BOQUETE, PANAMA—Sometimes the cold weather can be just too much. When Gina Cronin, a Cleveland, Ohio area native had enough of the long northern Ohio winters, she headed south—far south—to the Boquete area of western Panama. After helping to run a successful business and then selling it, she and her business partner at the time decided they not only wanted to move but also start a resort. It took time to find the right property, but now, approximately seven years after the move from the United States, Cronin owns and operates the nine-villa Rancho de Caldera on 50 acres...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Since first establishing its sustainability program in 2006, Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, is measuring positive trends in reducing its environmental impact around the globe. The results are reflected in two new sustainability reports released by the company this month— Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) reports, reflecting the strategies, efforts, and results across the company’s diverse businesses. With a wide and growing range of businesses, Wyndham Worldwide includes Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company based on number of properties; Wyndham Exchange & Rentals, the world’s largest member-based vacation exchange...

LAS VEGAS—For the third consecutive year, Caesars Entertainment Corp. is sponsoring Dartmouth College’s Big Green Bus tour across America. The converted Greyhound bus, operated by students, will run on recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO) as it travels the country educating individuals on best sustainability practices. The 11-week, 12,000-mile journey will take the 13 students through 31 states and will make refueling stops at Caesars resorts including Harrah’s New Orleans (July 23), Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino (August 3 in Las Vegas), Harrah’s Rincon Hotel and Casino in North San Diego (August 5), and Cleveland Thistledown (September 3), among other scheduled...

ITHACA, N.Y.—Travelers and other consumers increasingly want to know about the carbon footprint and other sustainability information connected with their hotel stay. In response, most hotel companies have developed methods to answer this question—but so far, no single method for calculation has been widely adopted. As a result, travelers find it difficult to compare one hotel to another, and many industry leaders have called for a uniform method of reporting on the many items relating to sustainability. A new report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) analyzes the wide diversity of sustainability factors, and explains how those measurements...

LOS ANGELES—In recognition of the launch of Hyatt Thrive, a newly introduced global corporate responsibility platform, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza and Andaz West Hollywood recently joined forces to support the local community by engaging in a volunteer day. As part of a Hyatt global volunteer initiative, 35 associates from the Beverly Hills and West Hollywood hotels worked on cleaning up the local beaches from Venice Pier to Santa Monica Pier. This volunteer day is key tenet of Hyatt Thrive and part of Hyatt’s inaugural global volunteer initiative, which brings Hyatt associates from around the world together in a common effort...

SAN FRANCISCO—Approximately 20 San Francisco hotels are now participating in the San Francisco Green Business Program, a program of the City and County of San Francisco. At least nine hotels have been recognized as San Francisco Green Businesses. In order be recognized as a San Francisco Green Business, a hotel must meet environmental standards in five areas: waste reduction, water conservation, pollution prevention, wastewater, and energy conservation. Businesses must also be in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. To get to the point of recognition, which is valid for three years, one must complete an online application and provide supporting documentation....

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—Montage Deer Valley, which opened in Park City, Utah in December 2010, has been awarded Silver Certification as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction V2.2. This third-party rating system has been designed to encourage the design, construction and operation of more sustainable buildings. Montage Deer Valley, the first certified hotel in the state of Utah, is a newly constructed mixed-use hotel and residential project which has been LEED certified as a single development, denoting it as a high performance building that is a responsible, efficient and healthy...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International this week debuted the company’s first electric vehicle charging station and the first such facility on the Las Vegas Strip for environmentally conscious consumers driving the cleanest, most advanced vehicles on the road. This new charging station is located at the valet entrance to The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, between Mandalay Bay and Luxor resorts. Charging service is available free of charge to retail and resort customers driving personal electric vehicles, like the Nissan LEAF and the Chevy Volt. “This is a tremendous first for The Shoppes and our customers,” said Brian Robison, vice president and general...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced it has executed a lease for a new corporate headquarters in Rockville, Md. The news follows the October 25, 2010, announcement by Governor Martin O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and City of Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio that Choice Hotels had signed a letter of intent to move to Rockville when the lease on the company’s current building expires in 2013. The new headquarters, which will pursue LEED certification, will be located at a building being completed at 121 Rockville Pike in Rockville Town Center, where the company will occupy more than...

PERTH, SCOTLAND—To celebrate Canada Day 2011, the Perth, Scotland-based Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) last week announced its first Green Tourism certified operators in British Columbia, Canada. More than 30 businesses in British Columbia took part in a pilot Green Tourism assessment last summer. Through this process the Canadian criteria and performance indicators were established and 26 sites achieved certification, comprising a variety of bronze, silver and gold awards.  “There are some outstanding businesses in British Columbia with some even rivaling the best we have in the U.K.,” said Jon Proctor, senior assessor with GTBS. “Siwash Lake Ranch was...