I will be attending HD Expo from May 15 to 17 at the Mandalay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The trade show and conference are among the best annual events for the design community and others to find everything from furniture to artwork—from companies that take sustainability to heart. For the first time in its history, this year’s HD Expo will have a Wellness Pavilion. Curated by Hospitality Design magazine, in partnership with the Well Building Institute and NEWH, seven sessions will delve into what wellness means for the hospitality industry, showcasing not only big brands integrating wellness and sustainability,...

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CALIF.—Las Vegas-based MJ Holdings, Inc., a diversified publicly traded holding company providing complete seed-to-sale services to the regulated cannabis industry, announces the launching of the first of its eight currently planned health and wellness cannabis-based hotels in partnership with well-known hotel developer Roger Bloss. When Bloss launched the Americas Best Value Inn brand in 1999, it was the first hotel brand to place greater control back into the hands of its owners. With a voice and a vote in the direction of the brand, owners even voted on how much they would pay in marketing and franchise...

FELTON, CALIF.—The global wellness tourism market is expected to reach more than $1 trillion by the end of 2025. The growing interests of the tourists towards the sectors such as health, travel, and foods are the factors driving the growth of the market over the forecast period. However, the rising number of tourist destinations in developing countries such as India and China have attracted more customers from the international market. This has anticipated the growth of international customers and wellness services in the market. The factors such as rising disposable income have increased the customers’ expenditures towards different services of social...

ATLANTA—Pure Wellness, a pioneer and leader in hotel guestroom wellness solutions, announces two luxury property additions to their portfolio of certified Pure Rooms. The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota now offer certified Pure Rooms to their guests. “Ritz-Carlton, where ‘Ladies and Gentleman serve Ladies and Gentlemen,’ has long represented the gold standard in service and luxury,” notes Larry Hall, CEO of Pure Wellness. “With the addition of certified Pure Rooms to The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, discriminating travelers can now enjoy the benefits of a certified Pure Room in the warm, relaxed, and refined ambiance of a...

SAN FRANCISCO—Awair, the creators of intelligent air quality monitoring solutions, announced that Awair Omni, the company’s enterprise air quality monitor, now tracks light and noise levels in addition to air quality. Thanks to this new functionality, facility owners, building managers, realtors and other professionals will be able to track light and noise levels in a way that benefits employees, tenants, customers and other occupants. This new addition makes Omni one of the few devices available that tracks tenant wellness through a variety of factors, incorporating light, noise and air quality into its monitoring to create healthier, more productive spaces. Importance...

CRYSTAL CITY, VA.—Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal City National Airport announced the completion of its guestroom renovation as part of a $10.7 million dollar investment. As part of the transformation, the all two-room suite hotel launched 12 new Pure Wellness suites. The Pure Wellness suites are nearly 99.9 percent allergen-free due to an in-room filtration system that removes air particles. Specially treated surfaces and hypoallergenic bedding, including mattresses and pillow covers, reduce allergens and resist molds, spores and dust mites. As part of the renovation, Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal City National Airport increased the number of two double bed suites from 50 to 90. These rooms comfortably...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced the launch of Hyatt Wellbeing Ideation Labs, a new series designed to bring together industry experts to explore ways to better enhance the day-to-day wellbeing for guests, colleagues and customers. During the inaugural Wellbeing Ideation Lab, led by Hyatt’s Global Head of Wellbeing Mia Kyricos, the group identified new ways to evolve the meeting product for Hyatt’s customers, working with top Fortune 500 companies to improve their future meetings. “Wellbeing is a priority for many of Hyatt’s customers and we understand the importance of integrating wellness into meetings in...

CHARDON, OHIO—OpenClean Technologies introduced the world’s first hand sanitizing door handles that easily integrate with or replace existing restroom door handles to make hand sanitization easy, intuitive and accessible. Available in two versions—TurnClean and PullClean—OpenClean Technologies hand sanitization door handles allow patrons and staff members to leave restrooms safely and hygienically, ensuring clean, sanitized hands each time. The latest versions of both TurnClean and PullClean are now available for multiple markets, including restaurants, hotels, office buildings and bars, and can accommodate any restroom door. While clean hands can dramatically reduce the spread of germs and infections, one of the biggest obstacles is getting...

KRABEY ISLAND, CAMBODIA—Six Senses Krabey Island has flung open the (sustainably-built) doors of its 40 private pool villas to welcome its first guests as they step off the speedboat to this tropical island escape. The landscaped 30-acre (12-hectare) private island with dense tropical jungle and rocky coastline is located 3 miles (5 kilometers) off Ream National Park in southern Cambodia. From Sihanouk International Airport, it is a 10-minute drive to the resort’s mainland reception for the short 15-minute crossing to Krabey Island. Remote enough yet not cut off from a country offering...

Shelley Lotz The trend in spa vacations, wellness classes, and eco therapy is growing and continues to weave its way into business as usual. With our dependence on resources and mother nature, sustainability is front and center in the hospitality industry. Most guests expect certain standards and that includes a more restorative mindset in our business models. Are you up to speed with your initiatives? Here are some best practices to consider in your CSR plans for spas, wellness programs, and beyond.Evolving Your Brand Include your sustainability mission and vision in your culture, messaging and marketing. Make it visible and share...