MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton announced the opening of the Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, a boutique estate with 21 villas and deluxe rooms brimming with the charm of an Ecuadorian Hacienda. Secluded on a 160-hectare estate in the lush Miconia Highland Forests adjacent to Galapagos National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Curio Collection by Hilton’s newest tranquil sanctuary is a haven for serenity and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. “Debuting in a destination that organically welcomes travelers to connect with nature, dream and discover, this momentous opening marks the first international hotel brand in the Galapagos Islands, while making Ecuador the...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Corporate social responsibility initiatives are high on the agenda of many hotels these days. However, there is a notable imbalance between smaller and larger players in the market. Social and environmental challenges are clearly seen as relevant for large hotel chains. They possess substantial resources, and their behaviors are carefully scrutinized. Markets and customers tend to evaluate hotel companies that act on CSR more favorably. However, independent hotels are also concerned and are making an active effort in this area. In this journey, some are tackling all the social, economic, and environmental issues while others are encountering difficulties. CSR Strategy—Top...

LAS VEGAS—Resorts World Las Vegas unveiled its Las Vegas Convention Center Loop passenger station, providing direct underground access to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in an enjoyable, efficient and environmentally friendly way in minutes in all-electric Teslas. Resorts World Las Vegas is now also poised to connect to the expanded Vegas Loop system when development efforts move forward on the proposed innovative transportation system. The LVCC Loop is an innovative, all-electric, zero-emissions, underground public transportation system in which passengers are transported directly to their destination with no stops along the way. The Resorts World Las Vegas passenger station will be the first of over 55 stops anticipated...

Washington and Colorado recently took exciting steps to ensure new buildings in their states are built ready for the all-electric future. Washington State’s policy, that just passed the state’s building code council, requires all new commercial buildings to use high efficiency heating equipment that can run on 100 percent clean power. The Colorado bill that is on its way to the Governor’s desk requires that any municipality that chooses to adopt or update building codes also update to the latest international energy conservation standards. These are two states that have recently felt the devastating consequences of the climate crisis and are now taking...

NEW YORK—Two new bird species have been identified on the nearly 7-acre green roof of the Javits Center, a unique wildlife sanctuary on Manhattan’s West Side. With the observation of the two new bird species this spring, Killdeer and Ovenbird, a total of 37 bird species have been identified on the green roof since 2014, as well as five bat species and thousands of arthropods (insects). Led by the New York Convention Center Development Corp. (NYCCDC), the construction of the 6.75-acre green roof—the largest of its kind in New York State—was part of a major five-year renovation of the...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—Sustainability is at the forefront of global business, but have company commitments to sustainability made their way to corporate travel and meetings management programs? What will it take for companies to make business travel and meetings more sustainable? A new report from the Global Business Travel Association and Cvent—“The Journey to More Sustainable Corporate Travel and Meetings Management Programs”—surveys corporate travel managers and meeting planners across the U.S., Canada and several European countries about their current sustainability programs and activities. The report reveals where corporate travel programs stand in terms of emissions tracking, business travel sustainability measures, cost-benefit approaches,...

LAS VEGAS—Wynn Resorts recently issued its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, defining the company’s important milestones in 2021. The report provides insight into key initiatives including the company’s continued commitment to decrease emissions; an enhanced Diversity and Inclusion program; a comprehensive Human Trafficking Prevention program; and transformative investments in the communities in which the company operates. “Wynn Resorts brings the same level of effort and dedication to our ESG efforts as we do to all our business operations. We focus those efforts around three key areas: Our People, Our Communities, and Our Planet,” said Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn...

KALAMAZOO, MICH.—Landscape Forms, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-design site furniture, structure, LED lighting, and accessories, introduces the Air Collection, a family of lightweight, recyclable high-density polyethylene (HDPE) seats and benches designed in collaboration with its long-time partner Escofet. The Air Collection is inspired by the concept of “lightness,” both as a physical characteristic and as an aesthetic captured in the playful and colorful presence the collection brings to outdoor settings. Constructed of rotomolded HDPE with hollow interiors, the Air Collection’s five seating elements translate Escofet’s bold, iconic aesthetic to a material that’s light, durable and versatile—perfectly suited for...

BACHENBÜLACH, SWITZERLAND—Juice Technology AG, producer of electric charging stations and software and a market leader in portable chargers for electric cars, announced the founding of Juice Power AG. Demonstrating a clear commitment to sustainable electromobility, Juice Technology formed Juice Power because of a merger with Eros Electric, an independent association that has been supplying clean energy, around the clock, to power the electric vehicles. Eros Electric was founded in 2016 by Juice Technology AG Founder and CEO Christoph Erni and Jörg Huwyler, Head of Hydropower and Biomass at Axpo. It features sub-participations in two classic hydroelectric power stations, Frisal and...

SHANGHAI—Trip.com is launching its integrated carbon solution to enable Trip.com users worldwide to address the CO2 emissions of their travel. The global travel platform has partnered with climate-tech company CHOOOSE to offer travelers the option to calculate and offset their flight’s CO2 emissions by supporting impactful climate solutions around the world. Customers booking on Trip.com will now be presented with the opportunity to address their flight’s CO2 emissions during the booking journey. For a small cost, travelers’ offsets will support projects that either reduce, capture, or avoid CO2 emissions in an amount equivalent to the flight’s calculated emissions. The CHOOOSE solution is integrated directly...