TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—With Memorial Day and the summer travel season approaching, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging Florida residents and guests to travel close, clean and green with the launch of a new green travel website and Florida Green Lodging Program locator map. The newly launched green travel website offers resources for families and travelers looking to get away without depleting their wallets, gas tanks or the environment. “With a state park or a Green Lodging facility within just a short car ride of any location in the state, there are plenty of opportunities for affordable, eco-friendly travel...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Green Meeting Industry Council announced the addition of Tamara Kennedy-Hill as its new Executive Director. “We are pleased Tamara will be leading the Council into its next phase of development,” said Amy Spatrisano, GMIC Board Chair. “The current rate of growth the Council is experiencing requires a strong, knowledgeable leader like Tamara. She has been involved in the organization in various capacities and is very familiar with the issues facing the organization and the state of green meetings in the industry.” Kennedy-Hill has more than 10 years experience in the meetings and hospitality industry. Her most recent position...

NEW YORK—U.S. business travelers are increasingly making daily choices to reduce their environmental impact, and they have specific expectations about the green practices hotels should be adopting today, according to a recent survey commissioned by Deloitte. The survey shows business travelers have begun to practice some green practices routinely. Nearly seven of 10 business travelers (69 percent) say they always turn off the lights and one out of three (31 percent) always adjusts the heat/air conditioner when leaving the room. Roughly a third of travelers surveyed are keenly concerned about green travel. Some 34 percent “seek out hotels that are...

MCLEAN, VA.—Meeting planners looking to incorporate sustainable practices into their meetings, events, and expositions will learn about the growing green movement at the 12th annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings West Conference and Exposition at the Long Beach Convention Center from June 11-12. Deborah Popely, president, Green Events Source, Jesse Suglia, director of sales, Kimpton Hotels and Janet M. Cooperman, CMP, president, Green PEAS Events, will present planners with ways to “green” their meetings without causing additional stress during a general session on Thursday, June 11 at 10:30 a.m. Attendees will learn how to partner with...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Sorting hotel search results by Price, Hotel Name, or Distance from a Landmark are familiar tools to almost any traveler, but RezHub.com is now providing a sort feature with a conscience: Sort by Green Score. Customers using the RezHub.com hotel search are now able to view hotels in order of the way they care for the environment. RezHub.com and its Green Travel Hub launched in September of last year with a dedication to providing green travel options to everyone and for every trip. Since its launch, the site has continued to provide innovative tools to help travelers learn that...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A leader in sustainable hospitality, the Willard InterContinental in Washington D.C. has unveiled its Willard Green Meeting, a multi-optional, eco-conscious meeting structure which incorporates environmental considerations throughout all stages of a meeting, minimizing negative impacts while raising awareness. Crafted to planner’s specifications, the Willard Green Meeting offers sustainable food, beverages, supplies, amenities and team-building eco-opportunities—all within a luxurious, urban environmentally-friendly hotel setting. “As many organizations undertake numerous corporate social responsibility efforts, the Willard Green Meeting serves to reflect our clients’ objectives by helping to neutralize environmental footprints and enhance consciousness,” said Hervé Houdré, general manager. “We have designed a...

LONDON—VisitBritain aims to encourage a rapid, widespread and significant increase in the adoption of sustainable tourism principles, while avoiding the burden of too much bureaucracy and, as part of a three-month pilot, is waiving the usual $48 cost for the first 500 businesses to register for the program. Participation in Green Start provides tourism managers and operators with a stepping stone towards accreditation by a validated sustainable accreditation scheme. “VisitBritain is committed to encouraging sustainable businesses,” said Jason Freezer, VisitBritain’s sustainable tourism project manager. “However, nearly two-thirds tell us they need more guidance on developing their business in that...

SAN FRANCISCO—Eager to support the growing numbers of businesses wishing to incorporate “green” principles into their corporate meetings, San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale has announced a new initiative that provides innovative green meeting packages to its corporate clientele. The new packages introduce eco-friendly practices into every aspect of meetings and events and align the hotel with the social responsibility practices already in place at many companies. “Since its inception, Hotel Vitale has been committed to sustainability and to eco-friendly practices, and these meeting packages are a natural extension of that commitment,” said Chip Conley, founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre...

NEW YORK—ASTA and Travelport, a business services provider to companies operating in the global travel industry, recently announced at a press event in New York City the launching of the new ASTA Green Member Program. ASTA’s innovative program will teach travel professionals about the importance of environmentally-friendly travel, how to make positive changes in their own companies, select green vendors and suppliers and better sell this form of travel to their clients. Travelport is the first official Global Sponsor of ASTA’s Green Member Program. “Announcing the Green Member Program is something I have looked forward to for a long time,”...

LEXINGTON, KY.—The National Tour Assn. (NTA) announced that its annual convention, to be held in Pittsburgh, November 15-19, will be its first green convention and will take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the first and largest certified green convention center in the world. “NTA is taking steps to lessen the negative impact all of us have on the environment,” said NTA Chairman and CEO Bob Hoelscher, CTP. “As travel professionals we have a special responsibility to preserve the world’s destinations for future generations. NTA is taking action to implement best practices and help our members see...