BARCELONA, SPAIN—United Nations Foundation founder and chairman Ted Turner joined the Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to announce the first-ever globally relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The new criteria—based on thousands of best practices culled from the existing standards currently in use around the world—were developed to offer a common framework to guide the emerging practice of sustainable tourism and to help businesses, consumers, governments, non-governmental organizations and educational institutions to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment. “Sustainability...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies hosting nearly 200 million guests each year, held a “Global Green Day,” an event to officially kick off WyndhamGreen, the company’s environmental and sustainability program, and launch the WyndhamGreen website. Wyndham Worldwide is seizing the opportunity to manage energy consumption as a part of the Company’s overall green strategy across its businesses and brands, which together encompass nearly 70,000 properties in 100 countries. Due to its numerous brands, properties and distribution points, the WyndhamGreen program is expected to have a large impact on the company’s overall carbon footprint. “As one of...

ATLANTA – Chicago, with one of the most recognizable skylines in the world, has long-standing status as a livable urban center. That the city has stood the test of time makes it the perfect backdrop for ASHRAE’s 2009 Winter Conference. The theme will be “Sustainable Urban Design: Engineering Tomorrow…Today.” With a focus that resources must be conserved and environments respected even in urban settings, the ASHRAE Conference takes place January 24 to 28 at the Palmer House Hilton. Held in conjunction with the meeting is the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo, January 26 to 28 at McCormick Place. Meeting highlights include...

CALGARY, ALBERTA—The Calgary Marriott Hotel announced that it has achieved a 4 Green Key rating through the Hotel Association of Canada’s (HAC) Green Key Eco-Rating Program. A 4 Green Key rating demonstrates that the Calgary Marriott Hotel has shown national industry leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through wide ranging policies and practices. The hotel also has environmental awareness programs in place that involve management, employees, guests, and the public, all of which have shown substantial and measurable results. The Calgary Marriott Hotel achieved this green hotel rating through various initiatives including: the purchase of green power which now...

MONTERREY, MEXICO—The 46th Annual International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) Congress will provide worldwide hospitality industry professionals and executives the opportunity to get a closer look at today’s trends and practices in the hotel and restaurant sectors. The event will be held October 20-22 in Monterrey, Mexico, the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon. Executives from Latin America, Asia, China, Europe, the Middle East, United States and Canada will participate. The IH&RA is taking the role of leading the sustainable development of the global hospitality industry. This is reflected in the conference program, which will address the issues of...

NEWTON, MASS.—TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community, announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers. The primary trends identified are that travelers appear to be going lean and green by visiting national parks, hiking, and engaging in adventure activities. A greater amount of Americans said they will be environmentally conscious in their travel decisions in 2009, and more plan to visit eco-friendly hotels in the coming year. TripAdvisor also unveiled its TravelCast list of emerging hotspots for 2009, and atop the list is Budoni, in Sardinia, Italy. The top emerging hotspot in...

NATIONAL REPORT—The wine industry is making a concerted effort to adopt environmentally responsible practices but sees a need for better education among both consumers and professionals on many “green” issues, according to two surveys of wine industry professionals and executives conducted by Robert Smiley, professor and director of wine studies in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis. “These industry leaders are very concerned that their firms authentically ‘walk the walk’ when it comes to environmental issues and that they not be accused of just greenwashing their businesses,” Smiley said. He added that while survey participants...

MIAMI—El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, by Karisma, a premier collection of Gourmet Inclusive properties along the Riviera Maya, Mexico, announced the launch of Pasión por el Medio Ambiente (“Passion for the Environment”), a program derived from the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative (MARTI), designed to encourage guest and staff participation in environmentally sustainable practices. With its commencement, El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels sets the standard for environmentally-conscious tourism in Riviera Maya, encouraging other area resorts and hotels to do the same. “As a destination priding itself on beautiful surroundings, El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels is taking the necessary...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels cannot escape the fact that asbestos was widely used in construction materials throughout much of the twentieth century. In fact, any hotel built or remodeled before or in the 1980s is likely to contain asbestos-containing materials. The use of asbestos was so widespread that the large majority of materials used for constructing hotels contained the toxic substance. Contractors used asbestos because it was lightweight, durable, an excellent insulator, and provided effective fireproofing. Some common materials that may contain asbestos and have the potential to release toxic fibers include floor tiles, textured paints, walls, ceilings, insulation, and roofing...

AVON, COLO.—The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Vail Valley’s newest green resort, has opened here in Colorado. The upper-upscale resort offers scenic views of Beaver Creek Mountain, access to the Eagle River and signature Westin services and amenities. The Westin Riverfront is on track to be the first upscale resort in Colorado to achieve coveted LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Unique green programs include guest recycling stations on every floor, preferred parking for hybrid vehicles, an on-site organic garden and the protection of open space through the donation of a five-acre park to the Town of...