BELLEVUE, WASH.—As the average person checks their phone 110 times per day, it’s no surprise that there’s a need to recharge and go off the grid, and a likely reason why wellness tourism is on the rise. Combined with people’s increased awareness of the growing threats to our natural resources and interest in eco-friendly experiences, traveling to America’s great national parks has never been more appealing. Based on recent Expedia Group data, travel to America’s national parks is booming, indicating the various opportunities for hoteliers to capitalize on the interest in key national park markets, including Moab, Yellowstone, Yosemite and...

You do not have to look far to find examples of human rights violations by Saudi Arabia. Last year’s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul is a recent prominent example. Saudi Arabia’s intervention in the war in Yemen is another example. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, 56,000 civilians and combatants were killed in Yemen between January 2016 and October 2018. Terrible for such a small nation. It is certainly challenging to lift Saudi Arabia up as a country to emulate but some recent news out of the country on...

LAAMU, MALDIVES—Tourists visit the Maldives to experience diverse coral reefs, out-of-the-ordinary marine life and beautiful palm-fringed beaches. When a business relies on natural assets, like Six Senses Laamu does, environmentally-responsible operations that conserve them are a must. What the resort does on land is just as important as what it does on and under water, and that is why MATATO (Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators) has named Six Senses Laamu the Leading Eco-Resort at the Maldives Travel Awards 2018. Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas operate with the philosophies of wellness and sustainability at their core. These values...

Approximately every two years the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) releases the results of its Lodging Survey. The survey is done in partnership with STR and is funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation. The 2018 survey included all properties in the United States with 10 or more guestrooms—nearly 56,000 U.S. properties—easily making the survey sample the largest of any survey in our industry. The report based on the survey was released a little more than a week ago. See this article for a link to the survey report. This year’s survey report included data on many...

READING, PA.—Ambius, the world’s largest interior landscaping company, premiered their proprietary trends report, a first for the biophilic category that highlights the top six trends in biophilic design that have staying power. These architectural applications are poised to change the way people work and operate within the built environment. Part of the larger wellness movement, biophilic design integrates nature and natural patterns into building architecture in order to create a human-nature connection that can help positively change the way people work. Research shows that integrating biophilic design into indoor environments positively impacts employees in several ways: Reduced employee absenteeism; Improved...

Articles about bed bugs are among the most read on the Green Lodging News website and for good reason. As tiny as the creatures are, they can become a dinosaur-size problem for you—in many ways. As mentioned in an article just posted on Green Lodging News, a year ago, a California family was awarded $1.6 million as a result of a lawsuit filed against their former landlords for not properly addressing a bed bug infestation. The lawyer representing the family said the award was the largest he had seen given to a single family. While the $1.6 million settlement...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcomes Moss Walls to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Well/Green Wall Systems” category. Moss Walls is the first and only company to offer a self-contained LIVE Moss Wellness Wall System for beautifying and improving air quality for indoor spaces. The Verdure Wellness Wall is biomimicry, simulating the health benefits associated with pristine eco-systems where moss and mist abound, and bringing these natural air cleansing and visually soothing elements into indoor spaces. Verdure systems are solid stainless steel, and come pre-assembled with all lights, pumps, water purification, misters, moss and a water feature....

SAN ANTONIO—Friedrich Air Conditioning Co., a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of heating, cooling and other room air-conditioning products, has announced it will be the official corporate sponsor of the Long Island Youth Wellness Summit to help prevent teen suicide in Nassau County, N.Y. The summit, held March 19, is designed to provide sophomore and junior-level students, staff and administrators of Nassau County public and private high schools with the necessary resources to promote overall wellness and mental health. The daylong event is led by The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS), and will include suicide awareness and prevention practices,...

LAS VEGAS—This year’s HD Expo, set for May 15 to 17 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, will feature a Wellness Pavilion. Curated by Hospitality Design magazine, in partnership with the Well Building Institute and NEWH, three sessions will delve into what wellness means for the hospitality industry, showcasing not only big brands integrating wellness and sustainability, but also the upstarts redefining the market. In addition to the Wellness Pavilion, NEWH will host a series of four 30-minute, one-on-one interviews with sustainability experts. Two have been announced. The first of these Green Voice sessions will take place...

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—Soul Community Planet announced that after nearly one year and a comprehensive $9 million renovation, SCP Colorado Springs marks its grand opening. Awarded Colorado Springs’ most innovative new business concept by Visit COS, SCP Colorado Springs is comprised of 174 hotel rooms, the state-of-the-art SCP Fit fitness center, the SCP Commons creative co-working space and the Provisions market, featuring healthy, locally-sourced food and drink. Soul Community Planet also announced that it will continue offering its Fair Trade Pricing program at SCP Colorado Springs. The program gives guests the power to determine the prices they pay based on the...