PARIS—Australians will now be able to earn more than just endorphins after a workout when traveling, with leading fitness brand, Peloton, and Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, announcing a new partnership. Following the successful launch of Peloton into select Accor hotels in 2022, the expanded agreement will see Peloton Bikes installed in more than 50 of Accor’s most popular hotels, resorts, and apartments across Australia. Plus, in the first of its kind program in Australia and for a limited time, guests will be rewarded for working out with Peloton—with the ability to earn 100 Accor Live Limitless (ALL) Reward points...

LOS ANGELES—Kind Traveler, an internationally awarded responsible travel platform empowering travelers to positively impact local communities through a collection of 350+ hotel, charity, and destination partners, is evolving the travel industry with the launch of its highly anticipated Every Stay Gives Back (ESGB) community impact program. Launching following a successful six-month global pilot, where $73,000 in donations for seven local charities were mobilized by just 15 boutique hotels, ESGB marks a significant leap forward in responsible tourism. Since the pilot program, the ESGB collection has doubled to represent 32 hotels and 17 charities in 19 global destinations. The program empowers travel...

CAGLIARI, SARDINIA—Forte Village in Sardinia, Italy announced they have recently been awarded the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification. The honor certifies that the resort complies with the highest social and environmental standards available, including the areas of restaurant, management of wellness, pool, and tennis areas. The notable achievement is a demonstration of the sustainability efforts and initiatives Forte Village has put in place over the last few years. Forte Village prioritizes environmental preservation and sustainable practices, focusing on a philosophy that revolves around living in harmony with nature, supporting the local economy and culture, and maximizing economic and social benefits. To ensure sustainable development, they...

MCLEAN, VA.—Through an expanded agreement with Tesla, Hilton last week announced that, beginning in early 2024, up to 20,000 Tesla Universal Wall Connectors are slated to be installed at 2,000 hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, making Hilton’s planned EV charging network the largest of any hospitality company. With at least six chargers at each of the selected hotels, Hilton will become the first choice for the dramatically increasing number of travelers who drive electric vehicles. This announcement follows the recent launch of Tesla’s Universal Wall Connector, a product designed to seamlessly charge any North American vehicle model, expanding...

KIGALI, RWANDA—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reiterated the importance of women’s engagement in Travel & Tourism to catapult its growth and achieve a thriving and resilient sector at the Women Deliver Global Conference, in Kigali, Rwanda. Speaking at the conference, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, emphasized the importance of promoting women’s involvement in the sector and overcoming challenges for success in the business world. The event served as a platform to address the challenges faced by women in the Travel & Tourism sector and explore strategies to overcome them, aiming to inspire change and promote equal opportunities for...

NATIONAL REPORT—It is no secret that the hospitality industry has undergone many changes over the last few years. Simultaneously, the global health crisis and economic challenges made consumers undergo certain behavior changes. These consumer changes, responsible travel organizations, conservation NGOs, and purpose-driven travel bloggers together contributed to incorporating sustainability and purpose into travel habits. Travelers today are thinking twice before they embark on an adventure. The conversation around travel and sustainability grew, working to minimize the negative effects of tourism and turn travel into a positive force around the world. According to Forbes, purposeful travel is expected to be one of the...

CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR, CALIF.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is revising its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System, introducing new prerequisites that will apply to buildings seeking certification and the cleaning contractors that clean these facilities. This is according to Steve Ashkin, a board member at the USGBC and the professional cleaning industry’s leading advocate for sustainability. Board members will vote on these new prerequisites and related issues, with their decisions made public in late September 2023, at the International Greenbuild Conference in Washington, DC. Among the prerequisites and requirements LEED is concentrating on include the following: Redirecting LEED’s emphasis from certifying...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International was recently named one of the Best Companies for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in 2023 by Black Enterprise, a leading media company dedicated to Black business and economic empowerment. This distinction highlights MGM Resorts’ dedication to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity and provides equitable opportunities for its employees. MGM Resorts is among 60 other organizations and the sole gaming company featured on this year’s list. The businesses selected have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating dynamic workforces, diverse corporate governance, expansive supply chains and inclusive management. “MGM Resorts is honored to receive this recognition...

ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA—The Grenada Tourism Authority has unveiled 31 new sculptures to be added to the underwater sculpture park—a thriving underwater oasis that has become a symbol of art, conservation, and cultural pride in Grenada. The unveiling of the new sculptures is part of a rehabilitation and upgrade initiative for the world’s first underwater sculpture park, which celebrates artistic expression and cultural richness by embracing the preservation of marine life. Renowned artist Jason deCaires Taylor, who created the first sculptures for the underwater sculpture park in 2006, contributed 25 of the captivating sculptures in a collection titled “The Coral Carnival”....

RICHMOND, B.C.—Ocean Legacy Foundation (OLF), a nonprofit organization that develops and implements worldwide plastic pollution programs with the goal to end ocean plastic pollution, released results from their plastic pollution study that took place in Antarctica in partnership with Ocean Geographic from February 12 to 23, 2023, as part of the most recent Antarctic Climate Expedition 2023 (ACE 2023). The ACE 2023 was spearheaded by Dr. Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer, Marine Biologist and Explorer, and Michael AW, Ocean Geographic Founder. A total of 120 thought leaders from 20 countries in the fields of science, art, education, and economics, alongside teenagers and corporate executives,...