TerraCurve.com: Go beyond green. | Responsible travel news, places, people and events. » awards

Now THIS is what a green hotel looks like

Joe Ascanio — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:06:52 +0000

After a year-long competition that challenged designers to create their best and brightest vision for an environmentally-friendly hotel suite, attendees at HD Expo 2010 will have the unique opportunity to explore “Haptik” – the final winner of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) first-ever Sustainable Suite Design Competition.

Haptik – named for the Greek term that means “to experience interactions based on a sense of touch” – successfully juxtaposes sustainability and luxury without sacrificing either ideal. Designed as a joint effort between WATG and IDEO, another design firm, the USGBC Sustainable Suite will be built in full and showcased at HD Expo, taking place May 19-21 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“We’ve seen an exciting shift in the hospitality industry in recent years. Being environmentally friendly has gone from being a passing trend to something that consumers expect and care about when choosing all types of accommodation-from budget to luxury,” said Michelle Finn, vice president of the Hospitality Design Group. “We’re excited to showcase USGBC Sustainable Suite’s innovative environmental solutions at HD Expo and attendees can source many of the products showcased in Haptik by simply shopping the tradeshow floor,” she added.

For the competition, submissions from 65 professional designers and aspiring young professionals were received, each one redefining how a high-performance, energy-and-resource-efficient hotel suite should look and function.

Design submissions were judged on three overarching categories: Design Elements (water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality), Education (guest room attributes and guest practices) and Overall Design (integrated design approach, originality and innovation, general aesthetic and financial feasibility).

To ensure impartiality of the winning design, participants could not solicit monetary donations, but rather had to submit a list of in-kind product contributions from sponsors.

Winning design strategies

The innovative Haptik Sustainable Suite includes an “all-off” switch to ensure lights are automatically turned-off based on passive infrared sensors (PIS) and room conditioning equipped by a four-pipe horizontal fan-coil system.

The suite also features a Trombe wall in the shower that captures solar heat to warm the shower water and a graywater irrigation system that filters and recycles shower water to an outdoor herb garden, which in turn scents the room.

Because the hospitality industry is a large consumer of energy and water use, the USGBC created the Sustainable Suite Design Competition in conjunction with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and NEWH to motivate sustainable practices industry-wide among newly built and existing hotels.

The council chose the winning design to be displayed at HD Expo 2010 and inspire project teams for leading hotels worldwide to adopt the latest environmentally-friendly practices.

For more information about the Sustainable Suite Design Competition, visit www.usgbc.org/sustainablesuite. Also, you can view the Haptik project in its entiretly by downloading its brochure here (PDF).

Find harmony in Bali with a sustainable, spiritual life concept

Kristen Geis — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:37:11 +0000

Originating from Hindu teaching Tri Hita Karana (THK) is the life concept of Balinese community in accomplishing secular and spiritual bliss through harmonization of the relationship between humans and God (parhyangan), human and human (pawongan), and human and environment (palemahan) into an integral unity.

The Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards and Accrediation 2009 were presented at the Bali Art Center, Denpasar to five distinch Accor hotels in Bali, including Sofitel Seminyak Bali, Novotel Bali Benoa, Novotel Bali Nusa Dua Hotel & Residences, Mercure Resort Sanur and All Seasons Legian.

Each property was recognized for incorporating the sustainable environmental principles and practices into their business, including the harmonious relationship between the hotels and community of surrounding residents.

“This award presentation has brought positive impact to surrounding community,” said Berata Ashrama, the Chairman of Organizing Committee of THK Tourism Awards. “That’s why, the hotels which have received the Gold medals have an obligation to manage tourism object, while the hotels which have received the Emerald medals have an obligation to help the poor within surrounding community to get housing. However, all hotels have an obligation to foster poor children to get basic education as all of those are reflecting the corporate social responsibility of the hotel industry.”

Sofitel Seminyak Bali, which has received gold medals for three consecutive years, now received for the second time the Emerald Medal of THK. Novotel Bali Benoa also received the he Gold Medal of THK for the second time, while Novotel Bali Nusa Dua Hotels & Residence and Mercure Resort Sanur received their first Gold Medal of THK and The All Seasons Legian received the Silver.

All Accor Bali Hotels support various sustainable environmental programs. However, the brand considers THK exceptionally valuable, as it helps to preserve local values, protect the environment and contribute to the local community welfare – all factors that are in-line with Accor’s Corporate Social Responsibility endeavors.

Who are this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Award finalists?

Kristen Geis — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:44:28 +0000

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has officially announced its 12 finalists for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards – one of the most prestigious awards in the sustainable travel industry. The winners will be announced on May 26, 2010.

Since 2003, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards have worked to highlight and recognize best practice in sustainable tourism in four different categories – Destination Stewardship, Conservation, Community Benefit and Global Tourism Business.

For this year, over 160 entries were received from over 45 countries.

Selected by an international team of independent judges, the 12 finalists were named in each of the four award categories for having successfully demonstrated sustainable tourism practices, including the protection of natural and cultural heritage, social and economic benefits to local people, and environmentally friendly operations.

Destination Stewardship Award
This award goes to a destination – country, region, state or town – which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organizations that show dedication to and success in maintaining a program of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.

Botswana Tourism Board – www.botswanatourism.co.bw
Country of Montenegro, Ministry of Tourism – www.montenegro.travel
Mount Huangshan Scenic Site, China – www.chinahuangshan.gov.cn

Conservation Award
Open to any tourism business, organization or attraction, including lodges, hotels or tour operators, able to demonstrate that their tourism development and operations have made a tangible contribution to the conservation of natural heritage.

Emirates Hotels & Resorts, UAE – www.emirateshotelsresorts.com
Inkaterra Perú SAC – www.inkaterra.com
Singita Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania – www.singita.com

Community Benefit Award
This award is for a tourism business or initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.

Namibia’s Communal Conservancy Tourism Sector / NACSO -www.nacso.org.na
Tourindia, India – www.tourindiakerala.com
Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd, New Zealand – www.whalewatch.co.nz

Global Tourism Business Award
Open to any large company from any sector of Travel & Tourism – cruise lines, hotel groups, airlines, tour operators, etc – with at least 200 full-time employees and operating in more than one country or in more than one destination in a single country, this award recognizes best practices in sustainable tourism at a large company level.

Accor, France & Global – www.accor.com
Banyan Tree Holdings, Singapore & Global – www.banyantree.com
Wilderness Safaris, South Africa & Global – www.wilderness-safaris.com

For more on the finalists as well as the panel of judges, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.

Boston’s Lenox Hotel named one of the ‘Top 500 Hotels InThe World’

Joe Ascanio — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:53:38 +0000

For eight years now, Travel + Leisure has been listing the top 500 “World’s Best Hotels” as according to its most discerning set of criteria. Making the list for the first time this year (and recently added to TerraCurve’s hotel profiles) is The Lenox Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. The hotel, which is one of only eight luxury hotels in Massachusetts to be included in the elite compilation, as well as the greenest.

