DENVER—When compared to last year’s Sustainable Meetings Conference in Pittsburgh, attendance was up significantly at this year’s event held in Denver from February 9 to 11. This year’s conference was held at the Colorado Convention Center. The facility, which has a 300-kilowatt solar system on its roof, is in pursuit of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. A total of approximately 250 people attended this year’s event, reflecting the growing interest in the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), the organizer of the conference. Two years ago, membership in GMIC stood at 185 members. Today, there are 577...

DENVER—Denver will soon play host to some of the finest up-and-coming students in the international meetings and incentive travel industry. The Future Leaders Forum will take place in association with the Green Meeting Industry Council Conference (GMIC) Green Meetings 101 on February 9, 2010, at the Sustainable Meetings Conference in Denver. The program, designed and delivered jointly by the IMEX Group—producers of the leading international meetings exhibition—and GMIC, offers gifted young students the opportunity to gain a unique insight into how to develop a successful career in the meetings and incentives travel industry. The focus of this Future Leaders Forum...

NATIONAL REPORT—Experian recently listed its “Top 20 websites in the ‘Travel’ online industry for the month of December 2009, based on visits.” Among those sites—which include such well-known stops as Priceline.com and MapQuest—only three attempt to highlight green hotels. The three include Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia. Travelocity has a Green Hotel Directory that can be accessed through a “Green Travel” link on its home page. Site visitors not only have access to green hotels but also voluntourism opportunities and the option to offset their travel through The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero Program. Orbitz also has its own eco-travel microsite....

SAN FRANCISCO—Each year about 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent, making the holiday the second largest day of the year for greeting cards. This year, Joie de Vivre is encouraging lovers to show their affection for each other (and Mother Earth) in a more environmentally conscious way. With free e-cards and a new eco-friendly package, Joie de Vivre is offering romantic indulgences that have less impact on the environment. The new “Sowing the Seeds of Love” eco-romance package lets guests who book a hotel stay at one of Joie de Vivre’s 35 hotels between Jan. 21 and Dec. 15,...

DENVER—The Green Meeting Industry Council’s (GMIC) annual North American conference not only has a new name, the Sustainable Meetings Conference (formerly the Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference), but also a new 2010 conference theme: Scaling It Up! GMIC selected Denver for its natural beauty and, most importantly, for its strong group of committed leaders who strive to make sustainable practices the standard within the meeting and event industry. With facilities such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Renewable Energy Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge restoration, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver and the great...

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.—Building on its successful Destination Earth environmental sustainability program, Destination Hotels & Resorts has created a new platform for all group and meetings business which is built on green practices to reduce waste, conserve water, better manage energy output and more. “A ‘green’ meeting will now be standard throughout all group, meeting and conference center properties in the Destination collection,” said Mark Hickey, senior vice president of operations for the company. “Basic principles of waste reduction, water conservation, as well as sustainable food and beverage practices are among the customary meeting offerings. However, there are different shades of green...

RICHMOND, VA.—Virginia has introduced a new green-themed vacation giveaway celebrating the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th anniversary. The Virginia “Go Green on the Blue Ridge Parkway Sweepstakes” offers a chance to win a family road trip. Participants can win a seven-day, six-night vacation for four, complete with airfare, a hybrid rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and overnight stays at Virginia Green hotels, resorts and cabins. The sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents 21 and older and runs through November 1, 2010. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which covers 469 miles of scenic byway from Shenandoah...

FAIRFIELD, N.J.—Green & Black’s Organic chocolate, a division of Cadbury, is now offering an individually wrapped chocolate disc specifically designed for the hospitality and food service industries—thanks to Strategic Green Incentives, a division of NouveautesUSA, Inc. In addition to the chocolate amenity, Strategic Green Incentives has designed a Towel Reuse Program with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate. Strategic Green Incentives is focused on creating programs that prompt travelers to participate. Customized and co-branded tent cards and postcards distributed with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate carry the message that supports a property’s sustainability initiative while reducing water and energy costs. Distributed...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—Yellowstone’s newest gift store has a single purpose: to inspire visitors to help protect national parks. Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, gift shops, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, has converted its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products. The store was dedicated January 7, 2010. Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, spoke at the dedication and gave a keynote address following the event. The event was also attended by some of the...

SEATTLE—Bell Harbor International Conference Center has completed a one-year research study to calculate its carbon footprint, in an effort to become a more eco-friendly meeting and event destination. As a result, Bell Harbor is better prepared to work with groups to identify ways to reduce an event’s carbon footprint and ultimately lessen its impact on the environment. “As Seattle’s premier conference center, we are happy to be leading the charge in making greener meetings available to our guests,” said Greg Werry, general manager of Bell Harbor International Conference Center. “Our waterfront location on beautiful Puget Sound is a constant reminder...