WASHINGTON, D.C.—The White House announced that the Department of the Interior will reduce and eventually phase out the sale of single-use plastic products in U.S. national parks, wildlife refuges, and other public lands. The news comes after more than 300 organizations and nearly 70,000 individuals called on the Department of the Interior to act. To mark World Oceans Day 2022, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland issued Secretary’s Order 3407, which initiates a plan “to reduce the procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use products and packaging.” The order is also designed to phase out all single-use plastic products across Department-managed lands by the year...

MALDIVES—Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences announced it has joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). The prestigious SLH group has an “anti-chain, anti-same” ethos; seeking out partner hotels that champion an independent spirit and attract independent-minded travelers. As such, Amilla Maldives Resort is a perfect match, being a standalone boutique hotel with a strong, playful character and a commitment to continual improvements, sustainability and ongoing evolution. Conscious travel is another cornerstone of SLH, and Amilla again shines in this area. As one of the few Maldivian-owned and operated luxury resorts in the Maldives, Amilla strives to celebrate and uplift Maldivian talent, such as...

BETHESDA, MD.—At the 44th Annual NYU International Hospitality Investment Conference, Marriott International announced the launch of “Marriott’s Bridging The Gap,” a multi-year, $50 million development program that aims to address the barriers to entry that historically underrepresented groups face in owning and developing hotels in the United States and Canada. Recognizing that access to capital constitutes a critical barrier to market entry, Marriott will offer financial and other incentives to qualified historically underrepresented owners and franchisees that will have a controlling equity interest in select branded projects. The incentives will apply to new franchise applications submitted after June 1, 2022....

LOS ANGELES—Mogul Hospitality, a venture-backed startup, has announced the launch of Mogul Hotels and Residences, an (ESG) brand powered by a trailblazing elite talent engine. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 11.5 million job openings in the U.S., with an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. Few industries are suffering the consequences of this labor crisis more than hospitality with 3 to 4 million annual job openings, 70 percent annual turnover, and a 6 percent quit rate. With rising labor costs and customer satisfaction at record lows, hotel CEOs agree that labor is the number one, long-term issue...

IRVINE, CALIF.—Sensor faucets may be smart, but they are not smart enough. So says Irvine, Calif.-based entrepreneur Joanna Boey. She is the VP Sales/Marketing for SmartFaucets, a company that focuses on improving the guest experience while reducing water consumption and related costs at the same time. You may have experienced malfunctioning sensor faucets—waving your hands with no response below the faucet. “Half the time the touchless faucet fails—the battery fails,” Boey says. The electronic eye can also get dirty, further increasing the chance of malfunction. The valve may also malfunction two or three times a year. Ultimately, the sensor faucet...

SINGAPORE—Ascott Residence Trust (ART) has issued its first sustainability-linked bond of S$200 million under its newly established Sustainability-Linked Finance Framework. ART is the first hospitality trust globally to issue a sustainability-linked bond. ART is also the first listed real estate trust in Singapore to issue a sustainability-linked bond. ART’s sustainability-linked bond is issued pursuant to its S$2 billion Multicurrency Debt Issuance Program and proceeds from the bond issuance will be used to refinance ART’s existing borrowings. With a fixed coupon rate of 3.63 percent per annum, paid semi-annually in arrears, the five-year sustainability-linked bond will mature in April 2027. ART has...

CHICAGO—What will hotels of the future look like and how will they function? The Hotel of Tomorrow Project (HOT Project), a global think tank of industry leaders, seeks to answer that question. After an eight-month collaborative effort, which included regular and virtual reality meetups on a custom-built HOT airship in the metaverse, a team of more than 200 including representatives from Hilton, IHG and Marriott hotels, along with technology experts and hospitality school students has unveiled seven future hotel visions. “When you gather and collaborate with many of the most innovative minds in the hospitality industry from owners to operators to...

SEATTLE—Sustainable Travel International released an embeddable carbon footprint calculator for calculating and offsetting travel emissions. Now, any company can power carbon offsetting directly from their own website. This new technology expands upon Sustainable Travel International’s suite of business climate solutions, providing a free and simple mechanism for companies to offer their customers high quality carbon offsets. Once embedded, visitors can use the calculator to calculate their travel emissions and purchase carbon offsets from Sustainable Travel International. In addition to flights, users can offset other high emissions travel activities including cruises, vehicles, liveaboards, yachting, and private jet charters. The new, embeddable calculator...

ELIZABETH ISLAND, BAHAMAS—Ushering in a new era for Caribbean vacation home communities, Silent Resorts and EcoIsland Development announce Club Ki’ama Bahamas, the world’s first equity club to offer ultra-sustainable solar residences and carbon neutral solar yachts. Club Ki’ama is located within the new Ki’ama Bahamas enclave on Elizabeth Island, minutes from Great Exuma. It represents a one-of-a-kind co-ownership opportunity that combines luxurious solar-powered, oceanfront homes with a fleet of solar-powered and crewed yachts, as well as electric day boats, a beach club, spa, and restaurant. Construction begins in May 2022, and, upon completion, Club Ki’ama will have the lowest environmental impact of any development in the...

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals the Travel & Tourism sector is expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade. The bullish forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, also shows the sector will be a driving force of the global economic recovery, creating one in three of all new jobs. The announcement was made by Julia Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC, in her opening speech at WTTC’s prestigious Global Summit in the Philippines. The prediction was delivered in the...