Travel + Leisure profiled the 110-year-old Lenox Hotel as being a “historic Back Bay hotel lauded for its numerous environmental initiatives (carbon offsetting; hybrid-car service; state-of-the-art insulated windows).” It even stresses Lenox’s “cleaner indoor air quality” for its use of low-VOC paints and recent unveiling of its signature “Heaven on Eleven” all-hypo-allergenic floor.

“On behalf of the entire Lenox team, I am delighted to receive this prestigious honor,” said Daniel Donahue, General Manager of The Lenox. “We strive to preserve Lenox’s legendary service for an unparalled guest experience in our historic hotel, while continuing to blaze trails in green initiatives in the hospitality industry. Though we are humbled to be recognized for our efforts, we will work even harder to maintain Travel + Leisure’s gold standard and our own of genuine hospitality.”

Profile in urban ecotourism

Built in 1900, The Lenox Hotel in Boston is steeped in tradition, but it’s the Saunders Family’s long-standing commitment to exemplary service that keeps The Lenox in fashion…a quality appreciated by its loyal guests, clients and employees.

For two decades, The Saunders Group has trailblazed an “eco-friendly” strategy at its hotels, making The Lenox Hotel in Boston’s historic Back Bay a global pioneer in luxury, urban ecotourism with many green features including earth-friendly housekeeping, re-usable service items, non-toxic cleaning agents, conserving water, giving to non-profits, low-flow showers/toilets, and compact flourescent lighting.

The hotel is a twelve-time recipient of the AAA Four-Diamond Award and a member property of the Historic Hotels of America, a subsidiary of Preferred Hotel Group. Saunders Hotel Group recently invested in renovations to restore the historic icon to its earlier grandeur. Updates range from the restoration of the hotel’s exterior, lobby, meeting halls and guestrooms, including the opulent Judy Garland Suite (where the singer lived in 1965) which boasts a 24-karat gold-guilded fireplace.

The hotel is also retrofitted with the latest technologies without compromising historic elements, like its still-functioning Cutler U.S. Mail Chute which graces each floor at the elevator bank. Additionally it has just launched a digital brand campaign dubbed LENOX1900 in an effort to edutain younger audiences in the social mediasphere of the rich and storied past of Boston’s “original boutique hotel.”

National Geographic and CNBC pledge to raise social tourism awareness

Joe Ascanio — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:22:07 +0000

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) new three-year, $5 million multi-platform global partnership with CNBC, National Geographic Channel, and Sky News, a European news network, will allow for commercial air time, online marketing, and direct engagement in a global campaign to help promote awareness of the economic and social importance of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

“WTTC is extremely pleased to have both CNBC and National Geographic Channel as our broadcast partners,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president and CEO of WTTC. “The combined reach of both channels enables us to raise awareness of travel and tourism’s contribution to national economies around the world.

“Together they’ll provide year-round exposure for WTTC and highly-targeted marketing campaigns to their own audiences, which will drive discussion and debate to raise awareness of the importance of travel and tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, employing 220 million people and generating over 9.4 percent of global GDP.”

National Geographic Channel

National Geographic Channel will provide commercial airtime to promote the Global Summit and WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, profiling the award winners to viewers around the world. Ads will also air on Sky News in Europe and be streamed online on National Geographic Channel websites and on its dedicated travel and tourism portal.

The channel will also be involved in the Global Travel&Tourism Summit, filming debates and networking events, and will undertake an email marketing campaign to its Viewers Club database in the UK and Asia.

“National Geographic Channel is delighted to be working with WTTC to build awareness of the importance of the travel industry,” said Deborah Armstrong, Senior VP, Sales & Partnership Marketing at National Geographic Channel. “With global reach and local programming feeds, NGC provides a ‘window on our world.’ inspiring, informing, and engaging our viewers with the key challenges shaping our planet. Sky News, as Europe’s most watched news channel, is dedicated to bringing viewers the news as it happens, anywhere around the world, and will provide WTTC with the opportunity to target its message to key influentials across the region.”

CNBC

Targeting its audience of CEOs, senior business leaders, and government officials via its global network, CNBC will underscore the travel and tourism industry’s contribution to the global economy and WTTC’s Global Travel & Tourism Summit, taking place next year in Beijing (May 25-27).

The partnership includes advertising in CNBC Business magazine and online at CNBC.com worldwide. CNBC’s database of CEOs and senior business leaders will also be targeted with an email marketing campaign highlighting key WTTC initiatives and events.

“We are delighted that the World Travel&Tourism Council has chosen a multi-platform, three-year partnership with CNBC,” said Paul Maraviglia, vice president, sales EMEA at CNBC. “The travel and tourism industry is an important sector for us, and we are eager to work with WTTC, not only to reinforce the important role that the industry plays in today’s economy, but also to help its members communicate their message to our influential senior business leader audience.”

More like this:

National Geographic launches TOGA Awards for geographic awareness The first annual Outdoor Geographic Awareness (TOGA) Awards celebrate the people, gear retailers, manufacturers, and NGOs who are finding new and creative ways to promote...
InterContinental and National Geographic renew pledge to geotourism with extended responsible travel initiatives Over 60,000 InterContinental employees worldwide will participate in responsible business workshops to enhance their understanding of how they can personally be involved in global geotourism...
Adventure tourism gets entertaining: Green Living Project partners with Xola Consulting to boost brand awareness Adventure tourism consulting firm Xola Consulting, Inc. has just announced a new partnership with media and entertainment company Green Living Project™, the leading media production...
National Geographic Adventure pushes to update Adventure Rating Guide for 2009 National Geographic Adventure magazine has issued an open letter to tour operators in an effort to gain momentum on its 2009 Adventure Rating Guide....
Sustainable tourism leaders win National Geographic’s Geotourism Challenge 2009 Three winners have officially been awarded in the Geotourism Challenge 2009 - highlighting leaders in sustainable tourism throughout the global online community. The Geotourism Challenge...

Beijing to play host to highly-coveted eco travel awards

Joe Ascanio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:51:22 +0000

Since its recent stint in hosting the Olympics, (for better or worse) Beijing has been on the minds of the eco-travel-minded throughout the world.

Heading into its sixth year, the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Tourism for Tomorrow Awards has selected the city of Beijing for its 2010 festivities.

The awards, aimed at recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism across the globe, focuses on the travel industry as concerns continue to grow over the cultivation and preservation of both cultural and natural resources.

An independent panel of judges, including some of the world’s most authoritative experts of sustainable development, as well as a stringent application process involving on-site verification visits by these experts, has made the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards one of the most highly-coveted accolades in the industry.

