innovator in circular design. Earlier this year, The Nautilus introduced its sustainability partnership with ecoBirdy—an award-winning, family-run design brand renowned for its imaginative approach to socially and environmentally responsible design. Curated for Young Wonderers, this collaboration now deepens with immersive, hands-on workshops designed to blend creativity, learning, and...

SINGAPORE—IHG Hotels & Resorts announced that Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay is the first hotel in Asia to join its Low Carbon Pioneer program. The program is part of IHG’s global initiative to enhance sustainability across its properties by focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. The Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay, which opened in 2014, incorporates various sustainability features. These include a fully electric kitchen, hot water heat pumps, high-efficiency water fixtures, and an intelligent building management system designed to optimize energy usage. The hotel also utilizes solar glazing and advanced lighting controls to maximize daylight...

NATIONAL REPORT—The hospitality industry faces mounting pressure to reduce operational costs while meeting growing environmental expectations from guests. Energy expenses are typically one of the largest overhead costs for businesses in this industry. Understanding how on-site renewable energy can benefit hotels and resorts goes beyond simple cost savings, creating opportunities for enhanced guest experiences, improved brand reputation, and long-term financial stability. Dramatic Cost Reductions Through Energy Independence Installing renewable energy systems delivers immediate and long-term financial benefits that directly impact your bottom line. Solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal systems can drastically reduce electricity bills, depending on system size and local...

NATIONAL REPORT—Given the immense climatic challenges we currently face and the growing consumer demand for more sustainable products and services, businesses in every sector are starting to take their environmental impact seriously. In hospitality, the situation is no different. Energy consumption in the industry is high, with cooling, lighting, heating, and ventilation responsible for up to 60 percent of a hotel’s CO2 emissions. Energy-intensive extras such as heated swimming pools, excessive water and plastic use, and food waste also contribute to the industry’s environmental impacts. Given these unavoidable energy requirements and resource needs, hotels must be smart about increasing energy efficiency and reducing their...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced the launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events (Connect Responsibly), a program designed to help meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Connect Responsibly plans to offer meetings and events customers access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events and select options to purchase carbon credits. The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of October. “There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it that much...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AHLA Foundation announced their third annual No Room for Trafficking Summit will take place July 30, 2024, the same day as the United Nation’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. At last year’s No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Summit, the inaugural grantees of the NRFT Survivor Fund were announced, including: Safe House Project, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Restore NYC, Inc., University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors. AHLA Foundation also shared quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact the four Survivor Grantees have made to-date with the $500,000 disseminated across their respective organizations: Collectively, the...

SAN ANTONIO—The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is filled with hidden gems including the elevated artwork that fills this luxurious resort. Hallways and common spaces feature unique, sophisticated work by locally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed artists, giving guests the opportunity to roam the resort to tour and discover the magnificent art pieces curated for guests to enjoy as a new indoor activity. The “Art Walk” takes resort guests throughout the upper and lower-level lobbies where they can view and read about 13 different pieces of art on a self-guided tour. Guides can be picked up at the...

NATIONAL REPORT—In late February, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Procure Impact, a first-of-its-kind B2B marketplace for products that support overlooked communities, announced the launch of the Dignity of Work Pledge, an initiative to create 100,000 hours of paid employment for overlooked populations. At the time of the announcement, eight hotel companies had signed the Pledge. According to Jen Collins, President of Procure Impact, three companies have since signed on, five have verbally committed, and Procure Impact is in conversation with 15 more. There are now more than 150,000 hotel rooms represented. Hotel companies that purchase from companies in...