NATIONAL REPORT—The unexpected announcement by President Biden to ban surprise fees for airline and hotel services during the 2023 State of the Union address has shed light on the lack of transparency surrounding fees that have frustrated many hotel guests. Travelers want to know what they are paying for and feel they are getting value for their money. To minimize “fee friction” and build a more enriching, rewarding experience for their guests, hotels need to think creatively and offer unique amenities that create memorable and engaging experiences. A New Amenity for Hotels: Micromobility Hotels must keep pace with changing guest expectations as the hospitality...

AHLA last conducted The Lodging Survey with STR in 2018. It provided valuable information on numerous trends in lodging, including ones falling under Sustainability. AHLA and STR no longer conduct that survey. A very valuable replacement to that survey is the 2022 Green Lodging Trends U.S. Market Report. It is based on U.S.-specific data gathered for the 2022 edition of the global Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR). The newly available U.S. report from AHLA—representing its Responsible Stay program—is based on data from 17,000 U.S. hotels. There were two data collection methods: direct participation by responding to the GLTR survey on...

COLOGNE, GERMANY—HRS, the leading global corporate lodging and payment technology platform, announced the addition of Radisson Hotel Group to HRS’ Green Stay Initiative (GSI). As more corporate hotel procurement leaders prioritize a hotel’s sustainability-related credentials during the bidding process, Radisson Hotel Group’s choice to participate in the global GSI program enhances their opportunities to win more corporate volume. Radisson Hotel Group’s 1,100+ properties across 95+ countries will gradually participate in GSI, beginning with an initial group of properties in Europe this quarter. The timing of this announcement aligns with the increasing number of government proclamations requiring corporations to report their progress on reducing carbon emissions....

SINGAPORE—Banyan Tree Group announced the launch of its Stay For Good program, with the aim of providing travelers with authentic and immersive experiences that encourage a deeper connection with each destination while honoring the heritage and traditions and contribute to creating more opportunities for local communities. This multi-brand initiative takes travelers on a journey to some of the most unique and lesser-known destinations around the world. From the thousand-year-old traditions and crafts of Kyoto, Japan, to the colonial architecture and cultural traditions of Puebla, Mexico, the myriad of highlighted experiences will contain something for everyone. Some highlights include: Buahan, a Banyan Tree...

BREDA, THE NETHERLANDS—Leading hotel management tech company, RoomRaccoon, has announced its partnership with Hotels for Trees, a non-profit organization that contributes to reforestation projects across the globe. The Hotels for Trees Foundation partners with hotels to convert daily room cleaning during hotel stays into newly planted trees. Since its founding in 2021, Hotels for Trees has contributed over 132,500 trees to (re-)forestation projects in the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Uganda, Madagascar, Mexico, Borneo, Vietnam, Bolivia, and Ghana and is continuing to expand its global footprint. “We are proud to team up with Hotels for Trees and actively promote their cause to our...

NATIONAL REPORT—The uncertainty and instability of the past several years have increased the level of stress in employees. In correlation to this, the health and wellness tourism market is growing. Indeed, the Global Wellness Institute expects that wellness tourism expenditures will likely hit $1.3 trillion by 2025. For this year, wellness packages, i.e., trips that focus on holistic well-being such as yoga retreats, are forecast to reach $29.3 billion, almost attaining the pre-pandemic level. This growing interest in health and wellness is not a surprise. The Covid-19 outbreak has shone a light on the importance of physical and mental health issues. As a result,...

WINCHESTER, VA.—After months of collecting, bundling and weighing as much discarded plastic film as they could, eco-minded students across the country are reaping the rewards of their recycling efforts as Trex Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance, low-maintenance composite decking and outdoor living products, announced the winners of its 2022-23 Trex® Plastic Film Recycling Challenge. Twelve schools from across the country were honored during a live ceremony where more than $50,000 in prizes was awarded. Built on eco-friendly values, Trex composite decking is sustainably made from 95 percent recycled materials, including a mix of industrial wood scrap and polyethylene (PE) plastic film upcycled from common...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.—Businesses that fail to keep their restrooms clean and maintained are unwittingly flushing away customers’ repeat business and sales. According to the Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corp., almost 60 percent of Americans make it a point to stop at a business and will spend more money at the establishment if they know it has clean and maintained restrooms. In fact, those age 25-44 are even more likely to shell out more cash based on the condition of a business’ restroom. Conversely, there are negative business repercussions for experiencing a restroom in poor condition. More than half of Americans say an unclean...

DUBLIN, IRELAND—The “Wellness Tourism Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2032” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. The wellness tourism market reached a value of nearly $731.36 billion in 2022, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6 percent since 2017. The market is expected to grow from $731.36 billion in 2022 to $1,178.93 billion in 2027 at a rate of 10.0 percent. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.7 percent from 2027 and reach $1,876.43 billion in 2032. Growth in the historic period resulted from increasing tourist spending on cultural and sports tourism, strong economic growth in emerging markets, rising disposable income, aging population and...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—As companies strive to reduce their carbon footprint, they are implementing various strategies to decarbonize their employee travel. But which practices are effective in driving change and ultimately empowering organizations to continue leveraging business travel while reducing their climate impact? A new benchmarking study, “Managing Emissions From Business Travel Programs: Overview of Corporate Best Practices,” sheds light on the approaches that leading companies are using to decarbonize their travel programs. This first-of-its-kind report from the GBTA Foundation provides a valuable snapshot from purpose-driven companies who are addressing and mitigating their business travel emissions. The study examines which measures are most effective...