Awards are based on four main categories, including:

Destination Stewardship
This award goes to a destination – country, region, state, or town – which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organizations that show dedication to, and success in, maintaining a program of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental, and economic aspects, as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.
Conservation
Open to any tourism business, organization, or attraction, including lodges, hotels, or tour operators, able to demonstrate that their tourism development and operations have made a tangible contribution to the conservation of natural heritage.
Community Benefit
This award is for a tourism initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.
Global Tourism Business
Open to any large company from any sector of travel and tourism – cruise lines, hotel groups, airlines, tour operators, etc. – with at least 200 full-time employees and operating in more than one country or in more than one destination in a single country, this award recognizes best practices in sustainable tourism at a large company level.

The actual Tourism for Tomorrow Awards ceremony is slated to take place in May 2010, and is endorsed by WTTC members as well as other organizations and companies. They are organized in association with two Strategic Partners: Travelport and The Leading Travel Companies’ Conservation Foundation.

Other sponsors/supporters include: Adventures in Travel Expo, BEST Education Network, Breaking Travel News, the Daily Telegraph, eTurboNews, Friends of Nature, National Geographic Adventure and National Geographic Traveler, Planeterra, the Rainforest Alliance, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Sustainable Travel International, Tony Charters & Associates, Travelmole, Travesias, TTN Middle East, USA Today, and the World Heritage Alliance.

For more information, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.

Striking ‘Green Gold’ in Las Vegas with LEED Certified CityCenter

Joe Ascanio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:44:30 +0000

The city’s all-new City Center has finally earned Six LEED Gold Certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council. Opening this December, the development has long-touted its commitment to environmental consciousness through its efforts in energy, materials and waster management; creating a veritable 18 million square foot sustainable metropolis.

“From its intense focus on water conservation to the multiple strategies for energy efficiency, the CityCenter team has delivered several exceptional properties that qualify for the LEED Gold rating,” said S. Richard Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC. “Extreme climates challenge the most creative of project teams, and the CityCenter team has risen to the occasion and then some. We congratulate them on their significant achievement.”

CityCenter is an unprecedented urban metropolis opening in December 2009 on 67 acres between Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. This Gold LEED certification is the highest LEED achievement by any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas.

“From its inception to design, development and construction, we had one single goal in mind for CityCenter: create a destination that is not only built in an environmentally sustainable manner, but also operates every day with an equal commitment to conserving natural resources,” said Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO, CityCenter. “As we approach CityCenter’s opening next month, now with six LEED Gold recognitions, we’re very close to sharing with the world a remarkable demonstration that a community can be both beautiful and sustainable.”

CityCenter is paving the way for other entities to build and operate sustainably. As recently honored by the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US), CityCenter’s dedication to the use of sustainably harvested FSC-certified wood products is unprecedented in scale and resulted in a significant market transformation, including multiple wood suppliers receiving their FSC chain of custody certification to supply wood to the development.

Other sustainability highlights include:

First energy-generation on The Strip through its 8.5 megawatt natural-gas co-generation plant, providing efficient electricity on site, reducing emissions and using “waste heat” to provide domestic hot water
World’s first fleet of stretch limos powered by clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG)
Water conservation technology and programs that will save between 30% and 43% of water within the buildings and 60% in outdoor landscaping, for an overall savings of approximately 50 million gallons annually
Energy-efficiency initiatives providing a savings equivalent to powering 8,800 households annually
Development of slot machine bases that serve as floor air-conditioning units, efficiently cooling guests from the ground up, rather than wasting energy on empty space by cooling from the ceiling
Creation of a large-scale recycling operation that enabled the recycling or reuse of more than 260,000 tons of construction waste, more than 80% of the imploded Boardwalk Hotel
Collaborating with the nation’s foremost sustainability and LEED consultants, CityCenter has introduced more than 10,000 construction trade and craftsmen to green building techniques that can be implemented at future developments

Green from the ground up

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas is the first hotel in the prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to receive a LEED rating. A sophisticated sanctuary of modern elegance, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas will feature 392 rooms and suites and 225 residences. Opening December 4, 2009, the 47-story, non-gaming hotel and residences bring the legendary service of the renowned hotel group to Las Vegas for the first time.

Veer Towers, CityCenter’s only purely residential development, is a masterful translation of energy and excitement into physical form; its two 37-story glass towers shimmer day and night. Inclined at five-degree angles – a feature celebrated by the development’s name – the towers seem to dance with each other. Designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn, each tower will house approximately 335 modern condominium residences. Residential occupancies are slated to begin mid-January 2010.

Tony Dennis, executive vice president, CityCenter Residential Division, said “The LEED Gold certifications of CityCenter’s residential buildings are a brilliant example of sustainable development. In satisfying the growing demand for smart and environmentally responsible living, CityCenter’s green commitment is a meaningful point of pride for our homeowners and an element of value that is as important as our quality and service.”

CityCenter’s LEED certification effort was led by MGM MIRAGE’s Energy and Environmental Services Division along with a recognized group of sustainability consultants including CTG Energetics, Green Building Services, Viridian Energy & Environmental and Fore Solutions and Simon & Associates. CityCenter’s previous LEED Gold awards include ARIA Resort’s hotel tower, ARIA’s convention center and theater, Vdara Hotel & Spaand Crystals.

For more information, visit www.citycenter.com.

Ecocamp Patagonia tours win big for Responsible Tourism

Joe Ascanio — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:54:13 +0000

The Ecocamp Patagonia tour company has won high honors at this year’s Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009 for “Best in a Mountain Environment.” The awards, run by responsibletravel.com since 2004, are run in association with World Travel Market (WTM), The Daily Telegraph and Geographical Magazine.

The awards were handed out at a ceremony hosted WTM in London.

“Working our way through this year’s long lists, we were impressed by the willingness of so many organizations to take responsibility and to do what they can to help make better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit,” said Dr. Harold Goodwin, Director, International Center for Responsible Tourism. “Despite the economic difficulties being faced by the travel and tourism industry, responsible tourism continues to move ahead and I’m continually impressed as more is achieved by more people. As judges we are all very aware of the great work that is being done by so many and our decisions are often very difficult and sometimes long debated.“

Cutting edge ecotourism

Ecocamp Patagonia is at the forefront of modern of environmental practices. The organization has designed and developed a highly-innovative, 4 star geodesic dome tented hotel – an almost entirely portable hotel that can be dismantled and removed without leaving a trace in the richly biodiverse National Park.

Taking environmental responsibility even further, the company employs a fully comprehensive Environmental Management System that incorporates a multitude of “green” practices, ranging from hydroelectric turbines and wind generators, to composting devices and solar panels.

“In this, the sixth year of the Awards,” said Justin Francis, founder of The Responsible Tourism Awards and managing director of responsibletravel.com, “I have been particularly impressed to see that despite this year’s recession, organizations continue to come up with innovative ideas around responsible tourism that ensure local communities and environments benefit from tourism as much as possible. The money may have dried out a little in the past year but the passion, ingenuity and creativity certainly hasn’t.”

