LEXINGTON, KY.— As part of the National Tour Association’s (NTA) first green convention, NTA will donate $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation’s National Forest Replanting project for each delegate who registers May 20 to attend the 2008 Annual Convention in Pittsburgh, Nov. 15-19. “NTA Convention delegates have a great opportunity to help the national forests and the planet overall just by registering on May 20,” said NTA chairman and CEO Bob Hoelscher, CTP. “The Arbor Day Foundation says that every $1 donated will result in one tree planted. That one tree will produce nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year...

LISBON, PORTUGAL—The speed of technological innovation, growing realities of environmental sustainability and more demanding, value conscious customers are some of the most key near-term decision drivers for the hotel electronic distribution industry. These challenges and their various impacts were examined and debated during the final day of HEDNA’s recent 2008 EMEA Conference, held at the Corinthia Lisboa Hotel. The next 18 months will be some of the most challenging for the hotel business since 2001 due predominantly to economic concerns and the rapidity of technological evolution, said Dr. Lalia Rach, renowned dean of New York University’s Tisch Center for Hospitality,...

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.—Deep Lake, a wellness resort planned here, will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The Battle Creek township has approved the Planned Unit Development for the resort which is situated on 300 rolling and wooded acres with five lakes. The plan includes multiple conference rooms, wellness center, spa, dining room, and 122 guestrooms. The Village at Deep Lake, a community of 137 homes, will surround the resort. Guests, villagers and area residents will have the convenience of a wellness facility lead by a physician trained in a holistic medicine. There will...

KNOXVILLE, TENN.—The Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit, designed to kick off and honor the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, recently brought together more than 500 community leaders and tourism professionals for two days of “green” discussions. Governor Phil Bredesen provided key remarks during the opening session, which included the participation of Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Tennessee Congressman John Duncan, North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler, Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. “Across the state, we have made land conservation a priority,” Bredesen said. “We are blessed with some of the most beautiful...

LONDON—VisitBritain aims to encourage a rapid, widespread and significant increase in the adoption of sustainable tourism principles, while avoiding the burden of too much bureaucracy and, as part of a three-month pilot, is waiving the usual $48 cost for the first 500 businesses to register for the program. Participation in Green Start provides tourism managers and operators with a stepping stone towards accreditation by a validated sustainable accreditation scheme. “VisitBritain is committed to encouraging sustainable businesses,” said Jason Freezer, VisitBritain’s sustainable tourism project manager. “However, nearly two-thirds tell us they need more guidance on developing their business in that...

MCLEAN, VA.—The themes of economic downturn and corporate social responsibility were prevalent during the recent eighth Annual Resort Conference held at Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. The event was presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the University of Denver’s School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management. Chip Conley, founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, opened the conference with a general session on ways to build loyalty among travelers and employees. “In the era of the Internet, customers have a lot more choices available to them so they are less loyal,” Conley said....

SAN FRANCISCO—Eager to support the growing numbers of businesses wishing to incorporate “green” principles into their corporate meetings, San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale has announced a new initiative that provides innovative green meeting packages to its corporate clientele. The new packages introduce eco-friendly practices into every aspect of meetings and events and align the hotel with the social responsibility practices already in place at many companies. “Since its inception, Hotel Vitale has been committed to sustainability and to eco-friendly practices, and these meeting packages are a natural extension of that commitment,” said Chip Conley, founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre...

NEW YORK—ASTA and Travelport, a business services provider to companies operating in the global travel industry, recently announced at a press event in New York City the launching of the new ASTA Green Member Program. ASTA’s innovative program will teach travel professionals about the importance of environmentally-friendly travel, how to make positive changes in their own companies, select green vendors and suppliers and better sell this form of travel to their clients. Travelport is the first official Global Sponsor of ASTA’s Green Member Program. “Announcing the Green Member Program is something I have looked forward to for a long time,”...

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.—Green is not just the color of money at Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. It’s also the way the company operates. Harrah’s just announced that it is the first gaming corporation in the United States to receive an Environmental Quality Award, the highest recognition given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region Two. EPA’s Region Two presents the award annually to organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to protecting and enhancing environmental quality in the Region Two sector, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Harrah’s Entertainment operates four casinos in Atlantic...

TORONTO—The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, two of the world’s leaders in environmental practices, announced a formal partnership aimed at promoting sustainability, conserving natural resources, and advancing the overall commitment to environmental stewardship. Involved in social awareness and conservation, The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation shares common interests with Fairmont’s award-winning environmental platform. As part of this new partnership, both parties will look to leverage existing synergies and shared resources to establish greater understanding of environmental issues worldwide. As a first step in this process, Fairmont will make a financial contribution to...