SAUDI ARABIA—The NEOM Board of Directors has unveiled Sindalah, its first physical showcase since its announcement in December 2022. Sindalah is a luxury resort island located five kilometers off the NEOM coastline in the Red Sea. Transformed from an idea to reality in a two-year effort involving a 30,000-strong workforce, it marks a significant stride in Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions under Saudi Vision 2030. Sindalah’s design combines natural beauty with cutting-edge technology, offering world-class hotels, restaurants, and experiences. By 2028, the island is expected to welcome up to 2,400 guests daily and create around 3,500 jobs, contributing to the Kingdom’s...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Greenview has just released its 2024 Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR). There were 20,000 participating hotels across 50 countries. There were two data collection methods; direct participation by responding to the GLTR on the Greenview Portal, the sustainability data management platform, or via bulk data set received from companies. Among the companies participating: Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International. Greenview assessed 80 best practices in the 2024 GLTR, including hotel profiles (geographic location, service type, STR chain scale and hotel type). The hotel profiles enabled further data dissections by each of the breakdowns. The report includes roadmaps which offer tangible steps...

NORTH BETHESDA, MD.—In celebration of Giving Tuesday, Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced the 2024 recipients of its “Your Community, Your Choice” grant program. Through this program, Choice supports causes that are meaningful to hotel owners by offering grants to local organizations. These grants have funded causes that address food security, veteran support, aid for abuse and trafficking victims, youth education, animal shelters, and more. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the initiative, which has donated a total of $275,000 to local nonprofits through more than 70 hotels across the United States since its inception in 2019. “At Choice Hotels, we believe in the...

NATIONAL REPORT—Women professionals are prominent throughout the business travel industry, but GBTA research suggests there are still gaps in gender equity as they are still less likely to be in senior executive positions than men. When it comes to women as business travelers, they highly value traveling for work to achieve their goals. Although they travel less frequently for work than men, women continue to take advantage of opportunities to blend business and leisure travel when they do travel and also report prioritizing business travel for training and seminars. This is according to new data from the Global Business Travel...

MIAMI—SH Hotels & Resorts, the sustainable hotel brand management company founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, has unveiled plans for 1 Hotel Tokyo. Set to open in 2025, 1 Hotel Tokyo represents a longstanding collaboration with Mori Trust, one of Japan's leading property developers. After years of planning, the two companies are creating a true 1 Hotels experience that's deeply rooted in nature and sustainability. 1 Hotel Tokyo will be located in the buzzing Akasaka district, serving as an anchor to Mori Trust’s Tokyo World Gate Akasaka project. This state-of-the-art complex integrates retail, offices, and the luxurious 1 Hotel experience in a pedestrian-friendly...

NEW YORK—Beyond Green—a global portfolio of some of planet Earth’s most sustainable hotels, resorts, and lodges—has announced the addition of seven new members. These properties, spanning Africa, Europe, and Latin America, are committed to adhering to more than 50 sustainability indicators aligned with global standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As Beyond Green thoughtfully expands its portfolio, it remains committed to sustainability leadership across the key pillars of Nature, Culture, and Community. Now encompassing almost 50 hotels, resorts, and lodges across 20 countries, the brand continues to grow with intention. Since its launch by Preferred Travel Group in...

BETHESDA, MD.—DiamondRock Hospitality Company announced it is the recipient of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts’ (“NAREIT”) 2024 Leader in the Light Award for the lodging and resorts sector. The award recognizes member companies that demonstrate leadership in implementing sustainable and socially responsible investment and operating practices, good governance, and transparency. The 2024 Leader in the Light Awards are based on the results of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Annual Survey, as well as scored responses to supplemental questions by a panel of judges. The company participated in the 2024 GRESB Real Estate Assessment for the...

PARIS—Europeans anticipate traveling more frequently and spending more on travel in 2025, according to a new research report from Accor, a global leader in hospitality. But the industry faces a pressing need to address sustainability challenges arising from this growth and to help travelers turn good intentions into good choices. The report, based on research carried out amongst 8,000 travelers from seven European countries, reveals that over half (53 percent) of respondents expect to spend more on travel in 2025 than they did in 2024, compared to just 10 percent who expect a lower travel budget. Travelers in Poland were...

REDONDO BEACH, CALIF.—Women hoteliers from across the nation converged at the 2024 HerOwnership Conference by AAHOA, a dynamic two-day event crafted by women for women in the hospitality industry. Centered around the empowering themes of executive presence, hotel ownership, and mental health and wellness, the conference inspired attendees to connect, lead, and thrive in an industry where their voices and leadership are more important than ever. Some 300 people attended the event, which marked the third annual HerOwnership Conference for AAHOA. “The hospitality industry stands out because women comprise most of the workforce,” said AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel. “They are not...

NATIONAL REPORT—Greenwashing is a deceptive practice where companies exaggerate or make false claims about their environmental or sustainability credentials, potentially misleading consumers and investors. Various jurisdictions globally have enacted or proposed regulations to combat greenwashing, and companies found guilty of such practices face significant reputational damage, legal consequences, and potential financial burdens. Greenwashing, often considered a form of false advertising, involves the misuse of environmental jargon to mislead or deceive consumers about a product, service, or company’s true eco-friendliness. This practice has gained increased scrutiny in recent years as stakeholders demand companies demonstrate their commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)...