SHAWANO, WIS.—The Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH)’s biennial Leadership Conference will take place in Nashville from February 15 to 17, 2024. Hosted at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, the event draws leaders in the hospitality industry from all over the world. Over the three-day conference, attendees will discuss strategy, share insights on emerging trends, and get to know their peers in a lively, encouraging environment. Embodying NEWH’s mission to support the advancement of professionals in hospitality, the 2024 Leadership Conference’s schedule comprises insightful panel discussions, compelling breakout sessions, and immersive keynote speakers. In addition to exploring educational offerings, attendees...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, launched a new platform to streamline its scholarship application process. The platform not only improves the user experience but includes a built-in eligibility assessment that allows students to access every Foundation-hosted opportunity for which they qualify. The Foundation has long supported rising hospitality talent through the generous support of individual donors and corporations, contributing nearly $17 million to eligible students across the United States to date. “The AHLA Foundation has been committed to supporting hospitality students for 70 years,” said Anna Blue, President of AHLA Foundation. “Increasing access to resources...

GATLINBURG, TENN.—Running Rock Eco Resort, now under construction, will soon be a groundbreaking net-zero, eco-friendly, and nature-focused resort nestled in the Smoky Mountains. From its own mountaintop on a 260 acre property overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the resort offers more than a mile of mountaintop views, a mile long meandering stream, and a stunning 40-foot cascade. Opening in 2025, it promises an unmatched and sustainable experience of nature’s beauty tucked away among the best of the southern Appalachians. Running Rock Eco Resort is intentionally devoted to sustainability and reverence for its pristine tapestry of untouched nature. The owners, Jake...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. announced it has once again ranked among the top 100 companies on Dave Thomas Foundation’s “Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces” list, which recognizes organizations that strive to build families through adoption. For the fourth consecutive year, HGV was named first in the hotel and travel industry on the Foundation’s “Best By Industry” list. “What an honor to be recognized once again by the Dave Thomas Foundation for our industry-leading adoption assistance benefits,” said Pablo Brizi, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer & Corporate Affairs at Hilton Grand Vacations. “This is a great reflection of our ‘Putting People...

MADRID, SPAIN—In a joint effort to promote sustainability in the Travel & Tourism sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Biosphere have inked a partnership to promote sustainability criteria in the hotel industry under the Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative. In the current landscape of globalization and information saturation, where sustainability holds paramount importance, the proliferation of new standards and eco-labels poses a significant challenge for the sector. Identifying clear and consistent sustainability criteria has become increasingly difficult. Biosphere and WTTC have joined forces and solidified their commitment to fostering a more sustainable hotel industry to establish fundamental steps for...

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND—South Pole’s latest annual Net Zero Report found that the majority of surveyed companies in nine of the 14 major sectors are intentionally decreasing their climate communications, otherwise known as “greenhushing”, first evidenced by South Pole in 2022. This year’s report, which surveyed over 1,400 companies with dedicated sustainability leads, across 12 countries and 14 sectors, takes a closer look at companies choosing to not publicize their climate strategies or goals and deliberately decrease or cease external communications around them. The report confirms, for the first time, that the trend of greenhushing is present across nearly every major sector around the...

BANGKOK—When the Diriyah Company announced a unique giga-project with distinctive cultural, historical, and tourism landmarks, it invited international partners to come together and construct a new legacy for Saudi Arabia. Six Senses will help bring this to life through a new hotel in Wadi Safar, which lies just west of Diriyah and northwest of Riyadh. “As the Kingdom evolves and opens to tourism, it is garnering strong interest among international visitors to explore its heritage sites and outstanding natural beauty,” said CEO of Six Senses Neil Jacobs. “We are excited to be working closely with Diriyah Company as we align...

MIAMI—Reinforcing its position as a leader in the purpose-driven luxury and lifestyle hotel segment, SH Hotels & Resorts—founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht—is embarking on a significant worldwide expansion of its portfolio across four continents and 13 countries and territories. With more than 30 hotels and branded residential projects open and in the pipeline, plus several deals in the LOI stage, SH Hotels & Resorts is shaping the future of hospitality by creating transformative spaces and experiences across some of the world’s most dynamic hotel brands: 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels. This growth underscores the company’s commitment to...

NATIONAL REPORT—Choosing the right brand of toilet paper may not top your list when it comes to greening up your supply chain but maybe it should. Just ask suppliers of toilet paper made from bamboo or sugar cane. They say that by switching to their alternatives to traditional toilet paper, you can say no to cutting down trees, no to harmful chemicals and bleaches, and no to plastic. According to HeyBambu, a supplier of toilet paper made from bamboo, “Traditional toilet paper is made using hardwood and softwood trees that are cut down, stripped off their bark, and pulverized into...

SAUDI ARABIA—St. Regis Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of The St. Regis Red Sea Resort in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The captivating new address is the first private island to open in The Red Sea, one of the Kingdom’s luxury regenerative tourism destinations on the west coast of the country. Situated on the pristine Ummahat Island in the Al Wajh Lagoon, the resort is a destination-defining oasis with its avant-garde architecture, sustainable design details and bespoke service. “One of the world’s unexplored treasures, The Red Sea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to become a coveted leisure destination,” said...