BATTLE CREEK, MICH.—FireKeepers Casino Hotel announces its pledge to sustainable business practices by joining the Renewable Energy Program offered by Consumers Energy. Through its enrollment in the program, FireKeepers Casino Hotel will not only source 100 percent of its electricity from renewable power sources but will also save over 273,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, reinforcing its dedication to clean and renewable energy sources for the next 20 years. In a step towards environmental responsibility, FireKeepers has committed to match its energy consumption of approximately 31,527 megawatt-hours per year with clean, renewable energy sources. This substantial effort reduces Michigan greenhouse...

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS—The St. Kitts Tourism Authority announced that St. Kitts has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Travel Weekly Magellan Gold Accolade for “Caribbean Eco-Friendly Sustainable Destination”. According to Travel Weekly, being selected a Magellan Award Winner is a tremendous achievement and proves you represent a high standard of excellence within the travel industry. Winners are chosen by the best names and most qualified judges in the industry. Entries are evaluated on a 100-point performance scale. The highest scoring entries are selected as winners of Gold Magellan Awards, the very top honor. With its commitment to sustainable living, thriving rainforests, and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AHLA) and IncentiFind announced a new partnership to help AHLA’s more than 30,000 members identify sustainability-related cost savings. IncentiFind, a leading green building incentive database, offers more than a half million incentives, including tax credits, grants, fee waivers, rebates, and bill credits. These lucrative credits support the implementation of green measures like energy efficiency, renewables, water conservation, and more, which are all directed at reducing bottom-line costs for hoteliers. As part of this partnership, AHLA members will receive special pricing on IncentiFind’s VERIFY Report, which identifies significant rebates and savings for asset upgrades, such...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—The Crossville Native Metal collection, one of its new carbon-neutral porcelain tile series, has been recognized with a Planet Positive Award. The Crossville Native Metal collection was recognized as the winner in the Surfaces, Tiles, and Materials category. Recognizing the most creative projects and products from around the world that benefit people and planet, Metropolis’s Planet Positive Awards are judged by four expert juries across product categories. The winners represent the highest achievements today in design that addresses climate change, ecosystem health, human health, and equity. “Metropolis has been a trusted resource for the architecture and design industry for more...

NEW YORK—The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), with more than 400 independent luxury hotels in over 80 countries, unveiled their Sustainability Leaders collection. From modern metropolitan towers to tented jungle sanctuaries, the collection was created to recognize Leading Hotels that are committed to preserving the environment and the cherished values and cultural heritage of their destinations. “We are excited to introduce our Sustainability Leaders Collection to celebrate our member hotels who have gone above and beyond to protect their piece of the planet,” said Lauren Alba, Vice President Global Marketing and Communications, The Leading Hotels of the World. “The...

Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies with 28 million reported accommodation listings, just released its seven predictions for travel in 2024. Booking.com commissioned research among more than 27,000 travelers across 33 countries and territories. Not surprisingly, several of the predictions have connections to trends that I cover hear on Green Lodging News. Says Booking.com, “Heat has officially had its vacay heyday, with scorching temperatures pushing the mercury to record-breaking levels and causing heat waves around the world. Sweltering conditions are accelerating a rise in travelers chasing cooler climes to revive and refresh themselves. The majority (51 percent)...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—In a defining moment for the global Travel & Tourism sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC) initiated by the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia released the latest industry-shaping Environmental Impact Research data. Last year, during the WTTC Global Summit in Riyadh, the two organizations launched the collaboration and unveiled the inaugural results including the sector’s accurate greenhouse gas emissions for the first time ever. This represents the most comprehensive environmental data in Travel & Tourism’s history. H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said: “We welcome this...

KALAMAZOO, MICH.—Landscape Forms, North America’s leading designer and manufacturer of premium site furniture, structure, LED lighting, and accessories, continues to expand its commitment to sustainability, announcing its new status as a SITES Community Partner and introducing a groundbreaking embodied carbon Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) initiative. A commitment to continuously improving sustainability and mitigating environmental impact is a cornerstone of all Landscape Forms’ operations, guiding the way in which the company designs, manufactures, packs, and ships its products and informing the way it conducts its administrative processes. From this commitment, Landscape Forms announces two new leading actions from its sustainability program:...

NEW HAVEN, CONN.—Just a few weeks ago, it was announced that the anticipated net-zero energy Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has achieved Passive House certification from Passive House Institute (PHI). The accomplishment is one in a long series of accomplishments for Bruce Redman Becker, architect and developer of the 165-room hotel that once was the Armstrong Rubber Company Building, aka Pirelli Building. Green Lodging News spoke with Becker to learn about the Passive House certification and to get caught up on how his LEED Platinum building has performed since it opened in May 2022. According to the Passive House Institute,...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announced a major new partnership, aligning to establish a structured framework for hotel sustainability, leading to GSTC Certification. The partnership endorses the existing WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics while paving the way for a stepped progression toward GSTC Certification* for sustainable hotels. In an era where sustainability is paramount, WTTC and GSTC are joining forces to send a potent message to the market regarding the coherence and collaboration in the Travel & Tourism sector. The three-stage framework for hotel sustainability will now see the integration between the WTTC Hotel...