Managed by Denver-based Atmosphere Hospitality Management Services, LLC, the brand has now been officially recognized as a leader in sustainable hotel design and green travel operations by way of an invitation to appear on Moving America Forward with TV and film icon William Shatner.

The story will be told of how this hotel design will make history as the first independent LEED certified brand design “Green from the Get Go” in its entirety and creating a greener future for the next generation of travelers.

Proof of concept

“The [hotel’s] design includes sustainable elements such as xeric landscaping plans, a smart solar roofing system, wind-turbine options, recycled building materials and purposeful upscale amenities”, said James Henderson, President of Atmosphere Hospitality Management Services.

“This design represents a tremendous change to conventional hotel construction and it demonstrates our commitment to incorporating a 360-degree view of sustainability to our plans and embedding environmental responsibility at the core of our business model. This approach will give the Adoba Eco Hotel & Suites a competitive edge while addressing profitability and sustainable issues facing owners for decades to come.”

The Adoba concept is proof that a LEED building design is cost-effective and can save owners initial investment dollars typically associated with architectural design time, modeling costs and the time associated with incorporating sustainable building practices into the project.

Brand-spanning approach to green

Another key differentiation for the brand is their approach to integrating sustainability into all hiring practices, roles and job descriptions as part of the company culture along with their progressive Emerald Pact Committee®.

Better known as the EPC committee, this vital piece of the company’s organizational infrastructure will ensure the continued education and advancement of social responsibility across the brand and work with each hotel to broaden their environmentally friendly practices to the communities in which they serve.

For more information about the Adoba Eco Hotel & Suites including hotel FAQ’s, press, architectural plans, renderings, and room/suite layouts, visit http://www.adobaecohotel.com.

Slated for November 10, 2010, WRTD is a global campaign, in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), designed to inspire and educate the industry to actively help save the planet.

Show your colors

Regardless of whether they are able to attend the occasion at World Travel Market in London, many travel companies are planning to mark the day in their own special way with press conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, presentations, fun runs, family competitions, and picnics.

“The industry faces extremely difficult and challenging times, not only economically, but also on core issues such as sustainability, climate change, conservation, and poverty reduction,” said Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market and a responsible tourism pioneer of over the past 16 years.

“This is one of the reasons why responsible tourism is becoming fundamental to operators and destinations and why WTM World Responsible Tourism Day has captured so much industry attention worldwide.”

Applications from companies interested in supporting the campaign with a simple website logo badge are currently being studied to ensure that they meet WTM World Responsible Tourism Day’s strict criteria. Once approved, successful applicants can use the official WTM WRTD logo for this year on its sales, marketing, letterhead, direct mail, and PR materials, as well as enjoy considerable business, publicity, and profiling benefits.

“Consumers are demonstrating their concern, and I am delighted that the industry is beginning to respond positively,” added Jeffery.

Recognizing excellence in reponsible travel

WRTD will feature an opening ceremony in London, hosted by Stephen Sackur, presenter of BBC World’s flagship current affairs program, HARDtalk, and presentation of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, organized by responsibletourism.com.

There are 13 categories and a panel of 13 judges who will decide who are the most committed responsible tourism destinations and dedicated industry professionals, including:

AFRICA – Africa Inside Out; Cape to Cape Adventure Ltd.; The Dreamcatcher Foundation; Karibu Rwanda Ltd.; Nyore Tourist Village; West Africa Discovery

AMERICAS – Exploring Horizons Ltd.; ICRT Belize; Red de Turismo Responsible; Tropic Journeys in Nature; TrotaMexico; Mayaland Resorts; Consulting 27; ICRT Belize; Pure Brazil by Venturas

ASIA – Agri Tourism India; Community Action Treks; ConCERT; Footprint Vietnam Travel; Grass Routes; Malaysian Discovery; Rimo Expeditions; Selena Travel

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND – Crystal Creek Meadows; Ecotourism Australia

EUROPE/UK – Eco Turkey; La Fundación Ecoagroturismo; GreenStep; Ruka and Phya Ski Resorts, Finland; Travel2help.org, Finland; Viator Travel, Dubrovnik Tourist Board; Villa Pape, Croatia;

For more information or to apply for a WTM World Responsible Tourism logo, visit www.wtmwrtd.com as welll as www.wtmlondon.com for more details.

