WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Ecotourism Society’s website has gone through a major makeover this spring, redesigned and re-branded with a new look and a number of new and improved features. Among the key highlights of the new site is Ecotourism Explorer, an interactive map of all TIES members around the world. Providing up-to-date information on businesses and organizations engaged in ecotourism, Ecotourism Explorer makes searching for responsible travel options easy and fun for travelers, while at the same time providing significant marketing opportunities for businesses and destinations. “Our new site, with its diverse options for more interactive user experiences, will...

LAS VEGAS—Approximately 125 people attended Hospitality Design’s Green Day here at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Wednesday, May 13. Attendance was down more than 50 percent when compared to last year’s turnout of 270. Those hoteliers, architects, designers and others who did attend were treated to a strong group of presentations by some of the lodging industry’s leading experts on green design, operations and product certification. Specific projects in focus ranged from MGM MIRAGE’s CityCenter to Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ recently opened Element hotels. The day kicked off with a presentation by Jake Kheel, environmental director...

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND—As part of its corporate development, which is geared towards sustainability, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts decided to set up an integrated management system conforming to internationally recognized standards. It has now succeeded in reaching its first milestone. At a recent event, Hubert Rizzi, chief auditor at the Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems (SQS), handed over the official ISO certificate for Swissôtel Management GmbH to Meinhard Huck, president of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts. The certificate was granted for compliance with ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and OHSAS 18001 (occupational health and safety) standards, through which...

BETHESDA, MD.—In support of its environmental strategy to address climate change, Marriott International has announced that its global headquarters building and more than 30 of its hotels in design, development or under construction are expected to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Marriott was the first major hotel company in the United States with a LEED certified hotel—The Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland in College Park. “LEED certification gives these hotels a ‘green’ stamp of approval that our customers recognize and look for,” says...

FRIANT, CALIF.—The Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) announced that it has joined the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) according to Dale T. Read, president, SSA. “As the SSA undertakes its step-by-step ‘green initiative’ to identify existing terms, standards and certifications, and to define and set standards for how mattress manufacturers and retailers as well as natural sleep products label ‘green,’ creating a relationship with the SFC is an important step in achieving our goals,” Read said. The ultimate goal of the SSA will be to create a certification program based on existing legitimate standards and programs as well as sleep industry-specific terms...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYO.—Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, gift shops, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, will convert its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products. “Although other stores may offer some of these products, we believe this is the first retail operation—in a national park or elsewhere—devoted to interpreting climate change,” said Beth Pratt, director of environmental affairs for Xanterra’s Yellowstone operations. “Our goal for this store is to connect the park visitor to the threats climate change...

LEXINGTON, KY.—The National Tour Association (NTA) announced that it will donate one dollar to the Arbor Day Foundation’s National Forest Replanting project for each delegate who registers for its Annual Convention on opening day. For every delegate who registers May 19 to attend the 2009 NTA Annual Convention, November 14 to 18, in Reno, Nevada, NTA will make a donation to help America’s national forests. The Arbor Day Foundation says that every dollar donated will result in one tree planted. As a result of last year’s contributions, NTA delegates helped to plant more than 600 trees. “NTA is...

NATIONAL REPORT—Alternatives to the traditional 100 percent cotton or cotton/polyester blend towels are becoming more common in the lodging industry—especially at luxury and boutique properties. In fact, many suppliers now offer organic cotton towels, organic cotton towels with a blend of bamboo fibers, or 100 percent bamboo towels. One can also find 100 percent cotton towels with super-fine, Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton. Each of these new towel styles are more environmentally friendly in their own way when compared to the towels the lodging industry has been using for so long. There is a cost premium to buying “green” alternatives—sometimes a...

BOSTON—Thirteen Massachusetts citizens and fourteen Massachusetts groups were honored on Earth Day in Boston’s Faneuil Hall as EPA presented its annual Environmental Merit Awards for 2009. Recognizing significant contributions to environmental awareness and problem solving, the Massachusetts awardees included five lifetime achievement awards, six individual merit awards (including a director of engineering and director of rooms and environmental programs from two Boston hotels), three business/industry/ professional organization recipients, eight environmental/community/academia/ nonprofit organization winners, and three awards for efforts by local, state or federal governments. Given out by EPA since 1970, the merit awards honor individuals and groups who have...

HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII—General manager Dean Nakasone announced today that the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber has received an Energy Star designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Energy Star is the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection, and is awarded to qualified commercial and industrial buildings that rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency. “In the rebuild of the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber, energy efficiency was a core component; today we continue to strive towards reducing our carbon footprint in every way possible,” Nakasone said. “The Energy Star achievement is great...