WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.—Concrete is not glamorous. It is the workhorse of building materials: versatile, durable, and almost universally ubiquitous, with 30 billion tons of concrete produced every year. Cement, a component of concrete, produces 8 percent of the world’s carbon footprint. Looking to lower that percentage, Purdue University engineers have discovered a way to make concrete more sustainable. Their new recipe for concrete has the potential to cut carbon emissions dramatically, creating building blocks for a better world. A team lead by Mirian Velay-Lizancos, an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue, proposes adding small amounts of nanoscale titanium dioxide to...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, has released a new Social Impact Paper focusing on the Travel & Tourism sector, which has been compiled to showcase the importance of Travel & Tourism as a driver of social impact. This paper is part of a major WTTC initiative and that will see further work in the future. The first iteration of the initiative is the Social Impact Paper, which shows how much of an important role Travel & Tourism plays, not only in driving economic growth, but also in enhancing social progress across the world through its...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Chairman of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), has launched the Coral Bloom concept, which was created by architectural firm Foster + Partners, and designed to blend in with the island’s pristine natural environment. TRSDC, the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, has since shared the striking vision for its main hub island at the destination, Shurayrah. “We expect guests to be awed by what they see when they first arrive at The Red Sea Project, enjoying a truly immersive barefoot luxury experience. The Coral Bloom designs,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Almost four in 10 of all the U.S. jobs lost since February of last year are in the Leisure & Hospitality industry, according to analysis of the latest Department of Labor national jobs report—triple the number of the next-hardest-hit industry. The meager 49,000 jobs created by the U.S. economy in January were viewed by economists as a disappointment and a major sign of lingering pandemic-related stress in labor markets. But according to analysis created for the U.S. Travel Association by the research firm Tourism Economics, the real underlying story is the 61,000 jobs lost by the Leisure & Hospitality...

BANGKOK—The Six Senses Botanique has joined the Six Senses portfolio. This emerald gem is located 2.5 hours from São Paulo and 3.5 hours from Rio de Janeiro. It lies at the confluence of three river valleys in the heart of the Mantiqueira Mountains, known as the “mountains that weep” due to the abundance of springs and rivers. For Six Senses Botanique, however, there is plenty to be happy about. After three months of training centered around the Six Senses brand standards and values, hosts cannot wait to showcase out-of-the-ordinary experiences and emotional hospitality, with the Six Senses integrated pillars of...

NEW YORK—The TreadRight Foundation, The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) not-for-profit, has added two new partnerships to the 55-plus projects it supports through its planet, people and wildlife pillars. Green Bronx Machine in New York and Flourish Forever in Los Angeles, California, are TreadRight’s first project partners in the United States and are both dedicated to addressing issues of food insecurity in some of the country’s most underserved communities. On opposite coasts, both organizations are family-run and based on the belief that the foundation for community empowerment, equality, and resilience includes access to fresh, affordable and healthy food. TreadRight has partnered with...

DENHAM, ENGLAND—IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched Journey to Tomorrow, a series of ambitious new commitments to make a positive difference for people, communities and planet over the next decade. Guided by IHG’s purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good, it will work side by side with those who stay, work and partner with it, to help shape the future of responsible travel—supporting people and making a positive difference to local communities, while preserving the planet’s beauty and diversity long into the future. In an open letter, IHG’s CEO, Keith Barr, said that the global response to Covid-19 has shown what can be achieved when organizations...

BUENA VISTA, FLA.—Eight decades after McDonald’s restaurant revolutionized a speedier way to prepare and serve meals, the fast-food giant is once again setting new standards in the industry, laying the groundwork for a more ecologically responsible place to dine. The façade of the 8,000-square-foot McDonald’s at Disney World in Buena Vista, Fla., not only appears strikingly different than its traditional restaurant chain, but every segment of the building has been meticulously designed to create the world’s first “net-zero” fast food restaurant. “It’s McDonald’s goal to reduce its carbon emissions across its portfolio,” said Jean Gibbons, WSP USA Buildings Vice President. “McDonald’s...

FORT LEE, N.J.—Even before COVID-19 there was an “ick” factor when it came to touching public door handles, handrails, elevator buttons, and other high-touch areas. Today? These areas are of course of much greater concern. Back in 2018, Zeynep “Z” Ekemen, one of the inventers and current Managing Partner of Silver Defender, recognized the need for some type of antimicrobial protection on high-touch areas. “We wanted to create the next Purell,” she says. Ekemen and her colleagues developed chemical-free Silver Defender antimicrobial protected film that can be applied to any high-touch surface. Silver Defender’s technology is activated by light, air...

SHANGHAI, CHINA—Marriott International, Inc. announced the highly-anticipated opening of JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai Fengxian, marking the historic 50th Marriott International hotel to open in Shanghai. Located on Hangzhou Bay in the city’s Fengxian seaside district, just an hour’s drive south of metropolitan Shanghai, the new hotel promises to be a sophisticated and luxurious sanctuary designed to let guests relax and rediscover a sense of balance in mind and body, as well as a convenient gateway to Shanghai and nearby cities such as Hangzhou and Suzhou. “We are delighted to celebrate the opening of the 50th property in Shanghai, a testament...