The Innovation Award recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership in innovative actions to effectively promote sustainable tourism and bring tangible benefits to communities and conservation.

The Award winners – one individual and one organization – will be honored for their best practices and innovative actions, judged based on one example of an innovative project, product, or program developed in the previous year that supports the goal of uniting communities, conservation, and sustainable travel.

Nominations are being accepted now for the 2010 TIES Innovation Awards. Nominations must be received no later than Midnight Monday, August 2, 2010 US Pacific Daylight Time.

The winning two finalists will be honored at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference, being held from September 8-10, 2010, Portland, Oregon, USA. The Innovation Award Presentation Ceremony will be held annually during the ESTC, to be hosted by TIES and ESTC sponsors.

For more information, visit http://www.ecotourism.org/innovation-awards.

The conference – co-sponsored by Gap Adventures and the non-profit Planeterra Foundation – is North America’s largest and only conference focusing on sustainability in the tourism industry and will assemble more than 500 business leaders, tourism professionals and community stakeholders to discuss practical ideas and solutions to sustainability challenges facing the sector today.

The conference’s ultimate goal: reinforcing the role of tourism in building a more sustainable future for the travel industry.

“We love changing people’s lives through travel and I believe ESTC is a perfect forum to help us advance that goal,” Poon Tip, the conference’s keynote speaker, said. “We’ve proven time and again through initiatives like our voluntourism projects that sustainability and travel needn’t be mutually exclusive. Smart travel that respects local ecosystems, economies and communities not only provides a more exciting experience for our travellers, it’s simply the right thing to do.”

For the first time, ESTC will also be joining forces with the Planeterra Foundation to provide opportunities for conference delegates to roll up their sleeves for the local community. Delegates will have a chance to volunteer at Portland-area landmarks such as the Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge and the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, in an effort to highlight the increasing importance and relevance of voluntourism.

“These practical sessions in the field will give delegates an opportunity to participate in a hands-on voluntourism experience and gain an understanding of how giving back to the people and places they visit provides a richer traveller experience.” said Planeterra director Richard G. Edwards.

The funding enables nonprofit organizations to provide support for more than 45 species across the globe—from protecting the critically endangered Sumatran rhino in Indonesia, to tracking northern jaguars in the foothills of Mexico, to studying the threats of the endangered green sea turtle.

“As part of Disney’s longstanding commitment to the environment, the work supported through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is more important today than ever in helping preserve our planet’s most precious resources,” said Dr. Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs, The Walt Disney Company. “We are proud to support these organizations that are truly making a difference around the world to aid in the protection of wildlife and the natural environments they depend on to flourish.”

Over the past decade, the DWCF—through support from The Walt Disney Company and Disney Guests—has provided more than $15 million in grants for the study of wildlife, protection of habitats, land management plans, community conservation and education. Along with a focus on support for species and habitat conservation science, the DWCF encourages programs that engage local residents and benefit both human and animal communities.

2010 Recipients:

Wildlife Trust: Black Lion Tamarin Conservation through Research and Community Involvement – Wildlife Trust teaches communities about sustainable development alternatives, including tree nurseries and handicrafts, to protect the black lion tamarins living in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.

Northern Jaguar Project: Northern Jaguar Feline Photo Project – In an effort to reduce jaguar mortality and build conservation alliances with rural landowners, Northern Jaguar Project works directly with local ranch owners in Mexico to monitor and protect the species.

Save the Elephants : Elephants and Bees – Save the Elephants minimizes human-wildlife conflict by studying and researching innovative strategies to reduce crop-raiding. By using beehives as a deterrent, community crops are left un-touched and families have a new source of income through honey production.

University of Hawaii: Conserving the Green Sea Turtle in Hawaii - This program advances the understanding of the impact of pollution on endangered green sea turtles.  Through further research, conservationists are able to work more effectively with local communities and governments to protect the turtles.

