NATIONAL REPORT—Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an area of intense focus and scrutiny across the travel and hospital industry. Gender diversity, especially, is capturing attention because women represent a significant share of industry employees. A key industry theme is the challenges women face in obtaining promotions, earning the same salaries as men, and ascending into corporate leadership positions. Additional research capturing a broader base of the industry’s voice on gender equality and diversity in the workplace is needed to advance future progress. A new report offers said research as well as potential solutions to the travel and hospitality industry’s gender...

MACAO—A total of 350 Sands China team members and local community group volunteers worked together to assemble more than 30,000 hygiene kits for international social enterprise Clean the World on Thursday at The Venetian Macao's Cotai Expo, marking the initiative’s 11th consecutive year. Sands Cares Ambassadors and other Sands China team members joined volunteers from four organizations for the service activity: local green enterprise Macau ECOnscious, Green Future, the Bosco Green Store of Bosco Youth Service Network, and the University of Saint Joseph. They worked together to build this year's hygiene kits, whose supplies are essential for good health and personal hygiene and help prevent the spread of disease in populations in need around...

TILLAMOOK, ORE.—In a powerful step towards responsible travel, the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) announces 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 guest stay with...

NATIONAL REPORT—Fellowes, a company that provides product solutions to fulfill a broad range of WorkLife needs, announces the results of its third annual 2024 Annual International Day of Clean Air Survey. Fellowes conducts this proprietary survey each year as part of its commitment to understanding workers’ needs and concerns to better help building owners and employers meet those needs. “Indoor air quality (IAQ) literally impacts people’s every breath,” commented Arti Lyde, Global General Manager, Air Quality Management at Fellowes. “Our yearly survey allows us to understand global pain points related to IAQ, follow developing trends in worker IAQ knowledge...

MIAMI—The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) announced a strategic partnership with Viva Resorts by Wyndham, a collection of all-inclusive vacation resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, to drive sustainable development and responsible tourism in the Caribbean. This collaboration aligns with the ongoing objectives of the USAID Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity. PADF and Viva Resorts by Wyndham share a common goal: to take impactful actions that enhance sustainability and promote the well-being of local communities. This partnership focuses on tackling key challenges such as solid waste management and coastal and marine conservation, ultimately protecting the Caribbean’s natural resources and enhancing the...

Hotel owners are looking for fresh ideas to save money and create a better guest experience. Learn if solar energy is worth the investment for your hotel. The adoption of solar energy in hotels is a strategic move toward sustainability and financial efficiency. Hotel owners are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on the electrical grid and lower operational costs. Solar energy offers a renewable and sustainable alternative for hotels, so you might wonder if it is worth the investment for your establishment. Electricity bills are significant expenses for hotels; solar panels can drastically cut operational costs by providing a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced a revamped Hotel Kitchen platform that will help hoteliers around the country prevent food waste, protect the environment by diverting food from landfills, and reduce operating costs. The revamped Hotel Kitchen platform will make it easier to reach the goal of cutting U.S. food waste in half by 2030. Improvements include: Guidelines and best practices for hotel employees at all levels, including corporate leadership and owners, hotel operators, and staff who run meetings and events and food & beverage operations. Faster access to Hotel Kitchen’s most popular resources, including the 16-Week Champion’s...

The hospitality industry prides itself on creating welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds. However, what about guests with neurodiverse needs? As awareness grows about the prevalence of neurodiversity—with studies suggesting 15 to 20 percent of the global population falls under this umbrella—the industry has a unique challenge in creating inclusive experiences for this significant yet underserved market. Challenges for Neurodiverse Guests With approximately one billion people with disabilities, they are considered the world’s biggest minority. For neurodiverse travelers who are also a part of this group, a typical hotel setting can present several unique challenges. Sensory overload: Neurodiverse individuals generally experience heightened...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the largest hotel association in the United States, and Procure Impact, a first-of-its kind B2B marketplace for products that support overlooked communities, announced a major milestone in the implementation of their Dignity of Work Pledge. Twenty-three hospitality companies have pledged over $7.4 million in purchases to reach the Dignity of Work Pledge goal of 100,000 hours of paid employment for people who face barriers to work. By choosing to source responsibly through Procure Impact, the companies will provide millions in revenue for businesses employing vulnerable and marginalized populations. Procure Impact’s B2B marketplace serves as a...

BERLIN, GERMANY—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) celebrates yet another milestone as over 5,000 properties across more than 80 countries have now embraced its Hotel Sustainability Basics (Basics) program. Hotels in major destinations across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia-Pacific have adopted Basics, and the programme continues to receive global support with new partnerships in tourism powerhouses such as Japan, the Philippines and India. Designed to guide hoteliers in their initial steps towards enhanced sustainability, Basics is an independent verification program, supervised by renowned assessors Green Key and SGS, ensuring rigorous standards and credibility. The programme empowers hotels of all sizes with a...