BETHESDA, MD.—With more than 35 million U.S. consumers spending $209 billion annually on socially and environmentally responsible products, Marriott becomes the first hotel company to offer its customers organic and sustainably-grown flowers for their events and meetings. Through a partnership with Organic Style Ltd., customers can get these flowers for their weddings, meetings and other events at prices competitive with comparable, high-quality, non-organic flowers at participating Marriott and Renaissance Hotels in North America. “Our customers want to do business with companies that share their values,” said Robin Uler, senior vice president, lodging operations. “They are asking more and more what...

Name: Jesse Suglia Title: Corporate Director of Hotel Sales Company: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant Group LLC Began working for Kimpton: July 2007 Primary responsibilities: “I oversee the national sales team and room revenue performance. I am responsible for monitoring and capitalizing on industry trends and identifying areas of opportunity to ensure Kimpton’s maximization of revenue and market share for the brand as a whole, as well as individual hotels. I also help to make sure that Kimpton has the least amount of impact on the environment as possible.” What I enjoy most about my work: “I like working for a company like Kimpton where...

SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS—Social consciousness, including environmental issues, was a hot topic in 2007, and according to a recent Travelocity poll, the trend among travelers shows no sign of slowing down in 2008. With 38 percent of respondents planning to dedicate at least some portion of their vacations this year to volunteering and nearly 80 percent willing to spend more on an eco-friendly destination or business, 2008 is truly the year consumers plan to travel responsibly. Travelocity’s Travel for Good program is designed to help them do just that. “There are limitless opportunities to minimize the negative impact of our travels...

It’s that time of year again—time to exhibit at a trade show or consumer event, and it’s time to make it known that your hotel is green, or at least striving to be. It’s great that consumer and industry trade shows are now greening themselves. They (the shows) definitely make it known that they are green or environmentally friendly through their marketing, promotions, publicity and often advertising. And if you’re exhibiting there, it only makes sense that you make travelers aware of your eco-friendly facility. The question remains, just how do you accomplish this? Because there are so many...

SAN FRANCISCO—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has launched “Great Meetings, Great Causes,” an innovative program offering eco- and social responsibility incentives to meeting planners and clients. An out-of-the-box approach to traditional incentive programs, “Great Meetings, Great Causes” offers clients who book meetings at Kimpton hotels nationwide the choice of two of the following five incentives: • Complimentary meeting upgrade to Kimpton’s environmentally-themed EarthCare meeting; • $100 donation to one of Kimpton’s not-for-profit partners (The Trust For Public Land, Dress for Success and local HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness charities nationwide), or the client’s charitable partner of choice; • Greensender.com box to help anyone get started or continue...

ALBANY, N.Y.—Audubon International has awarded The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, located on the shoreline of Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, New York, the prestigious Four Green Leaves Rating. Notification of the award was recently received after a lengthy review process. Over the past two years the Golden Arrow has worked hard to become a sustainable, earth friendly business. The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort is the only property in New York State to have a certified Audubon Green Leaf rating and the only property in North America to have achieved the coveted Four Green Leaves status. “We are thrilled to have...

LOS ANGELES—Having worked successfully for such real estate clients as Wynn Las Vegas, the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, Mandalay Bay and W Hotels, B|W|R Public Relations has been retained by Los Angeles-based hotelier Deirdre Wallace. B|W|R will focus on raising awareness of The Ambrose in Santa Monica, while seeking opportunities for the president and founder, Deirdre Wallace. For more than 28 years, B|W|R has earned a reputation as a service-intensive firm adept in a cross-section of public relations disciplines. In addition to destinations and real estate ventures, they include special events (star-studded parties, award shows), nonprofit (e.g., annual Revlon...

NATHROP, COLO.—Real West Travel Inc., a Colorado-based Internet travel service, will go "live" on February 15 with an online booking system for eco-friendly lodging based in the western United States. The company will provide end consumers the option of booking direct with eco-friendly lodgers while promoting the benefits of becoming eco-friendly to other lodging businesses. The new reservation system will list qualified properties that show they are making a positive effort to help the environment. Real West Travel works on a commission-based model, and listing and setup are free. All hotels, B&Bs, ranches and other lodges in...

America’s feelings about global warming and its threat to our planet clearly shifted dramatically in 2007. Once ignored by the masses, it has become a mainstream issue driving millions of consumers to find out how they can live a more eco-friendly existence. That momentum is the impetus behind a new wave of consumer marketing. From Wal-Mart’s goal of selling one million compact fluorescent light bulbs in a year to Home Depot’s new Eco Options line of products, the race for green market share is on. That trend has only continued in service industries like lodging and hospitality, where many...

NEW YORK—From the popularity of eco-lodges and “green” vacation tips in magazines to the rise of carbon offset programs among airlines, an increasing number of companies are taking steps to encourage sustainable travel choices. But how can responsible tourists separate the green-doers from the greenwashers? By choosing businesses that show they are meeting environmental and social standards by earning a seal of approval from an independent sustainable tourism certification program. Latin America experienced a 25 percent growth in the number of certified tourism businesses in 2007, up to 167 in October 2007 from 136 in 2006, according to the second...