CHICAGO—Hyatt celebrates its global RiseHY program, designed to connect young people with long-term careers in hospitality. Since the program’s introduction in 2018, more than 5,700 Opportunity Youth* have joined Hyatt or a Hyatt hotel. This marks a pivotal step toward Hyatt’s global commitment to have Hyatt and Hyatt hotels hire 10,000 Opportunity Youth by 2025. With more than 23 percent of the world’s young people unemployed, according to the International Labour Organization, investing in underserved communities continues to increase in importance. Despite navigating unprecedented industry-wide job market challenges resulting from the global pandemic, Hyatt remains focused on its commitment to supporting Opportunity Youth...

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.—The Illinois State Senate has passed a bill (SB 2960) that would ban hotels from stocking miniature bottles of lotion, shampoo, and other toiletries. The Small Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act, yet to be passed by the Illinois State House, provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, hotels with 50 rooms or more and, beginning January 1, 2026, hotels with less than 50 rooms may not provide small single-use plastic bottles containing personal care products to either (i) a customer of the establishment who is staying in a sleeping room accommodation or any space within the sleeping room accommodation or...

BEND, ORE.—MindClick, the hospitality industry’s data and analytics solution for environmentally and socially responsible design and purchasing, is expanding its reach with its Hospitality Sustainable Design Collaborative. Created with support from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Highgate Hotels, along with trusted suppliers, the Collaborative is a free program intended for interior designers, specifiers, and purchasing decision-makers. The Collaborative includes an online educational series, an accreditation program, and awards and recognition program. The first program in the online educational series, “Climate Change & Carbon Emissions, How Design Choices Can Make a Local and Global Impact,” was held on April 9 and had 234...

PETE BEACH, FLA.—TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach, Fla., is partnering with Tampa Bay area nonprofit groups to host an Earth Day event and enhance their ecotourism offerings, which include wildlife encounters and turtle displays. Hosted by TradeWinds Island Resorts and Tampa Bay Watch, the family-friendly Earth Day event will take place Sunday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, on the beach at TradeWinds Island Grand (5500 Gulf Boulevard). The event is free and open to the public and will feature a Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) building seminar and Beach Clean Up. Complimentary parking will be provided for attendees. During the Earth...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton has once again been recognized for its award-winning workplace culture. Great Place to Work and Fortune named Hilton No. 1 on the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. list, marking its ninth consecutive placement on the prestigious list and sixth consecutive year in the top 10. The recognition follows the company’s ranking as the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace and makes Hilton the only hospitality company to have earned the top spot on these prestigious lists. “We are truly honored to be recognized yet again as the No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S. Topping the...

ATLANTA—Davidson Hospitality Group announces its renewed commitment to sustainability and conservational efforts through streamlined engineering management, strategic operational partnerships, robust food and beverage programs, and differentiated guest experiences. “Staying true to our core value of ‘Create Value in All that You Do,’ we are continually focused on identifying areas within our portfolio to save, reuse and conserve,” said Davidson Hospitality Group CEO Thom Geshay. “As environmental stewards, sustaining responsible operations is critical, and we are proud of the progress we have made to contribute to a healthier, cleaner and nontoxic planet.” Stop Food Waste Day Started in 2017 by Compass Group USA, Stop Food Waste...

BARBADOS—Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, will keynote the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference, which will take place in St. George’s, Grenada, from April 22 to 24, 2024. The pivotal conference, produced in partnership with the Grenada Tourism Authority, will explore the 5 Ps—People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose, and Partnership—with the aim of catalyzing transformative action towards a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for Caribbean tourism. An industry pioneer and staunch advocate for sustainable tourism, Adam Stewart brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sustainable development, community-focused tourism, and responsible tourism practices to the conference. As...

PARIS—Accor launched its new Employee Value Proposition (EVP)—“Hospitality is a Work of Heart”—as it seeks to showcase the blend of heartfelt experiences and hospitality artistry that forms its unique talent culture while demonstrating what it means to work in the broader industry and ultimately renewing a sense of enchantment for the sector. The new EVP signature is a response to the ever-evolving hospitality talent landscape which has undergone significant change in recent years. The pandemic significantly impacted staffing levels across the global hospitality industry and gave rise to the “great resignation”. The whole industry has faced the challenge of labor...

MIAMI—In honor of Earth Month, Club Med, the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept, announces several new corporate sustainability responsibility (CSR) commitments as part of its Happy to Care program for Earth Month and beyond. With the core value that sustainability is part of the travel journey, Club Med continues to establish nature conservation programs focused on protecting local environments and furthering both sustainable and regenerative tourism, while engaging guests and local youth through fun and educational workshops. “As we celebrate Earth Month, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to sustainability through our Happy to Care program. At Club Med, we believe...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), announced plans to expand its travel scholarship program in partnership with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The opportunity to grow the program, and formally connect HBCU students to the real estate investment trust (REIT) industry, was made possible by a 2023 grant from the Nareit Foundation’s Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DDEI) Giving Campaign. “HBCUs are an incredible, yet underestimated, resource for talent,” said AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue. “Travel scholarships are an important tool for fostering inclusion at the earliest stages and help to...