With September just a couple of days away, I thought it would be timely to point out some upcoming fall events to keep in mind as possible ones to attend. The first event is The Well Summit at Union Market in Washington, D.C. If wellness is your focus, be sure to check out the itinerary for this event. One of the speakers will be physician and New York Times Best-Selling Author Dr. Mark Hyman. He is an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. If you plan to attend The Lodging Conference in Phoenix,...

Over the years I have posted about the Fairmont Washington, D.C.’s Sustainability Fair. I just received word that the hotel will hold its eleventh annual Sustainability Fair on Friday, September 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. I always give this event some publicity because it is so unique—formally inviting vendors and the public into a hotel space to celebrate sustainability. Each time I have been contacted by Diana Bulger, Area Director of Public Relations for the hotel. Some of this year’s participants include: Balance Gym, Compostology, DC Beekeepers Alliance (live honeybees), DC Sustainable Energy Utility, Destination DC, Department of Energy...

One of the impacts of the pandemic was of course a reduction in housekeeping. It was for safety reasons and ultimately due to a shortage of housekeepers. According to Gary Leff of “View from the Wing,” at least one brand is going back to the old days of housekeeping—Hilton, and at least with some of its brands. According to an internal Hilton communication reviewed by View From The Wing, “Daily housekeeping will be a brand standard at all full-service hotels, and every other day at limited-service properties though in both cases either more or less housekeeping will be at the...

Green Lodging News has reported previously on company or individual efforts to accommodate travelers who happened to have autism. For example, in 2019, the SpringHill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld earned Certified Autism Center designations. Earlier this year, Legoland California, Legoland Florida, and Legoland New York Resorts announced that all parks would become Certified Autism Centers this past spring. In an interesting twist, last week, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with Autism Double-Checked, announced the introduction of the world’s first-ever Autism Concierge, providing a dedicated contact for all autism-related questions and serving as an extension of the Autism Double-Checked comprehensive three-part...

According to Glamping.com, “Glamping is where stunning nature meets modern luxury. It’s a way to experience the untamed and completely unique parts of the world—without having to sacrifice creature comforts.” Green Lodging News has published articles detailing numerous examples of glamping destinations opening in recent years. One company specializing in developing glamping camps is Under Canvas. It just opened its 11th camp in Paradise Valley. Under Canvas North Yellowstone – Paradise Valley is located on 50 acres of picturesque ranchland near the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Under Canvas North Yellowstone – Paradise Valley is the brand’s second camp near...

At the National Parks Conservation Association, its mission is to protect our national parks for present and future generations to enjoy. There’s something in our national parks for everyone, from visitors looking for an adventure to those who simply enjoy taking in the sights. With its partners at Travelodge by Wyndham, its Park Pairings video guide series is designed to inspire visitors to explore parks in new ways. Created by NPCA’s staff of experts and filmed in Joshua Tree National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Shenandoah National Park, the guides showcase ways to enjoy time in parks with...

ACCP and YourCause from Blackbaud surveyed the corporate social impact field to better understand the trends impacting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) professionals. Many hotel companies have at least one CSR/ESG professional and in some cases an entire team. The survey was conducted in April of 2023 and garnered responses from 149 companies representing more than $1B in community investment. The survey results show a profession experiencing continued instability and change, which may hinder its ability to successfully maintain momentum toward the goals of positively impacting society and meeting key stakeholder expectations. Most survey respondents (86...

When I first started Green Lodging News, there were still many in our industry who supported keeping a percentage of their rooms as smoking rooms. Many factors have led to the mass elimination of smoking rooms in the industry—consumer demand, legislative action, brand policies, etc. At The Hospitality Show in Las Vegas last month, there were many exhibitors of interest, including a couple of companies that make it easy to catch guests who violate nonsmoking policies. The two companies include alerteer and FreshAir Sensor LLC. The companies’ products function similarly. In the case of alerteer, it provides a system of...

Green Lodging News has reported on the efforts of Outrigger Resorts & Hotels many times. The Outrigger ZONE conservation initiative serves to provide enriching experiences for guests, hosts and local communities; as well as to ensure that properties actively do their part to protect our oceans and help them to thrive for generations to come. This month is World Ocean Month and Outrigger Resorts & Hotels has pledged to continue making a difference at its premier beach resorts worldwide. Activities connected to ocean health and conservation are taking place at each Outrigger resort. Each event is geared to empower, educate...

I believe I attended my first International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City in 1989. At that time the show was huge with two levels of New York’s Javits Center occupied. There were more than 1,000 exhibitors each year for years and the food and foodservice section went on and on. You could grab lunch and dinner by grabbing samples during a stroll up and down the show aisles. Even the hotel school area was large. In my early years attending the show, I worked for Hotel & Motel management magazine and helped them produce “show dailies”. It...