“In our third year as headline sponsor, the inspiration from the winners, pioneers in the crucial arena, continues to grow,” commented Amanda Wills, managing director of Virgin Holidays, a headline sponsor of the Awards. “As we all strive to get our own businesses in order, taking valuable and creative lessons from this year’s roll call of innovators will certainly play a key part. I am delighted to be part of an event that sees our industry walk the walk…and not just talk the talk.”

For details on the awards and to see other finalists, visit www.responsibletourismawards.com. And, don’t forget to check ou Ecocamp Patagonia at www.ecocamp.travel.

Starwood’s Element Hotels have a ‘Vision’

Kristen Geis — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:15:56 +0000

The popular “green” hotel brand has officially been named as a Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award Winner. The Awards, now in the fifth year, recognize the latest and best efforts at cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and community building as selected by a jury of eight members including Dan Barber, Céline Simone Cousteau, Bruce Mau, and Dr. Joseph E. Stiglitz.

Element, owned and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, has consistently ramped up the expectations for sustainable hospitality with a cool and modern flare. Element is also committed to achieving LEED certification at all of its properties.

Other winners include the Rainforest Alliance for its outstanding efforts in sustainable travel, Ecoventura for charting a new course for travel to and in the Galápagos Islands, and Sassi di Matera Albergo Diffuso in Italy for transforming abandoned cave dwellings of a UNESCO World Heritage site into guestrooms.

Profiles of all 17 winners along with insights from the jury are featured in Travel + Leisure’s November issue, available on newsstands October 23.

“The individuals and organizations recognized in T+L’s 2009 Global Vision Awards epitomize the idea that travel is a force for good,” says Nancy Novogrod, editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure. “Even in these challenging economic times, it is encouraging to see that important issues for our world and our industry are a priority for this year’s winners. We applaud their outstanding efforts and hope that they provide inspiration for both travelers and others in the travel world.”

Global Vision Award Winners in the Environment category include: Corporate Sustainability, Walt Disney Worldwide; Eco Certification, Rainforest Alliance, New York City; Wildlife Tourism, Northern Great Plains Restoration, United States; Green Cruising, Ecoventura, Galápagos Islands; Green Hotels, Element Hotels, United States; and Habitat Restoration, Vane Farm Sanctuary, Scotland.

The winners in the Culture category included: Arts Education, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar; Cultural Heritage, Awamaki, Peru; Architectural Restoration, Qianlong Garden, Beijing; Culinary Heritage, Southern Foodways Alliance, Oxford, Mississippi; Historic Preservation, Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia; and Creative Redevelopment, Sassi di Matera Albergo Diffuso, Italy.

The winners in the Community category included: Community Empowerment, Koiyaki Guiding School, Masai Mara, Kenya; Voluntourism, GAP Adventures, Toronto; Job Training, Sala Baï, Cambodia; Disaster Relief, Asia Transpacific Journeys, Boulder, Colorado; and Grassroots Philanthropy, Spear of the Nation, Johannesburg, South Africa.

For more information, visit www.travelandleisure.com.

Volunteer travel organization in Africa gains new accolades in Responsible Tourism

Kristen Geis — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:32:26 +0000

African Impact, a family-run African voluntourism organization, has been nominated for the prestigious Imvelo Responsible Tourism Award.

Built on a solid foundation of passion and pride, African Impact has taken the lead as the industry’s most renowned Africa-based volunteer travel projects. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, African Impact works in partnership with extensive office and field staff in Southern and East Africa, as well as volunteers from around the world.

Now in their eighth year, the Imvelo Awards have had a huge impact on tourism in South Africa, creating significant awareness of environmental management issues in the industry. The awards are in line with the Responsible Tourism guidelines for the South African hospitality industry and the UN World Tourism Organization’s code of ethics. Imvelo is supported by the Heritage Environmental Rating Program.

This year’s award ceremony takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 11th November 2009.

A worthy journey

Since its humble beginnings in late 2004 at their Antelope Park Lion Rehabilitation Project in Zimbabwe, African Impact’s first volunteers were welcomed with open arms. Since then, Andrew and Wendy Conolly, along with a dedicated team of managers, office and field staff, have built African Impact into a voluntourism organization of which they are immensely proud.

“Having traveled to our volunteer projects throughout Southern and East Africa, I’ve seen a lot of fascinating things and met a lot of intriguing people!” said Sarah Graham, a co-founder of African Impact.

“From camping with Masai warriors and camels in the bush of Northern Kenya while scouting a new project; to tracking leopards with experienced scouts in Southern Botswana; taking a ‘chicken bus’ up to the lip of the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, or having the time of my life reading to kids at our adopted orphanage in Mozambique, I have never failed to be continuously inspired, and re-inspired, by the people that I have met.

“Whether they were our very own African Impact project managers or participants or local partners such as headmasters in small rural schools or over-eager children with an amazing desire to learn, I am continuously awed by the beauty of the kind of humanity that can eclipse all boundaries and bring people together when working for a common cause.”

Creating real results

African Impact employs a “results-based assessment approach” to volunteer travel. The organization prefers to seek out the evidence and outputs that stand to support the work that they are doing as further proof that they are making a sustainable difference in Africa.

The African Impact team is made up of people with vast experience living, working and traveling in Africa. They raise up and invest in local staff wherever possible, and their colorful group is made up of people who have an unparalleled passion and enthusiasm for their work.

“The whole experience was absolutely incredible,” said Stuart Neath, a past volunteer to African Impact Volunteer Project in Mozambique. It was uplifting, rewarding, challenging, grounding, heart-breaking and soul-destroying in equal measure. To see the absolute joy on the faces of the children when we arrived to spend time with them, or their excitement at being given the opportunity to do something creative, was incredible. This is why I WILL do it again and why I would encourage anyone who is thinking about doing this to go and do it.”

“As a department, we truly appreciate your dedication and hope you recognise, as we do, the valuable role you play in building brighter futures for Zambia’s next generation,” reads a statement from the Zambian Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development. “Thank you for your continuing support. It is through the positive efforts of organisations like yours that we can change a lifetime for a child in need…”

African Impact is the largest on-the-ground facilitator of responsible volunteer projects in Southern and East Africa. In 2009 they were nominated as finalists in the World Travel Awards, as well as the prestigious Imvelo Awards, and are continuously striving to improve the nature of the work that they are doing in Africa.

“Without sounding trite, living in Africa and volunteering in this way has profoundly influenced my perspectives and outlook on life,” commented Victoria Blackwell-Hardie, another past volunteer to Kenya Medical and Community Project. “I re-evaluated my personal relationships, the way I interact with people, the things I value, my approach to material possessions, and my overall career goals. To say I loved living there would be an understatement.”

For more information on African Impact, visit www.africanimpact.com as well as www.africanimpact.com.

