WAGONER, OKLA.—The Canebrake resort has become the first location in Oklahoma to be certified as a sustainable tourism destination. ECO, or Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma, is a program through the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality that promotes, develops and encourages sustainable tourism throughout the state. The Canebrake has been awarded Gold Certification. Hardy Watkins, OTRD executive director, said certifying The Canebrake resort is the first step in providing sustainable tourism options for travelers in Oklahoma. “I would like to congratulate The Canebrake on becoming the first ECO Certified destination in Oklahoma,” Watkins...

PHOENIX—The Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association (AzHLA) has not made a big splash about it yet but it is in the process of rolling out a Certified Green Lodging Program throughout “The Grand Canyon State.” According to Kristen Jarnigan, vice president of communications for AzHLA, seven properties have been certified and one other certification is pending. The Westin La Paloma in Tucson and the Enchantment Resort in Sedona are two of the properties that have completed the certification process. Jarnigan says the program has been introduced to AzHLA members but a more aggressive public relations/marketing push will not occur...

ITHACA, N.Y.—As hotels worldwide seek to unravel the challenges and contradictions of sustainable operation, panelists on a new webcast from SAS and the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) explain how to successfully implement green operations and avoid potential pitfalls. They suggest that the key to managing a sustainable business is to be strategic, sincere, and comprehensive in green initiatives. The webcast brought together Alyssa Farrell, marketing manager for sustainable solutions, SAS; Dennis Quaintance, CEO and chief design officer, Quaintance-Weaver Group; and Alex Susskind, associate professor, Cornell School of Hotel Administration. The contradiction of sustainable hotel operation goes like this:...

NATIONAL REPORT—Any discussion about green cleaning today should include the ways that water—plain old H2O—is being used to replace the toxic chemicals that cleaning and maintenance personnel have had to work with for decades. Cold water poured straight from the tap and used in that state is not going to clean much but if heated to a high temperature, ionized or infused with an extra oxygen atom, it can be just as effective or more effective at cleaning than the harshest chemicals. Many vendors now offer cleaning products that rely solely on water for cleaning. Some products are available...

MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company with operations in more than 150 countries, announced that Carlson president and CEO Hubert Joly has signed the United Nations Global Compact. The initiative encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies supporting 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Carlson is one of the first global hospitality and travel companies to become part of the compact, the world’s largest corporate citizenship initiative. It was first announced in Davos by then-U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in January 1999, and it was officially launched at the...

BOSTON—The Comfort Inn & Suites Logan International Airport, a Saunders Group Hotel, is nearing completion of a multi-million dollar eco-driven renovation. Today more than 90 green practices are in place including in-room recycling bins, a food waste composting program that engages guests, a laundry ozone system that eliminates most hot water usage, spa-quality shampoo and soap dispensing systems that eliminate 270 thousand small bottles from entering the waste stream, a pool ionizing system which makes the water sparkling clean without unhealthy chlorine, and a small fleet of CNG (compressed natural gas) shuttles. To promote excellent indoor air quality, the...

BARBADOS—From May 9 to 12, the 11th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference, will be held in Barbados. This year’s conference will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center (formally Sherbourne Conference Center). The theme for this year’s conference is “Keeping the Right Balance: Creating Opportunities Through a World Class Sustainable Tourism Product,” and is being organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in collaboration with the Barbados Tourism Authority. Strategic heritage tourism planning will be the focus of the opening general session, and a panel of experts will examine the subject...

RIVIERA MAYA AND HUATULCO, MEXICO—From vegetable gardens and green houses to a water purification plant, the Barceló Maya Beach Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and Barceló Huatulco Beach in Huatulco, Mexico, have embraced the green revolution to help preserve the environment while simultaneously appealing to their eco-conscious guests. Both resorts have even earned the Certified Gold status from Green Globe, a benchmarking program for sustainability in travel and tourism. At Barceló Maya Beach Resort, guests are invited to participate in the resort’s sustainability and energy-saving practices. Throughout the complex, guests can read important information about protecting the local environment and...

PITTSBURGH—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of the Fairmont Pittsburgh, the city’s first premier luxury hotel. Featuring 185 guestrooms, 12,000 square feet of event space and a 6,000 square-foot health club, Fairmont Pittsburgh has made its home at Three PNC Plaza, one of the largest mixed-use buildings to be certified by the United States Green Building Council in accordance with its LEED rating system. Later this year, Fairmont Pittsburgh expects to receive LEED certification at a Gold level, which complements the company’s industry leading Green Partnership, a program focused on operational sustainability and responsible tourism practices. Guestrooms...

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C.—Kiawah Island Golf Resort announced that its second annual Earth Day celebration will take place on April 24, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Night Heron Park. The Kiawah Island Earth Fest features local vendors selling eco-friendly products, artists showcasing works based on the environment, and live entertainment. The event includes the Trashformation Station, where guests can spark their creativity by using clean recyclables and various donated items to construct pieces of art. Trashformation judging and a grand prizewinner will be announced at the end of the festival on the Night Heron Park Stage. Recycling...