LOS ANGELES—The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, one of the world’s leading foundations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world, announced a $2 million commitment to launch The Hilton Prize Coalition. This new grant will formalize the unique coalition comprised of many of the first 19 Hilton Humanitarian Prize-winning organizations and kick-start the implementation of two new signature initiatives: the Hilton Prize Laureates Fellowship Program, designed to inspire a new generation of humanitarian leaders, and the Disaster Resiliency and Response Program, created to help Prize laureates combine forces to leverage their work partnerships, and...

HONG KONG—Burba Hotel Network, Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital Events, co-hosts and organizers of the annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), announced the winners for the HICAP 2015 Sustainable Hotel Awards. The 26th annual HICAP will be held October 14 to 16, 2015 at the InterContinental Hong Kong.In the category of Sustainable Project Design, the winner is the Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town, China. This newly opened 188-key long stay hotel was built with eco-friendly and healthy materials, wherever possible. Numerous components and actions have been incorporated into its sustainable design including: being designed in a symbolic...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced the debut of its eco-wise Element brand in Bozeman with the opening of Element Bozeman, marking the first Starwood hotel in the state of Montana. Owned by a group of Bozeman investors, the newly constructed Element Hotel offers a stylish and sustainable new option for travelers with 104 light-filled rooms and an atmosphere designed to fuel a life in balance while on the road.“Our eco-wise Element brand is a terrific fit for Bozeman, a thriving hub for business and entertainment and a leading destination for outdoor recreation within the Rocky Mountain region,”...

SONOMA, CALIF.—Tens of thousands of Californians, including a pledge of hundreds of California Fairmont Hotels & Resorts colleagues, friends and family members volunteered to remove debris from the coast, creeks, rivers, lakes and shorelines all around California protecting wildlife from harm while taking care of the environment on Saturday, September 19, 2015 for California Coastal Cleanup Day.In 2014, nearly 67,000 volunteers removed more than 1,190,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from California’s beaches, lakes, and waterways. Families, friends, coworkers, scout troops, school groups, service clubs, and individuals come together to celebrate and share their appreciation of California’s coast and...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands Corp. and international social enterprise Clean the World this past Saturday completed a 24-hour global volunteer effort to build 200,000 hygiene kits that will be distributed to populations in need worldwide, including to help homeless people in the United States.More than 4,000 LVS Team Members and community volunteers participated in the Las Vegas Sands Global Hygiene Build with Clean the World—which was both organizations’ largest volunteer effort to date, resulting in the most kits ever built for Clean the World at one time. The build was held at LVS’ Singapore, Macao, Bethlehem and Las Vegas...

ITHACA, N.Y.—In the wake of the settlement for the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a new report from the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at Cornell University chronicles the communication factors that led to canceled travel plans and poor regard for BP as a corporation. The report, “How the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Damaged the Environment, the Travel Industry, and Corporate Reputations,” by Alex Susskind, Mark Bonn, and Benjamin Lawrence, is available at no charge from the CHR. Susskind is an associate professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (SHA); Bonn is a professor...

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Benjamin Stern, a Melbourne, Fla.-based, 16-year-old entrepreneur, is developing a shampoo, conditioner and body wash delivery system that could help rid the lodging industry of the millions of plastic amenity bottles that are mostly landfilled or otherwise recycled. It is not a dispenser but a way of placing a product inside of a water soluble ball. Stern’s company is called Nohbo, his product is patent pending and close to the point of delivery to a couple of major hotel chains for testing.Stern was inspired to help do something about plastic waste while watching a film in January 2014...

FORT MYERS BEACH, FLA.—Providing a peaceful experience for guests as well as the environment that surrounds it, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina announced that it has renewed its Florida Green Lodging Designation.Being the first resort in Fort Myers Beach involved in the Florida Green Lodging Program since 2008, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina is now a 2 Palm status property with the program. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection launched the program in 2004 as a voluntary initiative to recognize facilities in the hospitality industry that utilize efforts to conserve and protect the state’s natural resources. To...

EAGLE BEACH, ARUBA—Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort continues to expand its green initiatives with its new LEED Silver certification. Known as the Caribbean property with the most sustainability certifications, Bucuti’s new LEED designation is from the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the world’s foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), January through July 2015 was the warmest seven months in recordkeeping history and 2015 is...

LISBON, PORTUGAL—The five-star Corinthia Hotel Lisbon has been recognized by the 2015 World Travel Awards in Sardinia, Italy, as Europe’s Leading Green Hotel for its outstanding energy efficiency hotel project as well as Portugal’s Leading Conference Hotel for its outstanding business facilities and service.For the second year in a row, Corinthia Hotel Lisbon has been distinguished by the prestigious World Travel Awards. The Corinthia Lisbon was among the final shortlist of eight nominees from the Europe category and was elected Europe’s Leading Green Hotel. The distinguished panel of judges and the consumer travel buyer also elected the Corinthia Hotel...