RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—Leaders from across the global tourism sector are set to unite in Riyadh for this year’s UNWTO World Tourism Day (WTD), which will be celebrated from September 27 to 28. Through a range of impactful events, global ministers, industry leaders and experts will highlight the power of tourism and explore avenues for collaboration to foster growth of the sector, placing people, the planet and prosperity front and center of proceedings. Under the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments”, WTD 2023 will examine the role of investment in people and planet to secure livelihoods and foster mutual understanding, while exploring opportunities to...

PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab, a global sustainability leader offering water solutions and services, announced findings from the inaugural Ecolab Watermark Study. The global consumer research examined the state of water stewardship through water’s importance, usage, connection to climate and responsibility among key consumer populations around the world. By 2030, the planet is set to face a 56 percent water deficit, according to the World Resources Institute, and 1.6 billion people will lack safely managed drinking water, according to the United Nations. It’s amid this pressing water crisis that Ecolab developed the Ecolab Watermark Study to identify trends, help educate and generate action across industry stakeholders, specifically those...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the world works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the infrastructure needed for wind, solar, and electric vehicles is being built at record rates. Before long, a wave of solar panels, wind turbines, and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will reach the end of their useful life. Nevertheless, despite growing demand for the critical minerals such as copper, lithium, silver, and cobalt used to build these renewable technologies, there seems to be little analysis about the dynamics of recycling. The transition to a clean energy future requires a secure supply of critical minerals. Recycling is one way that society can mitigate...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton has announced the release of new mental wellbeing resources designed to support its global population of 450,000 team members and further destigmatize mental wellbeing in the workplace. As part of its Thrive at Hilton platform, the initiative will support team members across its franchised and managed properties as they care for themselves, their teams, and their loved ones. The new resources aim to make it easier than ever for Hilton team members to find effective, flexible and accessible tools that support their mental wellbeing while encouraging continued conversations around topics such as burnout, time management, financial wellbeing, stress...

NEW YORK—A study published in Building & Environment found organizations that achieved WELL Certification experienced higher-performing workplaces than their non-certified peers, underscoring the importance of prioritizing employee health and well-being in buildings. The study, “The potential of high-performance workplaces for boosting worker productivity, health, and creativity: A comparison between WELL and non-WELL certified environments,” published in the September edition of Building & Environment, analyzed the largest data set of occupant responses to date comparing performance between WELL Certified and non-certified workplaces across the Asia-Pacific region, including New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong. “Our findings show that benefits related to satisfaction, health, productivity, and creativity may...

BETHESDA, MD.—In a world that moves at a rapid pace, finding moments of pause and self-care is paramount to maintaining momentum. Delta Hotels by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of 31 hotel brands, is furthering its commitment to creating seamless and thoughtful travel experiences by introducing an exclusive new and complimentary hydration program with waterdrop, whose mission is to encourage people to drink more water so that they can live a healthier, longer, and more sustainable life. Guests checking into any of Delta Hotels’ more than 120 locations around the world—including the new Delta Hotels by Marriott New York Times Square—can now...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Scandic announced it will expand its Signature Collection with hotels in Tromsø, Norway, and Aarhus, Denmark. The Tromsø hotel will open in 2025 and the Aarhus hotel in 2026. The target sector for the two hotels: the leisure segment. Today, Scandic has five signature hotels in Stockholm, Helsinki, Bergen and Oslo that target global travelers who consider the hotel stay to be the destination, regardless of the purpose of a trip. Scandic’s Signature Collection is a range of lifestyle hotels that have been developed to bring out a hotel’s individual character and satisfy travelers for whom the hotel stay,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture company that will own and operate the Green Key Global certification program in the United States and Canada. The announcement was made at the Lodging Conference in Phoenix. Green Key Global is a North American environmental certification body for the hotel and lodging industry. Green Key’s certification criteria are recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and aligned with all 17 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Properties receive an eco-rating...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) recently announced the result of its annual recycled content survey, which reports its members’ use of recycled materials. In 2022, NAIMA members in the United States and Canada used more than 3.4 billion pounds of recycled glass and slag in the production of residential, commercial, industrial, and air-handling thermal and acoustical insulation. More specifically, the data showed that in 2022, facilities in the United States used more than 2.3 billion pounds of recycled glass, while Canadian facilities used more than 357 million pounds. U.S. and Canadian facilities reported a combined use of...

CHICAGO—Waterton, a Chicago-based national real estate investor and operator, announced the official launch of its new Outbound Hotels brand, a collection of locally-minded hotels offering differentiated lodging options for lifestyle travelers seeking outdoor-inspired experiences in boutique settings. From Yosemite National Park and Jackson Hole, Wyo. to the vistas of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. and the bucolic Green Mountains of Vermont, every Outbound Hotels-branded property gives visitors a curated connection to the outdoors. “Outbound Hotels expands the traditional hospitality model,” said David Schwartz, CEO and Chairman of Waterton. “Our portfolio of hotel properties creates lifestyle-oriented lodging options in destinations that provide year-round opportunities to...