DENVER—RockResorts, a luxury hotel company with a long-standing tradition of emphasizing the natural settings of its resort locations, is launching a brand-wide Green Weddings initiative beginning this summer. From the majestic mountains of Vail to the authentic adobes of Santa Fe, couples can now say “I Do” at a RockResort without saying “I Don’t” to Mother Nature. Those exchanging their vows at the nine unique RockResorts properties will do much more than just recycle the cans attached to their “Just Married” signs. Celebrating this special day at a RockResort offers shades of green sure to satisfy and make a difference...

KISSIMMEE, FLA.—Gaylord Hotels and The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) welcomed Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center into the Florida Green Lodging Program. The 1,406-room resort is one of the largest in that state to participate, and the first in Osceola County’s popular Kissimmee resort corridor. In addition, the resort announced the upcoming rollout of a new guest communications program, called “We’re Eco-Logical”, designed to share the spirit of the resort’s eco-friendly initiatives with guests and meeting planners, while encouraging them to take an active role in the programs. “Together with the citizens of Osceola County, we have created one...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Softscribe Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Founded in 1999, Atlanta-based Softscribe Inc. blends traditional public relations with emerging new media to help companies targeting the green hospitality and tourism market drive sales and reach their strategic objectives. Softscribe provides a full range of traditional public relations and marketing strategy services, and a growing collection of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) offerings that use the Internet to leverage its clients’ existing public relations investments. Call (404) 256-5512, e-mail info@softscribeinc.com, or go to www.softscribeinc.com.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Mercure hotels across Australia have gone green on conferencing, with the hotel group being among the first to offer a national Carbon Neutral Conferencing product. The new initiative was unveiled at the Asia Pacific Incentive Meetings Expo (AIME) in Melbourne. Accor’s Mercure hotel brand is one of Australia’s largest, with 17 hotels in every state capital of Australia, as well as in a number of regional centers. Under the Mercure Meetings initiative, Mercure hotels will fully fund offsets for carbon emissions produced during a conference. This means the offset cost of making a conference Carbon Neutral is covered by...

OTTAWA, ONT.—The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) has announced a new strategic partnership with The Innovolve Group Inc. and the new Green Meeting Guide. This partnership will enable meeting planners to work closely with the HAC Green Key Eco-Rating Program to ensure the Canadian Lodging industry continues to evolve as a leader in environmental stewardship. The HAC Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to recognize hotels, motels and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental performance. Based on the results of a comprehensive environmental audit, hoteliers are awarded a one to five Green Key rating....

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—The sand is golden, the water is blue, and the rest of the destination is going green. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with the Board of Broward County Commissioners, and in conjunction with private and public sector partners in the hospitality industry, is transforming Greater Fort Lauderdale into “Greener” Fort Lauderdale. The CVB is contributing by creating an environmentally-friendly in-room card for hotel guests and working with the hotels to become Florida Green Lodging certified. “Greater Fort Lauderdale is actively making a commitment to preserving our water resources and sensitive ecosystems...

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...