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...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey released the following statement after the introduction of the Halting of Trafficking and Exploitation in Lodging Act, or the HOTEL Act, which encourages federal workers traveling for business to stay at hotels with anti-human trafficking programs. “The HOTEL Act recognizes the crucial role hotels play in the fight against human trafficking, and we are proud to support this important legislation,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “We look forward to working with Reps. Smith and Krishnamoorthi and lawmakers across the House and Senate to pass this legislation.” Background The...

VICTORIA, B.C.—Pendray Inn and Tea House, a boutique establishment known for its historic charm, daily breakfast offerings, and traditional afternoon tea service, announced its historic achievement as the first restaurant in Canada to be certified by The PLEDGE on Food Waste. With an impressive score of 93 percent, Pendray Tea House has earned the Gold Level certification, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and reducing food waste. The PLEDGE on Food Waste is a globally recognized, third-party audited certification and benchmarking system designed to fight food waste, reduce costs, and nurture the local ecosystem of solution providers. The PLEDGE offers a comprehensive methodology for food...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced the launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events (Connect Responsibly), a program designed to help meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Connect Responsibly plans to offer meetings and events customers access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events and select options to purchase carbon credits. The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of October. “There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it that much...

I rented a pure electronic vehicle (PEV) or battery electric vehicle (BEV) for a road trip to Palm Springs in January. That was the first time I took a trip with an EV, and I discovered that a PEV was only good for short or daily commutes. I will need a hybrid EV or a gas-powered car for longer road trips. Before this road trip, I assumed that EV chargers would be “everywhere” in California because California is the pioneer in banning the sales of new gas-powered vehicles. As a result, I did not “bother” to check how many EV...

COATESVILLE, PA.— According to the EPA, 20 percent of toilets in the U.S. are leaking, and waste an average of 50 gallons a day. The EPA reference is only for leaking flappers and doesn’t include faulty fill valves which can leak or fail entirely. Both leaking flappers and faulty fill valves can waste up to 250 gallons every day. The EPA also does not include running toilets, yet another little understood water wasting problem. Running toilets can waste up to 7,000 gallons per day, and most running toilets are repeat offenders. “A faulty toilet impacts the guest experience,” says Ernie Howard, Executive V.P. of...