ST MARTIN, CARIBBEAN—Carlson Hotels Worldwide has opened the 1,000th hotel in its worldwide portfolio, the Radisson St Martin Resort, Marina & Spa, dedicating the achievement of this growth landmark to a global initiative of environmental sustainability and responsible business. At opening ceremonies, top company officials joined with representatives of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign and The Carbon Neutral Company to officially dedicate this $80 million resort. The company is planting 1,000 trees worldwide and making a financial donation to the UNEP program plus partnering with The CarbonNeutral Company to offset the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) members can now apply for the 2009 Stars of the Industry Awards online. The deadline for applications is February 16, 2009, and awards will be announced during the Stars of the Industry Luncheon on June 24 at AH&LA’s Summer Summit in Chicago. A new category in 2009 is the Stevan Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year award, created in memory of Stevan Porter, former president of the Americas for the InterContinental Hotels Group, and organized in conjunction with the association’s launch of the Under 30 Gateway, AH&LA’s new membership category exclusively...

CHICAGO—The Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) announced a strategic online partnership with PlannerWire, the news, information and community website for meeting and event professionals, to promote awareness of the global importance of green meetings, provide social networking opportunities for members, and a platform for sharing information about the GMIC annual conferences. PlannerWire will feature GMIC within the association section of PlannerWire.com. This section will allow for important information for prospective members and links to GMIC’s membership page will be included. GMIC will have the opportunity to provide editorial and video content in the coming months along with featured webinars...

ATLANTA—As part of its mission to “transform the global meetings industry through sustainability,” the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) announced its partnership with meeting industry leaders in Atlanta to form a chapter. “We recognized that the meeting leaders in Atlanta were not only aligned with our mission and values but also wanted to make an ethical commitment to a global movement,” says GMIC Executive Director Tamara Kennedy-Hill. “Convention and meeting planners and suppliers in Atlanta have worked together informally for years to share information about how to incorporate sustainability into their events,” said Audrey Davies, Home Depot, Atlanta chapter-in-formation...

As sustainable business practices continue to become the norm, pressure is building in many industries where natural resource consumption is high, and where technology has created viable alternative options. There are few such areas where this is more evident than in the direct mail industry. According to a study earlier this year by The Winterberry Group, direct mail spending in the United States totaled $58.4 billion in 2007. A staple of direct marketing for decades, hoteliers and other hospitality industry businesses rely on direct mail marketing to reach both prospects and existing customers alike, and to keep a funnel...

NEW YORK—More than 10 New York state organizations are currently working together as part of the New York State Governor’s Initiative: Green Hospitality Partnership to put together a program that would encourage benchmarking and certification for hospitality industry businesses in the Empire State. The effort is being led by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Other organizations participating include: Governor’s Office; Hospitality and Tourism Association; Restaurant Association; Department of Economic Development; Department of Agriculture and Markets; Department of Labor; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Energy Research & Development Authority; and Pollution Prevention Institute. The objectives of...

TORONTO—They say all good “soles” go to heaven, and now shoes from the Fairmont Fit program will get a second life with Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization that collects gently worn and new shoes for redistribution to those in need. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is donating footwear from Fairmont Fit, a program which offers members of Fairmont President’s Club, the brand’s exclusive guest recognition program, access to adidas athletic apparel for use during their stay. Fairmont is also providing a little incentive to begin the New Year on the right foot and stick with those resolutions to get in shape. Guests...

SAN FRANCISCO—Joie de Vivre, California’s largest boutique hotel collection, has launched Joie De Vivre Green Dreams, a dedicated portal on its website that allows consumers to track the company’s ongoing efforts to preserve the environment. Joie de Vivre Green Dreams, also the name of the company’s environmental program, features the company’s green policies and practices, a green certification “scorecard” for hotels, green travel tips, and links to environmental resources. “Joie de Vivre has made a long-term commitment to incorporating sustainability into its business operations through the Green Dreams program,” said Joie de Vivre’s senior vice president of operations, Karlene Holloman,...

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) announced that Green Key rated hotels can now include their Key ratings in AAA/CAA travel guides. AAA/CAA will now be supporting green certified hotels that are also “Diamond-rated” properties by encouraging promotion of their Key rating in TourBook advertising both in Canada and the United States. “We are very pleased that AAA strongly supports environmental management and sustainability throughout the lodging industry and we look forward to extending this benefit to all Green Key hotels in North America,” said Tony Pollard, HAC president. “The consumer numbers show that the greening of hotels across...

MINNEAPOLIS—Newly tabulated results from a carbon-offset campaign conducted earlier this year by Carlson Hotels Worldwide report the initiative generated sufficient donations from members of Carlson’s goldpoints plus frequent-guest program to offset 340,436 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. To date, members have converted 709,000 Gold Points into contributions for carbon-reduction projects operated by The CarbonNeutral Company. Carlson has matched the donations, doubling the overall value. The goldpoints plus program includes all Carlson hotel brands: Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, and Park Inn. Carlson invited goldpoints plus members to...