Sustainable tourism leaders win National Geographic’s Geotourism Challenge 2009

Kristen Geis — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:08:32 +0000

Three winners have officially been awarded in the Geotourism Challenge 2009 – highlighting leaders in sustainable tourism throughout the global online community. The Geotourism Challenge is sponsored by both the National Geographic Society and Ashoka’s Changemakers.

Selected from 10 finalists out of 611 original entries from 81 countries, the top honors this year went to “carbon neutral” Costa Rican airine, Nature Air, a Cambodian voluntourism program, Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself, and the free Wikiloc Community Maps web site in Spain.

A panel of judges selected 10 finalists in July, while the public chose the top three winners through online voting during a four-week period this summer, which ended by mid-August. Judges included were Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement; Keith Bellows, a vice president of the National Geographic Society and editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine; Erika Harms, executive director of Sustainable Development, United Nations Foundation; Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet; Ben Keene, founder of Tribewanted; and Dr. Yang Yuming, vice president of Southwest Forestry University, China.

This year’s winners have been recognized for their extraordinary efforts in geotourism: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.

“We’re excited to support three new innovators stretching the possibilities of geotourism,” said Charlie Brown, Changemakers’ executive director. “These winners are pushing us closer to realizing and sustaining a kind of travel that will enrich cultures and environments across the globe.”

Each winner of the Geotourism Challenge 2009 received a $5,000 prize.

Carbon neutral flying in Costa Rica

Nature Air touts its “100% carbon-neutral” title by offsetting ALL of its greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to encoruage reforestation projects throughout the Costa Rican Osa Peninsula. The company’s offsetting effort have already made up for almost 20,000 tons of CO2, having protected over 500 acres of tropical rainforest. Nature Air has also developed the country’s very first alternative fueling station.

Volunteer travel in Cambodia

Cambodian educational volunteer travel program, Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself (PEPY), provides adventure bike tours as well as on-site volunteer projects. Volunteers are able to contribute donations to favor the educational systems within the impoverished communities of rural Cambodia, aiding over 1,700 families in 12 villages and six schools.

Finding your way in Spain

Spain-based Wikiloc Community Maps includes user-submitted maps (obviously), photos and video that aim to offer honest impressions about destinations, focusing mainly on outdoor activities and adventure tourism. The site also promotes thematic activities like gastronomic routes and over 65,000 sightseeing urban trails and walks in archaeological areas. The site is available in 14 languages.

“The winners are outstanding examples of geotourism practices that extend to good destination stewardship,” said Jonathan B. Tourtellot, director of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations. “They are committed to conserving and enhancing the quality of their locales while benefiting local people and providing visitors with authentic experiences. Geotourism is no flash in the pan: Travelers around the globe are seeking it out in both rural and urban settings. We’re delighted to showcase the winners and runners-up who are leading the way.”

For more details about the innovative work of all 10 finalists, go to www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge.

More like this:

Second annual Geotourism Challenge calls for entries This year's Geotourism Challenge 2009 nomination deadline is quickly approaching, with top innovators in sustainable tourism flaunting their efforts to protect and enhance the environment,...
National Geographic Sponsors Geotourism Competition National Geographic, Ashoka and WHL have teamed up to launch a new global geotourism competition. In recent decades tourism has exploded into one of the...
National Geographic launches TOGA Awards for geographic awareness The first annual Outdoor Geographic Awareness (TOGA) Awards celebrate the people, gear retailers, manufacturers, and NGOs who are finding new and creative ways to promote...
National Geographic to launch a new Geotourism project in the Pacific Northwest National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations has joined organizations in Washington and Oregon to publicize the world-class natural and cultural attractions of the Central...
InterContinental and National Geographic renew pledge to geotourism with extended responsible travel initiatives Over 60,000 InterContinental employees worldwide will participate in responsible business workshops to enhance their understanding of how they can personally be involved in global geotourism...

Ecoventura is a World Saver, says Conde Nast

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:17:07 +0000

Conde Nast Traveler has just named the Galapagos small ship expedition company the winner of its 15th Annual World Savers Award in the category of Cruise Lines in recognition of its ongoing mission to be the pacesetter for responsible tourism in the Galapagos Islands.

“It’s wonderful to be recognized for our past efforts but our groundbreaking work on setting the bar for responsible tourism in the Galapagos has just begun,” remarked Santiago Dunn, Ecoventura president. He has been instrumental in addressing a variety of environmental issues that have put the Galapagos on UNESCO’s World Heritage sites at risk list in 2007, citing the introduction of alien species and the negative impact of growing tourism and immigration as key problems.

“Ironically,” said Dunn, “booming tourism in the Galapagos has added to the challenges and problems faced by those looking to restore and protect the island’s native species and ecological balance.”

Ecoventura is a family-owned company based in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with sales offices in Quito and Miami. In operation since 1990, the cruise company transports 4,000+ passengers annually aboard a fleet of three expedition vessels; identical, superior first-class 20-passenger motor yachts with 10 double cabins. The company also operates the Sky Dancer, a 16-passenger dedicated dive live-aboard offering 7-night weekly itineraries visiting the northern islands of Wolf and Darwin. All of its vessels have been purposefully retrofitted to meet or exceed the highest possible environmental standards.

Ecoventura is also a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) “ATTA’s mission to grow and professionalize this industry is embodied by companies like Ecoventura who we are proud to have on board as a member. We’re so pleased to see them receive this deserved recognition,” said Shannon Stowell, President of the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

Ecoventura’s focus on ameliorating conditions in the Galapagos yielded the company the highest score of 90 points in the category of Cruise Line from the panel of judges. The company was noted as outstanding in four distinct areas:

Education: For granting scholarships to Ecuadorian students interested in environmental and marine conservation.
Poverty: For funding a micro-enterprise for fishermen’s wives helping convert a boat into a restaurant & boutique.
Preservation: For operating the first hybrid power yacht in the Galapagos with solar panels & wind turbines that reduced carbon emissions by 10%.
Health: Paying the salaries of physical therapists and sign-language teachers at a school in Galapagos.

CNT honors travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education programs, wildlife conservation and health initiatives. The magazine’s panel of 21 judges represented academics, CEOs and philanthropists.

“Despite these challenging economic times, corporate social responsibility is as important as ever,” CNT Editor-in-Chief Klara Glowczewska said. “The travel industry is on track to generate $7.3 trillion in revenue this year—a number that represents an enormous opportunity to improve our planet, and our World Savers Awards recognize those companies turning that potential into a reality.”

World Savers Awards Methodology: To determine the award finalists and winners, Condé Nast Traveler editors reviewed over 100 applications and narrowed them to 36 finalists. An independent panel of 20 judges, comprised of leaders from the travel industry and non-governmental organizations, rated how applicants exercised social responsibility in 5 key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education programs, wildlife conservation, and health initiatives. There were eight categories of travel company: small hotel chains, large hotel chains, city hotels, small lodges and resorts, large lodges and resorts, tour operators, cruise lines and airlines. This year judges also looked at overall scores, to give credit to companies with admirable programs in a number of areas.

