TILLAMOOK, ORE.—In a powerful step towards responsible travel, the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) is excited to announce its partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program. This collaboration marks a significant moment for Oregon’s responsible tourism efforts, empowering travelers to support community well-being and environmental preservation along the Oregon Coast through thoughtful travel choices. Kind Traveler launched the Every Stay Gives Back program in September 2023 and has since raised more than $304,352 in donations for local charities across participating destinations and lodging partners in just one year. Through the Every Stay Gives Back partnership, a portion of every...

CHICAGO—The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) honored IHLA member employees for their outstanding accomplishments, service and leadership in the hotel industry at its 2024 Stars of the Industry Awards. Colin Challender of the Claridge House Chicago was awarded Hotelier of the Year, alongside a number of other outstanding representatives from the industry who helped elevate the guest experience and make Illinois a great place to visit. 2024 Stars of the Industry winners include: Administrative Employee: Valeria Serrano, Hotel Arista (Naperville) Allied Employee: Lisa Nucci, Choose Chicago Bell Staff Employee: Spiro Diamantopoulos, The Royal Sonesta Chicago River North Department Division Head:...

SUNNYVALE, CALIF.—Get ready to embrace a world where carefree vibes meet tech innovation. The fun and nostalgic Treehouse Hotels is excited to announce that its newest property, Treehouse Hotel Silicon Valley, is now accepting reservations as of March 1, 2025. Treehouse Hotels is the creation of hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, Founder and Chairman of SH Hotels & Resorts, which owns and operates Treehouse Hotels, 1 Hotels, and Baccarat Hotels. Just like magical treehouses, Treehouse properties offer a welcoming, laid-back experience crafted for discovery and good times. The first Treehouse opened its doors in London’s stylish Marylebone district to much fanfare in 2019...

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—The 49th Annual Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Supply Show of the Southeast will be held January 28 to 30 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Admission is free to industry members. The trade show, within a 100,800 square foot exhibit area, will offer full access to products and services to owners and managers of hotels, motels and restaurants from all over the Southeastern U.S. and beyond. Suppliers will represent categories ranging from Air Purification/Filtration to Amenities to Chargers. More than 300 exhibitors and thousands of attendees are expected. A silent auction will be held during the trade show. Proceeds will...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International announces the expansion of its outdoor-focused lodging offerings through two founding deals with key players in the outdoor lodging segment. The deals include the acquisition of the Postcard Cabins brand, formerly known as Getaway Outposts, and the execution of a long-term agreement with Trailborn. With these outdoor-focused deals, Marriott aims to offer guests and Marriott Bonvoy members more choice in traditional and alternative accommodations in nature-forward destinations, where consumers have shown growing interest in being immersed in nature without sacrificing comfort. Underscoring Marriott’s focus on the outdoor lodging segment, the company plans to launch an outdoor-focused collection in 2025, anchored...

NATIONAL REPORT—The GBTA Foundation, the Global Business Travel Association’s charitable branch, released its Sustainability Acceleration Challenge findings. This benchmarking initiative, the first of its kind in the industry, assesses the current state of business travel programs and the measures taken by organizations towards their decarbonization. The findings indicate that significant work lies ahead for organizations to expedite the integration of sustainable practices to effectively reduce their business travel emissions, aligning with corporate Net Zero targets by 2050. In collaboration with Accenture, the GBTA developed the Sustainability Acceleration Global Benchmark. The benchmark grades the current state of climate action on a...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—The Hospitality Show (The Show), produced by Questex and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), recently wrapped up its second annual event at The Henry B. González Convention Center with three days of groundbreaking insights, networking opportunities, and innovative solutions designed to elevate the hospitality industry. The Hospitality Show witnessed an impressive year-over-year growth attracting 4,800 attendees and 460 vendors, marking a 26 percent increase in attendance and a staggering 43 percent growth in vendors. The Show 2024 kicked off on Monday, October 28, with AHLA’s annual GM Summit program, honoring the achievements of general managers—the backbone of the industry. The nation’s top...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—The recently unveiled white paper “Decarbonizing Hotel Food Systems” provides a roadmap for the global hospitality industry to cut food-related emissions by 30 percent by 2030, potentially reducing up to 70 million tons of CO2 annually. The paper was produced by the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, and Systemiq. It underscores that hotels, representing 1 percent of all food production emissions and generating 3 percent of global food waste, can significantly influence the global food system by optimizing energy use and leveraging their procurement power. The white paper presents innovative solutions, such...

ATLANTA—Davidson Hospitality Group announces a strategic partnership with AHED, Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity, with the overarching goal of making a significant impact on the future of hospitality through development of internships; deployment of a scholarship program; participation in dedicated career fairs and campus takeover events; targeted recruitment of students within underrepresented populations, and creation of new opportunities for qualified graduating students to join manager-in-training programs. Additionally, Davidson Hospitality Group’s Chief Administrative Officer Crystal Beasley has been appointed to the AHED Board, bringing extensive experience and unique perspective to AHED’s existing leadership. “We believe in the power of collective experience, and the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Highlighting the restaurant industry’s role as a beacon of career opportunity and advancement, more than 300 post-secondary students from 130 colleges and universities and 44 states have been selected to receive a scholarship from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) during the 2024-2025 academic year. In total, the NRAEF is awarding more than $1 million to invest in post-secondary education for future restaurant workers. This year's scholars highlight the depth and breadth of industry careers for people of all walks of life. Recipients range in age from high school students to those nearly 60 years old, and 65 percent indicate they...