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Sustainability Trends in Hospitality: Key Benefits & Strategies

NATIONAL REPORT—This article explores the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry, showcases real-life examples of sustainable practices in action, and highlights key strategies hotels and businesses can adopt to align with sustainability trends in hospitality. Climate change is driving the world’s agenda. Business leaders everywhere are wrestling with how to respond to rising public and political pressure and align their systems and operations with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, established to keep global warming below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C. None more so than for hotels, that means reducing their emissions by 90 percent by 2050. Sustainability is no longer an optional...

Reservations Now Open for 1 Hotel Seattle: A Sustainable Sanctuary

SEATTLE—1 Hotels, the nature-inspired luxury lifestyle hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announced that reservations are now open for 1 Hotel Seattle, debuting in April 2025. Set in the buzzy South Lake Union neighborhood at the cross-section of Seattle’s emerging biotech and big-tech industries, 1 Hotel Seattle is a world-class urban retreat, blending sustainable luxury with the restorative beauty of the Pacific Northwest. “Seattle has always been a city that values sustainability, innovation, and connection to nature,” says Barry Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and Chairman of SH Hotels & Resorts (soon to be Starwood Hotels). “With 1...

Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Filed Against Hawthorne Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham Hotel

DALLAS—A civil lawsuit filed by Fortenberry Firm PLLC in Dallas County, Texas, asserts claims of sex trafficking on behalf of a 16-year-old girl from Baytown, Texas, who was groomed by a 32-year-old male, lured to Dallas, drugged, and prostituted at the Hawthorne Extended Stay by Wyndham Dallas. Hawthorne Suites is a division of Wyndham hotels. The suit details that once in Dallas, the victim was taken to the man’s loft apartment and told they were going to make money together but did not specify how. Shortly thereafter, he took her to the hotel and told her she would be prostituting for him. After forcing her to...

Discover Puerto Rico Launches Initiative to Inspire Conscious Travel

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO—Discover Puerto Rico, the Island’s official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), announces its Valentine’s Day initiative, “Love Letter from Puerto Rico,” with Puerto Rican actor and producer Amaury Nolasco. As an extension of the DMO’s Live Boricua campaign, this emotive video is an open invitation for travelers to experience Puerto Rico’s rich diversity and a reminder to explore the island with respect. By celebrating Puerto Rico’s vibrant spirit, culture, and communities, it aims to foster deeper connections while promoting mindful and responsible travel. “This project is deeply personal to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase our...

Acqualina Resort Achieves Responsible Hospitality Sustainability Verification

MIAMI—Acqualina Resort & Residences, the award-winning oceanfront Miami resort, announced that it has earned Responsible Hospitality VERIFIED for two consecutive years by Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on hospitality excellence, as the official sustainability verification for its community of Star-Rated hotels in more than 80 countries. This makes Acqualina Resort one of only 32 properties worldwide to earn this sustainability designation. The comprehensive assessment verifies hotels on best practices to protect the environment and support the well-being of employees, guests and the community—creating a global standard for the world’s finest hotels and a trusted third-party verification for guests. Designed in partnership...

Sustainable Technologies: How Smart Hotels Reduce Environmental Impact

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...

Marriott International Announces Global Launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events

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...

AHLA Foundation Announces Third Annual No Room for Trafficking Summit

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...

JW Marriott San Antonio Is Deep in the ‘Art’ of Texas

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...

Support of Procure Impact Suppliers Grows Stronger as More Hotel Companies Sign Dignity of Work Pledge

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...