COVID-19 has certainly increased interest in hotel indoor air quality (IAQ). How could it not when you have a potentially deadly virus that spreads primarily through the air? While scientifically a challenge to detect COVID-19 in the air, it is possible to create and monitor conditions that make transmission of viruses like COVID-19 less likely. I have written about various technologies in Green Lodging News that help improve IAQ by killing airborne viruses. It is not just COVID-19 that has increased interest in air quality lately. It is also the growing number of forest fires in the western United States as...

LONDON—Largely unaffected by COVID-19, the Commonwealth of Dominica hopes to persuade tourists to return to the Nature Isle of the Caribbean. To reassure guests and residents alike that it is safe to visit the island, on October 2, the Discover Dominica Authority launched the “Safe in Nature” campaign. It provides a “managed experience” within a so-called “tourism bubble” comprising accommodation, transport, attractions, spas, restaurants and water-based activities that have all been certified for safety by the government. Dominica reopened its borders to tourists in August following protocols that, according to the President of the Dominica Hotels and Tourism Assn., Hans...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, launched its GBAC STAR Facility Directory. This new web-based tool allows users to identify facilities that have earned or committed to achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, the designation reserved for facilities that have demonstrated a thorough approach to cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention. “We’re excited to unveil this new tool to help the public discover which facilities are taking important steps forward with their approach to cleaning,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “The GBAC STAR program has more than 250 facilities accredited and 3,000-plus committed to accreditation in more than 80 countries,...

FRANKFURT AM MAIN—Promoting innovation and e-mobility, Rainer Zietlow, an experienced tour driver with the Mannheim-based special agency CHALLENGE4, sent out a strong signal for the future viability of e-mobility recently as he embarked upon on a marathon 20,000-kilometer trip through Germany in a VW ID.3 electric car. Deutsche Hospitality supports this ambitious project by sponsoring overnight accommodation and catering costs. During their 64-day journey, Rainer Zietlow and his team will stay in hotels that operate under the Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts and IntercityHotel brand names. The route begins in Oberstdorf, the southernmost settlement in Germany, and will end at the...

LAS VEGAS—In an Op-Ed published by The Nevada Independent, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox offers insight on how to get Las Vegas entertainment, nightlife, and conventions back up and running safely. The multi-layered approach is centered around a robust health and safety plan and the implementation of an on-site testing lab located at Wynn Las Vegas. Following is the Op-Ed in full as originally published, detailing how the introduction of rapid tests and the creation of “safe zones” will accelerate Nevada’s recovery: “As a long-standing member of the Las Vegas community and the current CEO of Wynn Resorts, I have been...

NATIONAL REPORT—Illinois-based PourMyBeer is making it easy to eliminate beer waste while significantly increasing sales and profits at the same time. The company has developed a tap wall system that frees up space in a bar and puts the pouring in the hands of customers who can social distance while choosing up to more than 100 beers on tap. Taps are sanitized between use but customers can choose to use gloves if they wish. “It is about making people feel comfortable,” says Josh Goodman, Founder and CEO of PourMyBeer. “The act of showing customers that you sanitize the taps or...

LONDON—A major social media campaign has been launched to raise awareness of  the wide-ranging social benefits of travel by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The new initiative asks travelers to think about the positive social impact that travel makes to people, places and communities dependent upon the travel and tourism sector for their livelihoods. It also encourages people around the world to share stories of how tourism has made a difference and changed their lives. The campaign strapline “Travel the world. Make a difference” is inspired by the deeper positive socioeconomic and cultural benefits, which each and every trip can...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts and PepsiCo announced an expansion of their longstanding partnership to 18 additional Vail Resorts locations across North America, including Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Mount Snow in Vermont, and Hunter Mountain in New York. In addition to renewing and expanding their product distribution partnership to now 33 total resorts globally, PepsiCo committed to a significant investment annually in projects that support Commitment to Zero, Vail Resorts’ sustainability pledge to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030, including zero waste to landfill. Through a multi-year sustainability roadmap, the companies will focus on waste reduction, including reducing beverage and...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced a comprehensive plan designed to facilitate the safe return of meetings and conventions at the company’s properties in Las Vegas and throughout the United States, subject to local regulations and restrictions. MGM Resorts’ “Convene with Confidence” plan is the result of months of work with experts and builds on the company’s Seven-Point Safety Plan to provide a comprehensive approach to health and safety. This includes the option for a multi-layered health screening process using CLEAR’s Health Pass and utilizing on-site rapid, molecular COVID-19 testing that can deliver results within approximately 20 minutes. “The health and safety...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced a new collaboration between Hyatt’s Exhale brand and Amazon Halo, a health and wellness membership that uses technology to provide personal wellness insights and offers ways to improve users’ everyday health. Powered by a mobile app and accompanying wristband, the newly launched Amazon Halo service combines science-backed tools and Exhale’s streaming video platform, Exhale On Demand, to help users build healthier habits for life. Available for early access now, the Amazon Halo service gives users and Exhale members greater accessibility to Exhale On Demand’s fitness programs. Exhale On Demand fitness-focused Labs offered on Amazon Halo are one-to-four-week trackable challenges—like...