In Green Lodging News’ 18th year, 2023, there were many important articles published. The following are the Top 10 most read articles that were posted in 2023.
1. Car Free Las Catalinas Announces Completion of Beach Town Neighborhood. In 2006, the innovators behind a car-free town aspired to create a better way of life connecting people to nature in a place where 1,000 acres of a 1,200-acre property would remain undeveloped as a tropical dry forest reserve. After 16 years of planning and construction, that vision is now a reality with the completion of the neighborhood of Beach Town in Las Catalinas. The destination in Costa Rica includes two hotels.
2. Washington State’s Plastics Reduction Bill Targets Single-Use Plastic Drinking, Amenity Bottles. It was just two days before Earth Day that Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed his state’s Plastics Reduction Bill. It requires water bottle filling stations in new buildings and eliminates single-use plastics for personal care products in hotels.
3. Coulibri Ridge: An Outstanding Example of How a Resort Can, and Should, Be Built. One of the planet’s most outstanding examples of a modern, off-the-grid eco-luxury resort is Coulibri Ridge. It is in Dominica amid 285 acres. The 14-suite property is powered by sun and wind and is the result of more than 20 years of research, environmental testing, infrastructure building, and community engagement to ensure the highest degree of sustainability, respectful development, and community collaboration.
4. Sustainable Hospitality Textbook Released: A Guide for Hospitality Professionals & Students. Innovative Ink Publishing, an imprint of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, released Sustainable Hospitality, written by green hospitality industry expert Dan Ruben. The textbook provides hospitality professionals and students with the knowledge and resources to make their properties environmentally sustainable.
5. Marina Bay Sands Earns Global Sustainability Certification. Marina Bay Sands has been certified to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels and Accommodations, becoming the largest hotel in Singapore to earn the accolade.
6. Travel North Tahoe Nevada Responds to Negative Media with Push for Responsible Visitation. Late in 2022, Fodor’s published its 2023 “No List”—the places travelers should avoid in the new year. Included on the list was Lake Tahoe, a place where Fodor’s says “nature needs a break” primarily because of the effect that sediment and emissions from heavy traffic have on the lake’s clarity.
7. AHLA, HAC Expand Green Key Global Sustainability Certification Program in Canada & U.S. Through Joint Venture Partnership. The announcement that the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture company that will own and operate the Green Key Global certification program in the United States and Canada. The announcement was made at the Lodging Conference in Phoenix.
8. Crossville Launches Snippet Wall Tile Collection. Crossville, Inc. launched its Snippet ceramic wall tile collection. This unique product is noted for its unique tone-on-tone graphic geometry expanding creative options for custom wall designs.
9. RIDE With Red Roof Signs Fully Woman-Owned Franchise in Mississippi. Red Roof, a leader in economy lodging, announced its first fully woman-owned franchise since launching its new RIDE with Red Roof initiative. The property is a Red Roof Inn & Suites conversion located in Richland, Miss., and is the second hotel in owner Kalpana Patel’s portfolio. It brings the number of Red Roof properties owned or partially owned by women to more than 35 percent.
10. Grenada Tourism Authority Unveils 31 Sculptures That Will be Added to Underwater Sculpture Park. The Grenada Tourism Authority unveiled 31 new sculptures to be added to the underwater sculpture park—a thriving underwater oasis that has become a symbol of art, conservation, and cultural pride in Grenada. The unveiling of the new sculptures is part of a rehabilitation and upgrade initiative for the world’s first underwater sculpture park.
In 2024 don’t hesitate to contact me with news about your company or your client. I can always be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 19,639 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $135 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each week, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2024?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2024. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier and Green Suppliers Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2024 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 19,639. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,718 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has more than 1,300 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
