DENVER—Populus, the country’s first carbon positive hotel opening in Denver in summer of 2024, has unveiled its nature-forward interior designs by Wildman Chalmers Design in partnership with Fowler + Fowler Architecture, D.P.C. Developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, and managed by Aparium Hotel Group, a pioneer in the lifestyle hotel industry, Populus’ interiors are designed to celebrate nature and pay homage to the Mountain West with a warm color scheme, natural materials, undulating forms, and an Aspen-tree inspired design that complements the building’s distinctive architecture by Studio Gang. The thought-provoking art collection, curated by artist and...

NEW YORK—Safeguarding the future of travel begins with each of us. Travelzoo, a global Internet media company, calls on travelers around the globe to make a personal #TravelforTomorrow pledge to become a conscious traveler. The idea of #TravelforTomorrow is simple. A traveler makes a personal pledge of what they will do to travel more consciously. It could even be a small pledge, such as supporting local businesses, forgoing single-use plastic, choosing public transportation when possible, choosing off-the-beaten path destinations, or respecting the local culture. Travelers are asked to post their pledge on social media with the hashtag #TravelforTomorrow to demonstrate their...

PHOENIX—BWH Hotels, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced a collaboration with Tesla to bring electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to properties throughout North America, with plans to expand internationally. Beginning in 2024, BWH Hotels will begin installing Universal Wall Connectors at selected hotels across North America. With the recent launch of Tesla’s Universal Wall Connector, the charging stations will be designed to seamlessly charge any North American vehicle model, expanding Tesla’s efforts to make a great charging experience available to all EVs. “This collaboration with Tesla underscores BWH Hotels’ unwavering commitment to sustainability and dedication to delivering exceptional guest...

NATIONAL REPORT—Canada is at an inflection point. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation Development’s (OECD) forecasts, Canada’s GDP will grow at a lackluster 1.4 percent, among the worst performing advanced economies. While government institutions are working to mitigate Canada’s resource curse, their policies have thus far failed to break it. The technology sector accounts for 6 percent of Canada’s GDP and is losing its share in tourism, which accounts for 2 percent of the nation’s GDP and employs twice as many Canadians. Given an 80 percent decline in Chinese arrivals worth $2.5 billion, Canadian tourism won’t surpass pre-pandemic levels...

KANAI, MEXICO—The premiere of The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai introduces a completely new concept of laidback luxury to the Caribbean coastline, combining unparalleled dining and entertainment, services and amenities with the unique traditions and tastes of the famed locale. Created by Ian Schrager because of a partnership between Ian Schrager and Marriott International, the EDITION brand has become synonymous with individualized, customized, and one-of-a-kind hospitality experiences, and The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai is yet another example of Schrager’s visionary magic. Situated within a 620-acre nature reserve with two miles of pristine white-sand beachfront, the property rises from a...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIF.—Yosemite Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark and the authorized concessioner of Yosemite National Park, announced significant wins in its effort to remove single-use plastic bottles from its retail and dining establishments. All beverages packaged in single-use plastic bottles have been replaced with alternatives that use glass or aluminum packaging—materials that are far more recyclable and otherwise environmentally preferable than their plastic counterparts. “Starting 2023 without single-use plastic bottles was a huge step forward in our sustainability efforts and delivers on our commitment to be great stewards of this incredible park,” said Weston Spiegl, Vice President of Operations,...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc., a hotel industry leader for more than 95 years, announced its commitment to incorporate neuroinclusive practices at Marriott-hosted customer events of 250 people or more globally. This commitment is a result of joining forces with The Neu Project, an initiative from Google’s Experience Institute (Xi) that aims to share resources designed to better accommodate and create a more inclusive experience during meetings and events for neurodivergent attendees. These practices were initially previewed at Marriott’s Corporate Partnership Customer Conference, THE EXCHANGE, which took place November 28 through December 1, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in...

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO—Leading Mexico hospitality companies TAFER Hotels & Resorts and The Villa Group Beach Resorts & Spas have partnered with nonprofit The Eagle Wings Foundation to launch a heartfelt donation campaign to provide essential support to the residents of Acapulco, Mexico in the wake of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Otis. In addition, both TAFER and The Villa Group have generously committed to matching all public donations made over the next fifty days. Sasa Milojevic, Chief Operating Officer of TAFER Hotels & Resorts and The Villa Group Beach Resorts & Spas, expressed his dedication to the cause stating, “We are deeply moved by the devastation brought by Hurricane Otis...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched its new groundbreaking report, “Water Roadmap for Travel & Tourism”, revealing total water intensity by global Travel & Tourism continues to decrease as the sector continues to grow. Despite being one the fastest growing sectors, accounting for one in 10 jobs globally and contributing 10.4 percent of global GDP in 2019, Travel & Tourism’s water usage ranged between 3.5 percent and 5.8 percent of global available freshwater, in 2021 and 2019 respectively. While this is a lower share than other key sectors, such as agriculture and food, which accounted for 70 percent...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Hotel & Lodging Association President & CEO Chip Rogers released the below statement this week after the Los Angeles City Council voted to withdraw from the March 2024 ballot a union-backed measure that would have required all hotels in the city to house homeless people next to paying guests. The ballot measure was proposed by Unite Here Local 11, a union representing Los Angeles hospitality workers. Unite Here agreed to remove the ballot measure under pressure from hoteliers and the LA City Council. “For nearly two years, Unite Here created an atmosphere of dangerous uncertainty for hotel employees, hoteliers,...