DES MOINES, IOWA—A group of Iowa hospitality leaders recently announced the formation of the Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA). The new non-profit trade association officially launched January 20, 2022. The group is actively building membership and has started to engage in initiatives which fulfill its mission to protect, promote, educate, and advocate on behalf of the state’s 700+ hotels and lodging establishments. In fact, data from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the national partner of the newly formed IHLA, estimates that Iowa’s hotels lost nearly 10,000 jobs and $420 million in room revenue alone. Nearly 2,000 pre-pandemic hotel jobs have yet to...

HONOLULU—'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, the award-winning hotel located steps from the beach in the center of Waikiki, announced its commitment to achieve PAS 2060 carbon neutral certification. The resort has engaged DEKRA for verification services and has partnered with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) and Legacy Carbon LLC to help offset the carbon footprint of the resort. This builds upon Alohilani Resort’s existing sustainability initiatives, including its commitment to plant 100,000 indigenous trees in its Legacy Forest, and its use of renewable electricity throughout the hotel. Providing a carbon-neutral experience means guests can ease their conscience while they enjoy...

WILLIAMS, ARIZ.—One place where romantics, rail enthusiasts, and younger generations can hear, see, smell, and feel the majesty of the Iron Horse is on the Grand Canyon Railway. Of the more than 30,000 steam engines originally built in the United States less than 200 survive today, only a few are still running, and even fewer on everyday passenger railroads (most are on museum lines). The steam engine changed everything. It created time zones, kick-started the Industrial Revolution, and connected the East and West Coast, vastly reducing travel time across the United States. In 1901 the railroad reached Grand Canyon South Rim,...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, achieved an overall score of 91 out of 100 in 2021’s ESG-assessment and benchmark exercise by Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)—exceeding the score of 84 it accomplished last year. As a result of achieving high scores across the board, GRESB has awarded TRSDC with the prestigious Regional Sector Leader award—an achievement that honors companies that have out-performed their sector. “Last year we set the bar very high, with a score that we were extremely proud to achieve. Not only have we exceeded our...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—Matteson Capital will soon break ground on its highly anticipated development in Oklahoma City, Okla.—The Dream Project. The landmark project is inclusive of two luxury, wellness hotels by hotel brand and management company, Dream Hotel Group and a state-of-the-art, residential tower, The Dream Residences. Designed by architecture firm CUBE3 and built by Hensel Phelps alongside development partners Brad Hogan and Randy Hogan, the project will add over one million square feet to Oklahoma City’s visionary urban expansion. The Dream Project will also be among the country’s first developments offering innovative wellness systems throughout the build to provide...

SHELTON, CONN.—Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and the The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) have announced the relaunch of the all-new Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show (FRLS) to take place November 1 to 4, 2022 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Fla. This newly reinvented gathering for the restaurant, foodservice, lodging and hospitality industry will replace the historic FRLS, traditionally held in Orlando in September. “After 40 years of hosting the FRLA Show in Orlando, we felt it was time for a refresh for this important industry event, which our association has long been a partner in,” said Carol...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program released 14 draft assessments for fisheries that “pose risks to the survival of the endangered North Atlantic right whale.” This includes proposing that the U.S. American lobster fishery, Jonah crab fishery, and other trap, pot, and gillnet fisheries be added to its “Red List” of seafood, or its classification of seafood that businesses and consumers should avoid because they are caught or farmed in ways that have a high risk of harming wildlife or the environment. Seafood Watch is accepting comments on the assessments until February 28. Currently, more than 25,000 restaurants, stores,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Standards are used by GreenStep Solutions in their assessment and verification programs which provide tools, resources, and consultative support to destinations and businesses across the tourism industry. The Sustainable Tourism standards enable tourism businesses and destinations to measure their sustainability performance in several key categories; management, social, economic, natural, cultural, and environmental. The GSTC-Recognized status refers to the standard itself and means that a sustainable tourism standard or system has been reviewed by GSTC technical experts and the GSTC Assurance Panel and deemed the standard or system equivalent to the GSTC Criteria for sustainable tourism. It shows that...

AVIEMORE, SCOTLAND—The tourism industry has a significant carbon footprint—before 2020 it accounted for 8 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The Wilderness Group believes in the transformational power of tourism, and the truly positive impact it can have on individuals, communities, and the planet. The award-winning adventure travel group is excited to announce that all 156 itineraries across Wilderness Ireland, Wilderness Scotland, and Wilderness England, will now include Carbon Labeling, providing guests with rigorous calculations and true transparency of the carbon impact when they travel, helping adventurers make more informed decisions on where and how to travel. Through their work with the carbon consultancy eCollective,...

MACAO—Team members from Sands China Ltd. got together with volunteers from two local community groups at The Venetian Macao recently, where they built 20,000 hygiene kits for Clean the World, an international social enterprise that provides hygiene supplies essential for good health to populations in need around the globe, helping prevent the spread of disease. The hygiene kit build is an annual worldwide volunteer effort of Sands China’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS); in 2014, Sands China was the first integrated operator to launch such an event in Macao. The initiative helps Clean the World distribute emergency response hygiene kits to assist with...