LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands announced it will contribute $163,000 through Sands Cares to close out phase one of The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada’s $400,000 capital campaign to expand the Arlene Cooper Community Health Center in Downtown Las Vegas. Funding enables The Center to move forward with plans to provide full onsite health and wellness care for LGBTQIA+ and low-income downtown residents and supports the organization’s long-term goal of generating recurring revenue through the clinic to sustain its LGBTQIA+ programming in Southern Nevada. “The generous support of Sands Cares and all of our capital campaign partners will deliver tremendous impact on the wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalized...

NEWPORT BEACH, FLA.—Preferred Hotel Group—the family-owned company that manages and operates global travel and hospitality brands including Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, PHG Consulting, and Beyond Green Travel—announced the launch of Beyond Green last November. This hospitality brand debuted with a global portfolio of 24 founding member hotels, resorts, and lodges that exemplify sustainable tourism leadership. Born through a synergy between the Ueberroth Family, the owners of Preferred Hotel Group, and ecotourism pioneer and global sustainability expert Costas Christ, the founder of Beyond Green Travel, which Preferred acquired in February 2020, Beyond Green brings together forward-thinking properties around the world...

CANADA—GreenStep Solutions and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) announced the launch of the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge. The Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge is a new initiative that encourages tourism businesses and destinations across Canada, and globally, to commit to measuring and improving their sustainability performance each year between now and 2030. Developed in Canada by GreenStep, the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge offers a free online assessment and sustainability score, helping tourism businesses and destinations self-assess on a broad range of sustainability criteria. This creates a common framework and benchmark from which tourism businesses and destinations can create action plans to make ongoing...

DOHA, QATAR—Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) recently marked a milestone in its Qatar Clean program, with 100 percent of QNTC-licensed hotels now “Qatar Clean” certified. Launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in June 2020, QNTC’s Qatar Clean program ensures the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of customers. QNTC’s Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, as well as COO Mr. Berthold Trenkel, marked the anniversary with a visit to the W Doha, which was the first hotel to be certified Qatar Clean. With 100 percent of hotels now fully certified,...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, announced a new program, “Women Own the Room” designed to advance and empower female entrepreneurs who are interested in hotel ownership. Wyndham’s Women Own the Room program is intended to be a resource to help overcome common barriers women face in hotel development and to help them effectively open and run their hotels. The program is built on the pillars of: Delivering comprehensive financial solutions; Offering personalized operational guidance and support; and Establishing an inclusive community for networking and education. “As the hotel...

TEMECULA, CALIF.—Pechanga Resort Casino is saying thank you to its team members who have received the COVID-19 vaccine by rewarding them with a $100 jackpot. Pechanga’s leadership landed on giving staff a $100 gift card incentive after considering a variety of ways to encourage its workforce to take the protective measure. “In coordination with our governmental partners, team members eligible for the vaccine were able to be vaccinated on-site for their convenience,” said Andrew Masiel, Sr., President of the Pechanga Development Corporation Board of Directors. “In addition to on-site opportunities, many of our team members went out on their own...

TORONTO—1 Hotels, the mission-driven, sustainable, luxury hospitality brand has opened 1 Hotel Toronto, the sixth property in its portfolio, in partnership with Mohari Hospitality. To mark its Canadian debut, the hotel hosted a ceremonial tree planting with Tree Canada whereby 2021 native trees will be planted throughout the city. “1 Hotel Toronto sets a new standard for responsible luxury hospitality and serves as a city escape where guests can connect with nature,” said 1 Hotels Founder and CEO & Chairman of Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht. “1 Hotels embraces the idea that living well includes protecting the natural beauty around us...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The following is a statement from Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, on updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) face-covering guidance due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. “As cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant continue to grow in the U.S., hotels will implement safety guidelines based off CDC guidance, and in accordance with state and local laws.  As outlined by the CDC, the circumstances for a change in mask requirements are local, not national, and may be temporary depending upon location. Therefore, we encourage each hotel to monitor their...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched a major new report which reveals how destinations can grow responsibly, using the Destination Stewardship model. The report was launched in partnership with the Travel Foundation and the European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI) at NHL Stenden University, in the Netherlands. ‘Towards Destination Stewardship: Achieving Destination Stewardship through scenarios & a Governance Diagnostics framework’ lays out how destinations can balance the needs of visitors and residents, with the involvement of both the public and private sector. Destination Stewardship is based on the responsible use of shared or “common pool” resources, which provide diminished benefits if...

EUGENE, ORE.—Gov. Kate Brown has signed into law House Bill 2344, requiring manufacturers of personal care and household wipes for sale in the state of Oregon to clearly label “Do Not Flush” on those wipes that are not intended for disposal in the toilet. Introduced in January 2021, this legislation received broad support from the wipes industry, as well as Oregon municipal wastewater agencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many municipalities saw an increase in volumes of inappropriately flushed baby wipes, hard surface cleaning/sanitizing wipes and other items not intended to be disposed via the toilet. Elevating consumer awareness of what should...