For more information, visit www.ecoventura.com.

Are cruise ships finally going green?

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:44:38 +0000

Three major cruise lines have announced the winners of the companies’ internal “Ship of the Year” awards for environmentalism and innovation. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and the lesser-known Azamara cruise lines are attempting to reward and encourage ships to enhance eco-sensitivity in the niche known for its negative-impact blunders.

In its tenth year, this annual fleet-wide competition underscores Royal Caribbean and Celebrity’s long-standing commitment to environmental innovation and improvement.

For the first time, a panel of judges conducted the impartial evaluation for the award. The panel was comprised of leading oceanographic, marine biology, and policy experts, who reviewed the information provided by Royal Caribbean’s 20 ships, Celebrity Cruises’ nine ships and Azamara Cruises’ two ships to determine the award winners based on their comparative performance.

“Competing for these awards encourage and reward crew members who progressively advance their ships’ environmental performance in ways that go above and beyond regulatory compliance,” said Jamie Sweeting, vice president of Environmental Stewardship for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “I congratulate our winners and thank all of our crew members for doing so much to protect the oceans in which we sail,” Sweeting said.

Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas was selected as both the Environmental Ship of the Year and the Environmentally Innovative Ship of the Year. For Celebrity Cruises, the Celebrity Mercury was selected as the Environmental Ship of the Year, and the Celebrity Infinity was selected as the Environmentally Innovative Ship of the Year.

The ships were judged on five rigorous environmental criteria established by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. These included environmental performance, timeliness and effectiveness of corrective actions related to audit findings, reports of near incidents and nonconformities, submission of environmental status reports, performance of environmental equipment and innovative thinking. For each of these criteria, ships were scored individually and then ranked against one another to determine the winning ships in each fleet.

This year, Royal Caribbean International’s Liberty of the Seas won both the Environmental Ship of the Year and Environmentally Innovative Ship of the Year Awards for its excellent overall performance, having one of the most thorough and wide-ranging environmental programs of the entire fleet. The crew members demonstrated an exemplary level of commitment to saving energy, reducing waste, and increasing their amount of recycled materials. There was a particular emphasis on learning and continuous improvement that included establishing a water and energy savings team, as well as educating staff on how freshwater is produced onboard and how wastewaters are treated.

For Celebrity Cruises, Mercury received top honors in the Environmental Ship of the Year Award for its energy conservation, recycling efforts and reuse initiatives. The Mercury was bestowed the award most notably for its compliance and waste management, especially in the face of a challenging itinerary. The ship’s staff worked to establish recycling in numerous countries along its cruise track. Celebrity Infinity was awarded the Environmentally Innovative Ship of the Year Award for effectively demonstrating how day-to-day operational changes can be coupled with smart onboard insight and engineering to produce an innovative approach to energy savings in cooling the ship. Adding to their improvement is their continued strong efforts in recycling, management of waste streams, and the environmental honors received.

The winning ships receive an award they can display year-round, and get to select a non-profit organization that will receive a cash donation on their behalf. The organizations selected by the Environmental Ships of the Year received a $10,000 donation, and $5,000 goes to the organizations selected by the Environmentally Innovative Ships of the Year.

London’s five-star Dorchester receives high honors for being green

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:10:25 +0000

This year’s inaugural Green500 and Better Buildings Partnership awards saw the city of London’s greenest lodging and lifestyle brands receive commendation by London Mayor Boris Johnson. The awards were handed out to organizations ranging from travel, sports, arts, education, transport and more.

Making the final cut of recipients was The Dorchester Hotel, one of London’s most fabulous and luxurious boutique hotels.

“Since we developed an environment policy a few years ago, we’ve been very committed to reducing our carbon footprint and other Corporate Social Responsibility objectives,” said Andy Churchill, Chief Engineer of the Dorchester. “Our new hotel, 45 Park Lane, will be open next year and we’ll then also be able to share and improve our overall contribution.”

The Dorchester, located on Park Lane overlooking Hyde Park, is well-known for being one of the world’s greatest hotels, with three staff members for every guest. It is a full blown 5 star deluxe hotel offering high end accommodation and is the chosen lodging of many international celebrities.

The hotel is just a five minute walk from Hyde Park Corner underground station, with Bond Street, Piccadilly, and Oxford Street on the doorstep.

The hotel’s wide range of green efforts include:

Committment to a green purchasing scheme buying more and more goods and services from local sustainable-aware suppliers – even changing their landscape gardening company to one who specifies a sustainable service.
Carbon-emission reduction on three cooling towers and three turbo core chillers which, apart from minimixing impacts, will also deliver better and more reliable air conditioning and cooling services to guests.
Transformed lighting to low energy lighting with 33% now covered, to roll out throughout the establishment shortly.

Both Green500 and Better Buildings programs are funded by the London Development Agency to help deliver the Mayor’s target to cut London’s emissions by 60 per cent by 2025, create green collar jobs and stimulate a low carbon economy.

Together, over the last year, their 200 members have saved a massive 117,000 tons of carbon, equivalent to taking 100 double-decker buses off London’s streets.

For more information, visit www.thedorchester.com.

Tradeshows can be green, too! Travel meetings and events company gets nominated for sustainability award

admin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:02:31 +0000

IMEX, a global tradeshow geared at the incentive travel, meetings, and events industry, was recognized by the Association of Event Organizers (AEO) as one of eight companies to make it onto the shortlist for its coveted 2009 Sustainable Initiative of the Year Award; an award granted to a project that reduces environmental impact across an event or company over a period of 12 months.

Since its launch in 2002, IMEX has taken a rather strong position on environmental impact, developing successful partnerships ith eco-sensitive suppliers and vendors as well as partners like the Green Meeting Industry Council.

“I am delighted that our efforts have been recognized in this way,” said Ray Bloom, IMEX Chairman. “I know we do not stand alone in taking the issue of environmental impact within the exhibitions industry extremely seriously, and I am pleased to tell you that this year, more than ever, and despite global economic pressures, our visitors and exhibitors responded extremely positively to our green initiatives. It may take some time, but I fully expect that some years into the future, none of us will need to highlight the issue of carbon reduction as it will be second-nature to businesses all over the globe.”

In order to win, applicants need to demonstrate exactly how their environmental project has made a measurable difference in terms of sustainability, as well as detailing its impact on business performance and its commercial value.

Since IMEX was launched in 2002, the trade show has taken a strong position on environmental impact. It went on to develop highly-successful partnerships with a raft of environmentally-minded suppliers, as well as association partners such as the Green Meeting Industry Council.

IMEX’s green initiatives

In early 2008, IMEX organizers set out to reduce their carbon footprint as well as significantly cut waste output while improving energy usage and management. In coordination with The Carbon Consultancy, a commissioned independent consultancy, IMEX underwent a company-wide environmental audit, including an extensive review of all its product and service suppliers. This required detailed consultation with stand builders, freight, logistics and airline companies, printers and cleaning contractors, in addition to Messe Frankfurt’s management team.

