MIAMI—The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a trusted, internationally recognized resource for wellness industry data, released an in-depth update of its Global Wellness Economy Monitor at this year’s Global Wellness Summit. The event took place at Technogym Village, Cesena, Italy, October 6 to 8. The highly anticipated research updates figures for the 10 industry segments that comprise the global wellness economy and include comprehensive, updated analysis on the size and scope of global wellness markets, including detailed, global regional-level analysis, trends and data. “As an organization, we are committed to empowering wellness worldwide and believe that...

BETHESDA, MD.—To support youth employment and growth in the future hospitality talent pool in Canada, Marriott International announced a new and exclusive collaboration with The Prince’s Trust Canada to develop a hospitality-focused curriculum and internship program. The Get Into Hospitality program will initially begin, as a pilot, at four Marriott International hotels in the Greater Toronto Area: the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, the Delta Toronto, and the Marriott Downtown Toronto Eaton Centre. Prince’s Trust Canada seeks to provide work experience to disadvantaged youth that otherwise have difficulty gaining employment. Twenty unemployed Toronto youth, chosen through their...

ATLANTA—IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced that it will remove plastic straws from its global estate by the end of 2019, representing more than 5,400 hotels in nearly 100 countries. Plastic straws have already been removed from nearly 1,000 hotels in its Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa (EMEAA) region and it is introducing bulk-size bathroom amenities to several hotel brands in the Americas, as part of broader efforts to reduce waste. Keith Barr, CEO, IHG, commented: “IHG is in almost 100 countries and we touch the lives of millions of people each day. This gives us a responsibility to protect...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA—On the first day of Pollution Prevention Week, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) announced that all 19 Sandals and Beaches Resorts across seven Caribbean islands—including Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, Barbados and Turks & Caicos—will eliminate the 21,490,800 single-use plastic straws and stirrers used across the resorts each year by November 1, 2018. Eco-friendly paper straws will be available upon request. “Love is at the crux of all Sandals Resorts, and this love extends to the oceans and communities around them,” said Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “We care deeply about our commitment to...

NATIONAL REPORT—As many activist groups continue to condemn the use and production of leather for ethical, environmental and worker health reasons, this byproduct of meat production is commonly found in the hotel industry. “It is used anywhere where people use wood—tabletops, floors, headboards, restaurant walls, some ceilings as well,” says Christian Nadeau, President of EcoDomo LLC. “It is primarily used for upholstery in hospitality. It is not only used in luxury hotels. Adding a touch of leather adds elegance to a product.” Increasingly, companies serving the hotel industry have been promoting their leather as a green product. How can that be?...

PALMA, MALLORCA, SPAIN—Meliá Hotels International announced that it is joining the #PorElClima community as part of its commitment to combat climate change. The platform is a pioneering Spanish project which brings together individuals, companies, organizations and public administration with a common goal: concrete actions to ensure Spain complies with its Paris Agreement commitment to reduce emissions. The 2015 Paris Agreement defined objectives for slowing down global warming and limiting the increase in the Earth’s temperature to 1.5°C, which would considerably reduce the risks and impact of climate change. Meliá Hotels International plays a leading role in combatting climate change within the...

GREEN’S GRANT, N.H.—When it soft opened earlier this month, the fifth Glen House became the newest lodging establishment in the White Mountains and fulfilled a 25-year master plan for the Mount Washington Auto Road. The 68-room, three-story structure is on the site of the former Great Glen Ski Lodge on the western side of New Hampshire Route 16, north and across from the Base Lodge of the Mount Washington Auto Road. In addition to meeting a need for rooms in the Mount Washington Valley, the Glen House will also boost the economy with the hiring of up to 40 full- and...

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS—BENCHMARK, a global hospitality company, has just released its Top Ten Dining Trends for 2019. The trends were observed by Benchmark’s executive chefs and culinary experts at the company’s 80 luxury hotels, resorts and restaurants coast to coast, off shore and in Europe. “Food and beverage is an ever-evolving realm of experiences,” says Patrick Berwald, Benchmark’s Vice President Food and Beverage. “The opportunity for us is not only to be ahead of the trend but to understand who tomorrow’s customer will be, what fulfills their needs and how our properties can be ready to meet that demand.” 2019 Dining...

INCHEON, REPUBLIC OF KOREA—Limiting global warming to 1.5ºC would require rapid, far reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a new assessment. With clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, limiting global warming to 1.5ºC compared to 2ºC could go hand in hand with ensuring a more sustainable and equitable society, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said on Monday. The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC was approved by the IPCC on Saturday in Incheon, Republic of Korea. It will be a key scientific input into...

BURBANK, CALIF.—In January of this year, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced an initial $50 million investment in a new and ongoing education initiative aimed specifically at The Walt Disney Company’s hourly workforce. “I have always believed that education is the key to opportunity,” he said. “It opens doors and creates new possibilities.” For more than 80,000 hourly Cast Members and employees of The Walt Disney Company in the United States, those doors unlock now with the launch of Disney Aspire, a groundbreaking education program for hourly employees in the United States. “I am incredibly proud that Disney is...