NEW YORK—Beyond Green, a global portfolio of planet Earth’s most sustainable hotels, has announced the launch of its first-ever Global Impact Report underscoring the brand’s commitment to sustainability and the effect of its member portfolio’s worldwide ESG initiatives. The report, available online at www.staybeyondgreen.com/GIR, utilizes data resulting from a Beyond Green member sustainability survey to demonstrate the power of sustainable tourism in safeguarding the planet’s natural environment, celebrating cultural heritage, and enhancing the lives of local communities—representing the future of travel. Established by Preferred Travel Group in April 2021, Beyond Green unites sustainability leaders worldwide to transform the travel industry with each member property vetted...

SAINT KITTS—Sunset Reef Hotel in St Kitts has earned the prestigious title of Sustainable Hotel of The Year at the Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards 2024. The awards, hosted on the Caribbean Journal’s website, recognized outstanding contributions to the region’s success across various categories. Sunset Reef Hotel’s victory underscores its unwavering commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism. Highlighted as a benchmark for the industry, the hotel merges luxurious hospitality with innovative environmental practices. The resort prioritizes renewable energy management with an efficient air conditioning system and energy from pools. In addition, the resort is committed to water conservation and implements a strict no-plastic...

I had an opportunity to interview Michael Chang, Vice President of Energy and Sustainability for Host Hotels & Resorts this past week. Be sure to watch for the article soon on Green Lodging News. A little more than seven years ago, I featured Michael in the Personnel Profile section of my site and have frequently posted about Host Hotels & Resorts since. For those of you not familiar with Host, it is a Bethesda, Md.-based Real Estate Investment Trust with a portfolio of 77 hotels with 42,000 rooms in the top 20 U.S. markets. Notably, Host owns the New York...

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Tampa, where I currently live, officially had its hottest year on record in 2023, according to numbers released by the National Weather Service. The NWS recorded an average temperature from 1/1/2023 to 12/28/2023 of 76.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 0.2 degrees hotter than the previous record for the hottest year set in 2022 at 76.4 degrees. It was oven hot this past summer and my family did not even want to venture outside to the swimming pool. As reported in the Climate Journal, the earth is heating up fast. Global temperatures could rise 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2029, according to...

RICHMOND, VA.—Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. published its annual Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the company’s environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) performance, strategy and initiatives and features its commitment to environmental sustainability, corporate employees, hotel associates and guests, communities, and other stakeholders. “Apple Hospitality has always worked to uphold high ESG standards and believes these key areas of focus are an integral part of driving long-term value for our shareholders,” said Justin Knight, CEO of Apple Hospitality. “As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we are pleased to report Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for 2022. We are...

Over the years the events industry has agreed upon several versions of steps it should take to reduce the environmental impact of events. On December 11 at ExCeL London, the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative published seven best practice guidance and methodology documents to aid the global events industry in reducing carbon emissions and achieving net-zero goals. The documents range from 12 to 93 pages in length and include links to many helpful resources. Be sure to review these documents and support the efforts behind them. The seven documents include: Smart Production & Waste Management Guidance—This document is divided into...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton announced it has been recognized on both the World and North America Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the seventh consecutive year. Hilton remains the only hospitality company recognized by DJSI, the most prestigious ranking for corporate sustainability performance. The achievement reaffirms Hilton’s commitment to Travel with Purpose, its industry leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, and caps a landmark year for the hospitality leader as it continues to drive responsible travel and tourism forward across the industry. “Hilton was founded on the belief that hospitality can be a powerful force for good, and that founding purpose still guides us...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Hotel Sustainability Basics is set to end its first year on a high with more than 1,300 hotels verified, across more than 30 countries from around the world. The Hotel Sustainability Basics is an independent global sustainability verification program, overseen by internationally recognized verifiers, Green Key and SGS. The aim is for hotels around the world, regardless of their size, to follow a 12-step program to reduce carbon emissions, protect and promote nature, and ensure local communities benefit from the hotel. It is achievable for all hotels to implement as a bare minimum, and crucially,...

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND—Sweeply, a leading innovator in housekeeping and task management solutions for the hospitality sector, announced its strategic partnership with Hotels for Trees, an eco-conscious initiative dedicated to global reforestation efforts. This collaboration signifies a significant leap forward in fostering sustainability within the hospitality industry. With a presence in over 12 countries and serving more than 150 clients, Sweeply is an industry specialist in housekeeping and task management. Hotels for Trees, founded in 2021 by industry veterans Linde Borger and Floris Licht, is committed to counteracting the hospitality sector’s environmental impact by planting trees for every stayover room cleaning skipped...