The organizing team then launched a program to reduce energy consumption and waste output in advance of and throughout the yearm resulting in a 20% reduction in waste output (34 tons) despite a 7% rise in delegate (visitor and exhibitor) numbers and a 6.3% reduction in carbon emissions per visitor. In addition, 87% of waste was recycled including 40 tons of paper and 32 tons of cardboard.

IMEX also introduced bio-diesel fuels on 20% of its courtesy buses and has become the first guest exhibition at Messe Frankfurt to use hydroelectric power. A concerted effort to encourage and incentivise hosted buyers to travel by train resulted in a 70% reduction in the number of flights booked by German-hosted buyers and a subsequent 30% rise in the number of European buyers traveling to Frankfurt by train.

IMEX is a previous winner of the AEO Trade Show of the Year Award and AEO Best Visitor Experience – Trade Show Award. The trade show also runs its own series of green awards every year, which are presented during IMEX. These include the Green Meetings Award, Green Supplier, and Green Exhibitor Awards, together with a Commitment to the Community Award, which honors successful corporate social responsibility programs.

For more info, visit www.imex-frankfurt.com.

The 2009 Skål International Ecotourism Awards sets date for November

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:33:54 +0000

This year’s awards highlight best practices in tourism around the world for 2009, with emphasis on the importance of the interaction of the physical, cultural, and social environment the traveler’s responsibility and the need for active community participation for ecotourism.

As an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Skål’s mission is to promote the development of responsible, sustainable, and universally-accessible tourism. Currently, the organization covers all sectors of the tourism industry, from hoteliers to travel agents, to airlines, tourism media, tourism students, and similar travel persons.

Founded as an international association in 1934, Skål is the largest organization of travel and tourism professionals in the world, with 22,000 members, is active in 90 countries and in almost 500 locations worldwide.

Following the United Nations declaration of 2002 as the “Year of Ecotourism and the Mountains,” Skål launched the Ecotourism Awards in the same year, with the first awards presented at the World Congress in Cairns in 2002.

Skål is a powerful force in the travel and tourism industry to initiate change and encourage the conservation of the environment in order to promote tourism and travel. The organization values sustainable development in tourism as the key to the industry’s future success. It believes that ecotourism is just one area of the various components of sustainable development.

The 8th Skål International Ecotourism Awards will be presented during the 70th Skål World Congress to be held in Budapest, Hungary on Monday, November 2, 2009. The deadline for receipt of entries at the General Secretariat is June 30, 2009.

For more info, check out www.skal.org or contact:

Skål International
General Secretariat
Edificio España
Avenida Palma de Mallorca 15-1º
29620 Torremolinos – SPAIN
Tel: +34 952 38 9111
Email: skal@skal.org

Citizen journalists answer the call for climate change

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:05:53 +0000

Recently, the effects of climate change on our planet has acted as a catalyst for media reaction and activists around the globe. Authors, artists, filmmakers, bloggers and others continually contribute to the growing, green cloud of environmental responsibility.

In recognition, global media organization Internews has just called for entries for its newly-founded “Earth Journalism Awards” – asking citizen as well as pro journalists throughout the world to submit their best call-to-arms work against climate change.

Winners of the Earth Journalism Awards will be flown to Copenhagen this coming December to cover the United Nations Climate Change Conference and will be honored at a high-profile awards ceremony.

“It is very important to deepen public understanding of climate change and the urgent need for an agreement in Copenhagen,” said Yvo de Boer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . “The media has a vital role to play both in explaining what is required for the world to be able to make a dramatic shift towards a low carbon society and to be able to adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change. I welcome, therefore, the Earth Journalism Awards initiative.”

Awards will be granted to 14 winners based on pre-set criteria:

Seven Regional Awards on current affairs and news reporting on climate change: Eurasia, South Asia, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, and North America, Europe & Australia.
Six Thematic Awards : The Negotiations Award, The Human Voices Award, The Energy Award, The Forests Award, The Climate Change and Nature Award, The Climate Change Adaptation Award.
Global Public Award : Chosen by the public, which will be invited to vote online for the best story drawn from the winning regional and thematic awards through a social networking campaign on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

An additional thematic award – The MTV Positive Change Award – opens from June 22, 2009.

“Accurate, understandable reporting on climate change is essential in order to engage the public and their leaders to work for the best policy solutions,” said James Fahn, the Director of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network . “Particularly in the developing world, where most of the impact of climate change is being felt, citizens have an urgent need to understand what is at stake at Copenhagen and beyond, and local media are the key to this understanding.”

For more information or to submit an entry, visit http://awards.earthjournalism.org . Submission closes on September 7, 2009.

Marriott's 'Spirit to Preserve' wins high honors from WTTC

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:58:49 +0000

Based on locations in over 40 countries and 6 continents, Marriott International has been selected as the winner of the prestigious and highly competitive “2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Award for Sustainability” in the Global Tourism Business category by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

The popular hotel and lodging company has won the internationally-recognized award for its achievements in demonstrating sustainable tourism practices, including the protection of natural and cultural heritage, social and economic benefits to local people and environmentally-friendly operations.

Accepting the award for Marriott at WTTC’s Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Florianopolis, Brazil, Marriott President and co-chair of the company’s Executive Green Council, Ed Fuller, said: “Now, more than ever, sustainability and environmental stewardship are good for the planet, good for business and are vital to the future of travel and tourism.”

WTTC judges visited Marriott’s global headquarters in Bethesda, Md., where they met with the company’s Executive Green Council and toured the facility, which should receive LEED(R)-(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Existing Building status by December. They also toured several hotels to observe their environmentally-friendly operations, including the The Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland in College Park, which is LEED(R)-certified; the JW Marriott Hotel Washington, DC and the Washington Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, D.C.; the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown; and the Miami Airport Marriott, Eden Roc, a Renaissance Beach Resort & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, and The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, all in Miami, Fla.

“We have reached a global tipping point in the travel industry, as more businesses and countries realize that sustainable tourism is not only about protecting the environment and safeguarding cultural diversity, but that it is also an important economic opportunity,” said Costas Christ, Chairman of Judges, WTTC.

Marriott’s “Spirit to Preserve” brings industry experience to the world

When guests book a room on Marriott.com, they can help protect 1.4 million acres of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, joining Marriott in its $2 million commitment. Guests can offset the carbon generated during their stay for as little as US$10. Recently, about six members of Marriott’s sales team visited this rainforest reserve after helping raise more than $400,000 through Marriott’s Spirit To Preserve(TM) group meetings promotion.

The hotel company is also expanding its portfolio of green hotels, with over 30 hotels expected to achieve LEED(R) certification and at least a dozen set to open in 2009 and 2010.

For three consecutive years, Marriott has received the Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has awarded its ENERGY STAR(R) label to approximately 275 Marriott-branded hotels, the most of any hotel company.

