One of the challenges in running a website by yourself is keeping the content current. One area of my site I check each year is the State & City Green Lodging Programs page. That section shrunk a bit this past year with the elimination of the link for an Arizona Green Lodging program and a program for hotels in Annapolis, Md. With any online search I conducted, I could not find those programs. The remaining programs in 20 states and three cities appear to be going strong but I am sure they were impacted dramatically by the pandemic. I spoke with a representative of a national green lodging program early on during the pandemic and the program had pretty much come to a halt.
Florida appears to have a real handle on its program. Its page was updated as recently as August 26 with the announcement that there are now 378 Designated Florida Green Lodging properties. I also recently heard from a representative of North Carolina’s GreenTravel Initiative. That state has almost 80 participating properties. California has more than 230 lodging establishments in its Green Lodging Program. The Virginia Green Travel program held its virtual conference last month. Kudos to them for being so flexible during this difficult time.
State green lodging programs are particularly prone to budget cuts. I really hope the ones currently operating survive. Lodgings benefit in so many ways by participating: consulting advice, the sharing of best practices, marketing exposure, the opportunity to participate in awards programs, financial savings as a result of green practices and more.
Got a state level green lodging program experience to share? I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
