RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO—Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa and the Pelopidas Foundation, in association with The Climate Institute, has become the first resort in the world to offer guests the Magic Planet, an exclusive educational tool developed by the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to teach guests the impact that our daily activities have on the land, ocean and atmosphere. The Magic Planet device provides an interactive multimedia platform that can run simulations, display live streaming media from any region of the world and offer real-time games which engage participants in a friendly environment. Using a touch screen module, guests...

BOCA RATON, FLA.—Just when you thought there were no more new segments to exploit in the hospitality industry, one bubbles to the surface. Outdoor Traveler Destinations (OTD) is a new membership group that intends to affiliate a wide range of hospitality properties (everything from traditional hotels to dude ranches to fishing camps to something called glamping) that market to the 80 million outdoor enthusiasts in the United States. “It’s a marketing dream come true because we’re catering to a very passionate consumer,” says OTD president Scott Boone, who most recently was an executive with Island Global Yachting but in the...

PHOENIX—A new enhancement to Best Western International’s website is helping the company meet travelers’ demands for environmentally-friendly hotels. Hotels that comply with a state, national or international eco-labeling program for the hotel industry now can display a green leaf icon next to their listing on bestwestern.com. Travelers also can search for green hotels using this feature. Approved eco-labeling programs include the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification, American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 11 Minimum Green Guidelines, Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key, Green Seal, Energy Star, and others. “Hotel guests are increasingly more conscious of the environmental impact of their hotel...

HORSHAM, PA.—Cvent, a provider of online event management, meeting site selection and Web survey solutions, announced a partnership with Green Key Global to help the more than 65,000 monthly meeting planner users of the company’s online site selection and sourcing tool, the Cvent Supplier Network, plan green meetings and events. Through the “Environmentally Friendly” filter on the Cvent Supplier Network and Green Key ratings on venue profiles, meeting planners can easily research, identify and do business with Green Key-certified hotels and hotel meeting facilities in the United States and Canada. “We are always looking for ways to enhance the Cvent...

KENNER, LA.—Pellerin Milnor announced that fans may now log onto Facebook to receive the latest photos, information, and participate in discussions on its products. By clicking on the “like” button next to Pellerin Milnor Corporation’s profile, one will benotified when new content is updated on the page. Like Milnor, several other laundry manufacturers have looked to social networking to cultivate a constant and international presence on Facebook, which is arguably the most influential social network today. “There is no doubt that Facebook has become an international phenomenon,” Milnor’s marketing coordinator Katie Pellerin said. “In just six years, this website has influenced...

HELENA, MONT.—The Montana Innkeepers Assn. (MIKA), soon to be the Montana Lodging & Hospitality Assn., has partnered with Green Directory Montana to launch a Montana Sustainability in Hospitality Program for those owning and operating lodging establishments in Montana. The program was officially launched on August 1 and is the result of the work of a MIKA green lodging committee that had been meeting for more than a year. Stuart Doggett, executive director of MIKA, said that due to Montana’s budget crisis, it became apparent to MIKA that a green lodging program was not going to emerge out of a state...

DENVER—Sage Hospitality has upped its own ante on helping the environment with its new Green Choice program. The “opt in” initiative offers guests the choice to decline daily housekeeping to reduce their carbon footprint while saving hotels money on energy, water and other costs. Introduced in March 2010 and currently offered at 18 Sage hotels across the country, such as The Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel and the Nines in Portland, Ore., Green Choice reflects a growing trend as hotel groups seek innovative solutions to save money—and the planet—amid challenging times for the travel industry. Green Choice has seen great success...

TORONTO—Looking for new ways to enhance the guest experience and help travelers stay fit and maintain a balanced lifestyle while away from home, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts recently announced an extension of its partnership with German automaker BMW to provide a complimentary hotel bicycle service featuring BMW Cruise Bikes. Already present in Fairmont’s Canadian properties, Fairmont hotels across the United States will introduce these state-of-the-art bikes as the newest benefit for guests. In addition to having a selection of regular BMW Cruise Bikes available, hotels will also boast some child-sized BMW Junior Cruise Bikes, allowing families to enjoy the...

LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.—Days two and three of the West Coast Green Lodging Conference, held at the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe—Hotel & Ski Resort, were highlighted by presentations by the following: Kelly May, who is with the California Department of General Services’ California Green Lodging Program; Janine Chicourrat, general manager, Portola Hotel & Spa; and Sara Schoen, LEED AP, commercial real estate associate, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). In her presentation, May described how more than 200 hotels in California are benefiting from participating in that state’s Green Lodging Program—a program focused on minimizing waste, conserving energy and water, green purchasing,...

SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS—Travelocity announced it will add hundreds of properties to its Green Hotel Directory that have been validated by Hilton Worldwide’s innovative sustainability measurement system, LightStay. Travelocity is awarding its coveted “eco-friendly hotel” leaf tag to more than 300 elite properties among the Hilton Worldwide portfolio, each of which has made significant strides toward sustainability. Travelocity is the only major online travel company that tags eco-friendly hotels site-wide. “Our eco-friendly leaf is a symbol consumers can trust, and it makes shopping a snap,” says Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. “We’re excited to award it to over...