Marriott is greening its $10 billion supply chain, replacing its plastic key cards, towels, pens, toilet paper, pillows, and paint with more environmentally-friendly options.

Marriott has been recognized for its environmental leadership in the hotel industry by several groups, including Ceres, an alliance of investors and environmentalists, the non-profit organization ClimateCounts.org, and Travel + Leisure magazine.

For more information on Marriott’s eco-friendly initiatives, visit www.marriott.com/spirittopreserve and follow Marriott Green on Twitter. Also, join the conversation about traveling green by becoming a fan of Travel Green on Facebook.

Second annual Geotourism Challenge calls for entries

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:12:40 +0000

The National Geographic Society and Ashoka’s Changemakers entry process for the second annual “Geotourism Challenge” to showcase how tourism done well sustains, enhances and preserves local culture and the environment is winding down this month. The competition will identify individuals worldwide who have introduced the most innovative practices in tourism and destination stewardship.

Conducted in partnership with Ashoka’s Changemakers, the global Geotourism Challenge will accept online applications at www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge through May 20, 2009. Applicants must demonstrate an innovation that protects destination quality and furthers geotourism, defined by National Geographic as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.”

During this period, anyone can debate, endorse or provide additional information on the entries. A distinguished panel of judges — including Keith Bellows, editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine, and Erika Harms, United Nations Foundation’s executive director for sustainable development — will review the applications and select the finalists. The online community will then vote for the Geotourism Challenge winners, who will be announced this summer. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000.

“This year’s competition theme, ‘Power of Place — Sustaining the Future of Destinations,’ focuses on protecting the locales where history, culture and nature live. We want to recognize business and civic innovators who sustain distinctive places for the enjoyment of current and future generations,” said Jonathan Tourtellot, director of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations.

No stranger to philanthropy

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise.

National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

Last year’s Geotourism Challenge produced 320 nominations from 83 countries. The three winners and 12 finalists gathered at National Geographic’s Washington, D.C., headquarters in October to present their innovative business models at the first Geotourism Change Summit attended by 150 country dignitaries and representatives of funding institutions and tourism-industry, conservation and preservation groups. The competition also created an online community of geotourism activists, ranging from preservationists to developers. All can use competition results and resources to apply holistic geotourism principles locally by consulting the Changemakers Web site, www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge.

The 2008 winners were a program in Ecuador’s Amazon region to provide Amazonian youth with an academic degree in nature tourism; an outfitter in Nepal that trains women to be trekking professionals in a culture that offers women limited job opportunities; and an eco-lodge in Costa Rica that is teaching native Cabecar Indians how to manage the business in one of the country’s celebrated rain forests.

Changing the world one destination at a time

Ashoka’s Changemakers focuses on the rapidly growing world of social innovation. It provides solutions and resources needed to help everyone become a changemaker and presents compelling stories that explore the fundamental principles of successful social innovation around the world. Ashoka’s Changemakers is building the world’s first online community committed to social change through networking and global competitions. Ashoka’s Changemakers begins by providing an overarching intellectual framework for collaborative competitions that bring together individual social change initiatives into a more powerful whole. For details, visit www.changemakers.net

“Changemakers is very excited about this opportunity to partner once again with National Geographic to highlight this important issue,” said Ashoka’s Changemakers Executive Director Charlie Brown. “Our last competition revealed a wide selection of amazing innovations in geotourism. We are looking forward to many more such creative projects surfacing this spring within the Changemakers community.”

The Geotourism Challenge is one of the key programs of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD). For more information on geotourism and destination stewardship, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable.

More like this:

National Geographic Sponsors Geotourism Competition National Geographic, Ashoka and WHL have teamed up to launch a new global geotourism competition. In recent decades tourism has exploded into one of the...
Sustainable tourism leaders win National Geographic’s Geotourism Challenge 2009 Three winners have officially been awarded in the Geotourism Challenge 2009 - highlighting leaders in sustainable tourism throughout the global online community. The Geotourism Challenge...
InterContinental and National Geographic renew pledge to geotourism with extended responsible travel initiatives Over 60,000 InterContinental employees worldwide will participate in responsible business workshops to enhance their understanding of how they can personally be involved in global geotourism...
National Geographic to launch a new Geotourism project in the Pacific Northwest National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations has joined organizations in Washington and Oregon to publicize the world-class natural and cultural attractions of the Central...
Geotourism Trend Aims to Preserve Local Charm by Michelle R. Smith “Geotourism” focuses on a destination’s authentic culture and history, aiming to have visitors help enrich those qualities—rather than turn the place...

Adventure tours and treehouses abound for Belize's 'Hotel of the Year'

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:58:54 +0000

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort was selected for the 2009 Hotel of the Year Award by the Belize Tourism Board. The criteria for the award include service excellence, positive attitude, attentiveness of staff, value for money, availability of outstanding facilities and services, ambience, innovation and the ability to provide visitors with a memorable stay. Hamanasi received the award during Belize’s 9th Annual Tourism Awards ceremony.

“It is a great honor for Hamanasi to be selected for the Hotel of the Year Award,” said Dana Krauskopf, co-founder of Hamanasi. “From our private treehouses and lush gardens to our adventure tours and warm Caribbean breezes, Hamanasi is the ideal vacation destination. Every employee goes through extensive training to ensure we deliver professional, outstanding and personalized service to our guests who entrust us with their treasured holiday time. Being selected Hotel of the Year recognizes that Hamanasi continues to provide a unique, adventure travel experience to our guests,” added Krauskopf.

The Hotel of the Year award is one of many recent accolades for Hamanasi. Hamanasi was chosen as #1 Best for Romance, #2 Best Hidden Gem and #4 Best Bargain Hotel in Central & South America by TripAdvisor(R) in its 2009 Travelers’ Choice(R) Awards out of a pool of over 10,000 hotels in the region. Additionally, TripAdvisor named Hamanasi as the #1 recommendation for eco-friendly accommodation worldwide.

Caribbean exploration, on land and off

Nestled between the lush Maya Mountains and the turquoise Caribbean Sea, Hamanasi is a special place from which you can explore the best of Belize on and offshore. A secluded, intimate boutique eco resort located south of Hopkins in Southern Belize, Hamanasi sits on hundreds of feet of Caribbean Sea beachfront surrounded by tropical flora on the finest stretch of beach in Belize. Hamanasi has 21 private treehouses, luxury suites and spacious beachfront rooms.

On property is an Adventure Center complete with a full service, 5-star PADI dive facility. Marine tours include diving and snorkeling the crystal waters of the barrier reef and atolls, fishing and sea kayaking. Onshore guests explore mysterious rainforests, hidden caves, the world’s only Jaguar Preserve, ancient Mayan pyramids and ubiquitous birding sites. Hamanasi is renowned for its excellent service delivered with warm, friendly smiles.

For more information, visit www.hamanasi.com .