WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Westin Hotels & Resorts has teamed with celebrity jewelry designer Mauri Pioppo to create a talisman necklace in support of smoke-free living. The Renewal Talisman will raise awareness of the benefits of going smoke-free, especially for women and girls, and provide a tangible way for women to share their support for a smoke-free lifestyle with their loved ones. Westin created the piece to celebrate its own commitment to breathing free, made in December 2005 when it announced it would become the first major hotel chain in North America to go smoke-free. While women are embracing...

AMERICAN CANYON, CALIF.—Imagine a hotel with the sound of birds chirping on a green roof, swans gliding across a half-acre lagoon and koi swimming in a pond. Designed to appeal to eco-tourists who want luxury and comfort, Napa Valley’s first environmentally sustainable hotel, Gaia Napa Valley, will open next month. Cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technology was used in its construction and will be applied in the daily operations. Gaia Napa Valley will offer the ultimate experience of harmony with nature. The hotel is pursuing gold LEED certification. The lagoon has its own eco-system, is surrounded by a lush...

NATIONAL REPORT—Your guests may shower in it without thinking about it, but is chlorinated water really good for them? Guests with chemical sensitivities would quickly say no but other travelers are beginning to feel the same way. Increasingly, guests are seeking out hotels that offer chlorine-free, filtered shower water. According to one industry expert, some guests even travel with their own showerheads in case filtered water is not available. If you think of shower filters as an unnecessary capital expense, you may want to reconsider. Many hotels are charging premium rates for rooms that offer filtered shower water as part...

DENVER—National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received the National Park Service (NPS) 2006 Environmental Achievement Award for its performance at the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park. The NPS Environmental Achievement Award recognizes superior accomplishments in environmental stewardship. Zion Lodge also received the award in 2004. Xanterra also has received National Park Service Environmental Achievement Awards for environmental stewardship at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The 2006 award was presented by Fran Mainella, director of the National Park Service. “Xanterra at Zion...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The latest American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) and Smith Travel Research 2006 Lodging Survey provides valuable insight into industry availability of liquid soap dispensers, recycling programs, air purifiers, energy management sensors, linen/towel reuse programs and nonsmoking rooms. A total of 42,407 hotels were polled and twenty-one percent (9,300 hotels) responded to the survey that wrapped up the first quarter of this year. Survey results were released earlier this summer. The survey was funded by AH&LEF, the nonprofit affiliate of AH&LA, and tracked the size, scope and emerging trends of the U.S. lodging industry. The AH&LA...

ARLINGTON, VA.—The 2006 WasteWise and NPEP (National Partnership for Environmental Priorities) Annual Conference, with the theme “Partnering for Success in Sustainability,” will be held October 19 to 20 in Arlington, Va. The two-day conference, at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel, will cover topics such as waste reduction, the climate/waste link and the reduction of Priority Chemicals. Contact Jeff Tumarkin or go to WasteWise for more information.

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has partnered with DadePaper Co. to help Florida’s lodging industry improve indoor air quality in hotels and motels across the state. The partnership is the latest component of DEP’s Green Lodging initiative, which encourages hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving green practices that conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality and reduce waste. “By participating in the Green Lodging Program, DadePaper becomes an example and leader within the lodging industry,” says DEP Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “Their environmental commitment serves as a challenge to hotels, suppliers, trade associations and...

NATIONAL REPORT—Imagine as a hotel general manager or chief engineer never having to worry about energy budgets, energy deviations and energy conservation. This is a new marketing strategy being employed by suppliers of gas and electricity to the hotel industry. These suppliers are commonly known as energy “remarketers.” The concept is fairly simple. The remarketer approaches the hotel owner, general manager or chief engineer with a proposal that entails just one payment every month for all forms of energy, regardless of how much energy the hotel uses. At first glance, this proposal may seem very attractive, as the negotiated figure...

SAN JUAN, P.R.—“Enhancing the Business of Tourism—The Path to Sustainability” is the general theme of the Green Globe International Conference and the Green Tourism Conference to be held November 1 to 3 at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The conference is a joint staging of the second biennial International Green Globe Conference (the inaugural edition was held March 2004 in New Zeeland) and the third biennial Caribbean Green Tourism Conference. The 2006 edition is being organized by the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) with the assistance of its parent organization, the Caribbean Hotel Assn.,...

OAKLAND, GUATEMALA—Eco hotel Uxlabil Atitlán, part of Uxlabil Hotels, announced that it has received awards three times this year for its efforts in the area of social responsibility. The last of these awards was received August 22. For the first time in Guatemala there were six awards publicly given to Socially Responsible Enterprises in six different categories. In the category of Opportunities to Reduce Poverty, the winner was Banco del Café; the second place award was given to Eco hotel Uxlabil. The next day both enterprises shared their experiences and the specific manner in which their work has benefited families...