TROY, N.Y.—Audubon International—The environmentally focused nonprofit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play—announces that The St. Regis Bahia Beach, long a sustainability-driven luxury resort on Puerto Rico’s north shore, has achieved Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Platinum Certification. “On an island blessed with such a rich and deep commitment to its environment, The St. Regis Bahia Beach has taken that commitment even further, indeed to the highest level of Green Lodging certification we offer,” says Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International. “They are a strong partner and proof positive that...

TILLAMOOK, ORE.—In a powerful step towards responsible travel, the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) announces its partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program. This collaboration marks a significant moment for Oregon’s responsible tourism efforts, empowering travelers to support community well-being and environmental preservation along the Oregon Coast through thoughtful travel choices. Kind Traveler launched the Every Stay Gives Back program in September 2023 and has since raised more than $304,352 in donations for local charities across participating destinations and lodging partners in just one year. Through the Every Stay Gives Back partnership, a portion of every guest stay with...

MIAMI—The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) announced a strategic partnership with Viva Resorts by Wyndham, a collection of all-inclusive vacation resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, to drive sustainable development and responsible tourism in the Caribbean. This collaboration aligns with the ongoing objectives of the USAID Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity. PADF and Viva Resorts by Wyndham share a common goal: to take impactful actions that enhance sustainability and promote the well-being of local communities. This partnership focuses on tackling key challenges such as solid waste management and coastal and marine conservation, ultimately protecting the Caribbean’s natural resources and enhancing the...

Hotel owners are looking for fresh ideas to save money and create a better guest experience. Learn if solar energy is worth the investment for your hotel. The adoption of solar energy in hotels is a strategic move toward sustainability and financial efficiency. Hotel owners are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on the electrical grid and lower operational costs. Solar energy offers a renewable and sustainable alternative for hotels, so you might wonder if it is worth the investment for your establishment. Electricity bills are significant expenses for hotels; solar panels can drastically cut operational costs by providing a...

BERLIN, GERMANY—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) celebrates yet another milestone as over 5,000 properties across more than 80 countries have now embraced its Hotel Sustainability Basics (Basics) program. Hotels in major destinations across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia-Pacific have adopted Basics, and the programme continues to receive global support with new partnerships in tourism powerhouses such as Japan, the Philippines and India. Designed to guide hoteliers in their initial steps towards enhanced sustainability, Basics is an independent verification program, supervised by renowned assessors Green Key and SGS, ensuring rigorous standards and credibility. The programme empowers hotels of all sizes with a...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced the launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events (Connect Responsibly), a program designed to help meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Connect Responsibly plans to offer meetings and events customers access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events and select options to purchase carbon credits. The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of October. “There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it that much...

ATLANTA—Interface, Inc., the global flooring solutions company and leader in sustainability, announced it received a top honor at the Reuters 2024 Sustainability Awards. The manufacturer received the highest distinction in the Net Zero: Leadership category for its decision to go “all in” on becoming carbon negative without offsets. As part of its strategy, Interface is focused on direct carbon reduction and carbon storage—not offsets—to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. The company is exploring and investing in innovation and R&D projects to avoid, reduce, and store more carbon across the entire enterprise to achieve its bold climate ambitions. This...

PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN—RIU Hotels & Resorts is the first major Spanish international hotel chain to sign a global agreement with Achilles, a world-renowned expert in supply chain risk management that specializes in ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria. This agreement represents a significant milestone in RIU’s business relationship with its suppliers and reflects its commitment to the Proudly Committed sustainability strategy, as RIU’s entire supply chain must be involved for the company to make significant progress in terms of sustainability and goods and service suppliers play a key role in this regard. Achilles provides highly in-depth assessments including on-site...

ATLANTA—Interface, Inc., the global flooring solutions company and leader in sustainability, announced that it is making it easier for customers to understand the carbon impact of their product selections by including project-specific embodied carbon metrics on all floor plans created by the Interface Design Studio (IDS). The company is using a unique combination of technology and data to calculate the carbon footprint of a project’s flooring. As a result, Interface is the first flooring manufacturer to deliver embodied carbon metrics as standard on its floor plans, helping customers understand how Interface can positively contribute to their project’s sustainability and...

DENVER—Populus, the urban hotel that blends nature-inspired design with environmentally conscious hospitality to put the health of the planet first, is now open in downtown Denver. Developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, and managed by Aparium Hotel Group, a pioneer in the lifestyle hotel industry, Populus crafts an inspired and exciting guest experience centered on mindful hospitality through its 265 guestrooms; flexible meeting and event spaces; two distinct restaurants—Pasque, an all-day dining destination and Stellar Jay, a lively rooftop restaurant and bar; and iconic Aspen tree-inspired design by AD100 architecture firm, Studio Gang. Not only are all...