BERLIN—Guyana has been named the No. 1 “Best of Ecotourism” destination in the world. The award was presented to Guyana at the ITB global travel trade fair in Berlin, Germany. The second annual “Best of Top 100” Awards is a selection of the finest top 100 destinations selected by a panel of experts who reviewed sustainability success stories submitted by destinations worldwide. The newly created “Best of Ecotourism” category was added in 2019 and put Guyana up against very well-known and experienced ecotourism destinations like Sierra Gorda in Mexico, Tmatboey in Cambodia and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The announcement was made at Berlin’s Messe Berlin exhibition grounds...

DALTON, GA.—The Manufacturing Institute has awarded Diana Rosenberger, Sustainable Sourcing Manager at Shaw Industries Group, Inc., the Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award. This national honor identifies high-achieving women in manufacturing who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their companies and communities. Rosenberger is honored for her contributions to Shaw’s sustainability efforts. As the sustainable sourcing manager, she partnered with fellow associates, aligning sustainability, legal and global sourcing interests to transform Shaw’s once stand-alone supplier code of conduct into a legally binding sourcing policy. She was also an instrumental part of the team that drove...

LAAMU, MALDIVES—One of the most valuable ecosystems on our planet, seagrass, is being deliberately removed so as to maintain the white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters prized by the tourism industry in the Maldives. On World Seagrass Day, March 1, 2019, the Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI), the marine team at Six Senses Laamu and Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) launched the #ProtectMaldivesSeagrass campaign to protect seagrass at all resorts in the Maldives. Natasha Prokop, MUI head marine biologist says, “We’re only just beginning to comprehend the scale of the problem in the Maldives. In a survey of 49 resorts, we found that 50 percent of those that...

What, for you, makes an ideal vacation? Being alone in a beautiful spot or sharing the experience with loved ones? More likely than not you prefer to avoid the ‘madding’ crowd, but you may already have had first-hand experience of the increasing numbers of tourists visiting major destinations such as Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, the Taj Mahal and Venice. Growth in Tourism: Facts and Figures According to the latest statistics from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals rose by 6 percent to 1.4 billion in 2018, the second strongest year since 2010. UNWTO expects the number of tourist...

NEW DELHI—MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company has successfully supported plantation of one million trees through MakeMyTrip Foundation in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand and Udaipur districts as part of its efforts to support responsible travel. The drive has been carried out in partnership with Seva Mandir, a leading nonprofit organization that works with local communities on development projects, especially focusing on sustainability. MakeMyTrip’s GoGreen initiative is a 360-degree drive that aims to promote responsible travel and environmental sustainability by involving all stakeholders including customers, employees and local communities. The tree plantation effort covering 2,350 hectares of land has been carried out with...

VICTORIA, B.C.—When guests book a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Victoria, they have the option of also reserving a Toyota Prius. The hotel has two of the white Toyotas decked out with green leaves and the name of the hotel property on the doors. Guests can book the vehicles through a separate website called http://mystaymycar.com/. What is truly unique about the hotel, however, is its pair of Solo electric vehicles. Made in nearby Vancouver, B.C., the one-person electric vehicles have two wheels in the front, one in the back and are painted just like the two...

SPAIN—Across Spain, hotels are prominently flagging their green credentials as they increasingly take steps to reduce their environmental footprint and appeal to a new generation of eco-aware consumers. The country’s Paradores, state-run hotels in historic buildings such as former palaces and monasteries, are the latest to look to a greener future, switching to renewable energy sources by incorporating features such as biomass technology or solar panels. “The Paradores’ commitment to become 100 percent green energy driven is an important milestone in the Spanish hotels sector,” says Carlos Ortega, Executive Vice President of the Hotels division at JLL Spain. “Being a public-sector...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has again been recognized by CDP, the international nonprofit environmental disclosure platform, on both the Climate Change and Water A List. This is the company’s fourth year in a row to attain a leadership position for Climate Change and its first on the Water A List. Las Vegas Sands is proud to be recognized and continues to work towards additional reduction of its environmental impact. “The CDP provides a comprehensive framework that continues to inspire us to become leaders in our industry and provide guidance for strategic direction,” Norbert Riezler, Senior Vice President of Global Sustainability...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—As part of its commitment to global philanthropy and sustainability, leading global innovation company with textile, specialty chemical and floor covering manufacturing expertise, Milliken & Company’s Specialty Interiors business, announced its partnership with The Gifted Co. The Gifted Co. is a North Carolina-based subsidiary of a nonprofit organization dedicated to training and employing individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty to work in the textile industry in commercial sewing roles. Based in the historical heart of America’s textile industry, this organization works to break the cycle of poverty, homeless and hopelessness by working directly with local homeless populations to provide...

SINGAPORE—Greenview has released its 106-page Green Lodging Trends Report 2018. The Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. The Report highlights and summarizes responses to 115 survey questions in these categories: Energy Management, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Health & Wellness, Back of House, Communications, Staff Involvement, Community Involvement, and Climate Action & Certification. Greenview received data for 4,544 hotels across 61 countries. Of the overall data set, 2,202 properties were classified as City/Urban Hotels, 814 as Suburban Hotels, 607 as Resorts, 296...