KEY WEST, FLA.—The Florida Keys & Key West tourism council has added more elements to its website to communicate accurate information about the relationship of the Transocean/BP oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys. On the home page is a link to a special spill section and a prominent connection to webcams, so potential visitors can see the area live. The current home page video features Key West Mayor Craig Cates correcting misperceptions that the Florida Keys & Key West have already been impacted by the oil spill. “Our economy has been effected by this...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Green by Wyndham Worldwide announced the sponsorship of The Wyndham Green Paddle 2010 featuring ultra-endurance athlete Tom Jones and his quest to raise public awareness about the great risks to the environment and the world’s oceans from improper and excessive use of plastic. From May 16 to August 12, Tom Jones will attempt to create a new world record by paddling from Key West, Fla., to New York City on a standup paddleboard. Wyndham Green Paddle 2010 is Wyndham’s sustainability program that focuses on social responsibility and the environment as a part of the company’s overall...

OLD SAYBROOK, CONN.—Saybrook Point Inn & Spa, located in Old Saybrook, Conn., one of New England’s most widely recognized resorts for its environmental and sustainable practices, has launched a Green Meetings program to help meeting planners meet the growing demand for environmentally sound meetings and events. Across its resort-wide operational and sustainable practices, including its 120-slip marina, Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is the first full-service hotel in Connecticut to receive the Energy Star rating awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for superior energy performance and is also one of the first hotels in the state to be...

FORT WALTON BEACH, FLA.—Residents along the Gulf Coast planning on getting a haircut last weekend had to hold off until this past Monday (May 17) when they were able to not only get a free haircut but also help stem the flow of pollution from the oil spill disaster that is threatening the entire region. The Hampton Inn Fort Walton Beach in partnership with Matter of Trust, an ecological nonprofit organization, sponsored free haircuts on Monday, May 17 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The hair clippings will be used to create booms and mats that absorb and contain the...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—For the fourth consecutive year, RockResorts and Vail Resorts Hospitality are offering a voluntourism “Give & Getaway” package. This rewarding travel option offers discounted lodging rates to guests who ‘give back’ and volunteer at the company’s eight RockResorts, lodging properties in Keystone and Breckenridge, a collection of accommodations in the Grand Tetons, as well as two of the newest RockResorts in Miami and Breckenridge. More than 15 volunteer projects will be offered this year as part of the Give & Getaway package, all of which are focused on natural resource conservation and preservation near the company’s resorts. “Give &...

NEW YORK CITY—The arrival of the InterContinental New York Times Square as New York City’s newest and largest new-build hotel has created an active media buzz from highly respected media outlets in travel and hospitality to design to environmental publications. Situated on 44th Street just west of Times Square, the 607-room hotel is in the heart of the Broadway Theatre district, and a short stroll from Fifth Avenue shopping and Central Park. Articles have appeared in major publications such as The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. The InterContinental New York Times Square is committed to the environment...

NEWPORT, ORE.—One of Oregon’s greenest inns—The Viking’s Greenstone Inn—is just days away from its May 21 opening. Located in Newport within steps of the Pacific Ocean, the 20-room inn features solar panels positioned on a recyclable metal roof, a waste water heat recovery system, a series of seven on-demand water heaters, a key card-based guestroom energy management system, and carpeting made from recycled materials. According to Brendan Carmody, who owns the inn along with Bonnie, his wife, there are plans to add a charging station for electric vehicles toward the end of this year. The owners also intend to...

SEATTLE—The Washington Lodging Association (WLA) has selected Best Western Peppertree Inns and Columbia Hospitality as the two pilot companies to participate in its Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry Program. Each pilot company will receive consulting assistance from WLA’s professional partner, Cascadia Consulting Group, to implement new environmental practices, and measure and market their successes. Open houses and workshops will be held to showcase the hotels’ efforts and share the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public. Columbia Hospitality’s participating properties include Salish Lodge & Spa, Snoqualmie; Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Seattle; and Talaris Conference Center, Seattle....

ITHACA, N.Y.—A team of three researchers has developed a standard measurement of expenses for energy and supplies that can be used as a sustainability gauge for the hotel industry. The researchers, Jie Zhang and Nitin Joglekar, of Boston University, and Rohit Verma, of Cornell University, explain their measurement in a new report from Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research, “Developing Measures for Environmental Sustainability in Hotels: An Exploratory Study.” The report is available at no charge from the center. “Looking at the hotel chart of accounts, we see that managers have to analyze expenses in at least five areas of their...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Former Disney executive Dennis Snow is scheduled to speak about how careful orchestration is needed to deliver world-class customer service during the closing session of the 2010 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) on June 24. Snow will also discuss with attendees his extensive experience in customer service, which he built through his 20 years with the Walt Disney World Co. The conference, produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), is June 21 to 24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. “In this day and age with technology allowing customers to share their travel experiences...