International Rhino Foundation: Sumatran Rhino Conservation – The Sumatran rhino is considered the most endangered rhino species with numbers declining more than 70 percent in the past two decades. International Rhino Foundation is protecting the species through research and outreach programs in local communities.

To date the DWCF has donated more than $1 million to primate conservation efforts, more than $900,000 to protect cats worldwide, more than $850,000 to elephant conservation, more than $850,000 to study and save sea turtles, and more than $625,000 to rhino conservation efforts.

Since 1998, the DWCF has also awarded more than $575,000 in Rapid Response funds to assist with more than 120 environmental and animal emergencies. In the past year, the DWCF has provided more than $125,000 to support efforts worldwide including veterinary care and vaccinations for animals in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti and rehabilitation efforts for the thousands of sea turtles affected by the winter cold snap in Florida.

In 2009 additional support was provided through Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green in which 100 percent of iTunes proceeds of the inspiring program anthem “Send it On” were directed to environmental charities through the DWCF.

For more information, visit http://www.disney.com/conservation.

The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are the WTTC’s highest-profile global accolade, recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism development, conservation and biodiversity protection.

Within the Emirates Group, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts (EH&R) portfolio encompasses three major conservation projects spread across three continents: Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai; Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia; and the forthcoming Cap Ternay Resort & Spa in the Seychelles.

“Emirates has taken environmental commitments seriously, and our resorts and their conservation work form a central focus of our corporate environmental policy,” said Hans Haensel, divisional senior vice president, Emirates Destination and Leisure Management. “Our philosophy centers on the two most critical global environmental issues: biodiversity extinction rates and carbon emissions reduction, in which we are continuing to search for ways to improve environmental performance across the whole organization—on the ground and in the air.”

“The Conservation Award is one of four award categories, and is presented to hotels and tourism organizations which have demonstrated developments and operations which have directly contributed to conservation of natural habitats, biodiversity, and wildlife protection,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president & CEO of WTTC. “Emirates Hotels and Resorts is a pioneer in this space, clearly demonstrated through their commitment to sustainable development practices which is directly linked to the economic well-being of local people and support of cultural heritage across all properties.”

Emirates receives this award in recognition of more than 10 years of valuable work resulting in its first resort, Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, designed and built following the principles of environmentally sustainable development. The experience and the technology advances contributed to even greater efficiency, which has continued at the recently opened Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia, the first hotel in the world to be certified carbon neutral by an internationally accredited organization.

Around these global issues, the resorts have implemented large-scale projects aimed at biodiversity protection; through habitat rehabilitation, wildlife protection, and reintroduction of threatened species into protected reserves. Ongoing collaborative research is also in place at each destination, efforts which have been acknowledged by such organizations as UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the World Heritage Committee.

Through guided experiences guests are completely exposed to the history, habitat, wildlife, and natural heritage of each destination, as well as Emirates’ own conservation work, in a meaningful, well documented, manner.

“This award recognizes the increasing awareness of environmental sustainability in tourism, where it is no longer an option, but a basic expectation,” added Hans Haensel. “It is only with a commitment to protect our naturally beautiful locations across the world, such as Al Maha and Wolgan Valley, that our industry can continue to grow and thrive.”

For more, visit Emirates Hotels & Resorts online.

Designed to educate, as well as help luxury hotels create and implement a sustainability management framework, LECS is the first and only voluntary, global certification program of its kind. Focusing on Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet and Profit), the comprehensive standard aligns with impending global accreditation through the Tourism Stewardship Council.

With sustainable tourism on the rise, Leading Hotels spearheaded a new partnership between STI, the global non-profit leader in sustainable travel solutions, and Leading Quality Assurance (LQA), a joint venture of Leading Hotels that specializes in quality assurance, benchmarking and training to the luxury hospitality industry. Together, they created an innovative program, which carries out evaluations in five areas: policy and documentation; energy conservation; water conservation; recycling; and community. The fusion of these five components will reduce long-term operating costs, and create customer and employee good will.

In order to become LECS certified, hotels must undergo a preliminary desk audit, complimented by an on-site, third-party assessment handled by LQA. The process of becoming LECS eco-certified is challenging and requires a serious commitment on behalf of the hotel applicant, and Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort exemplifies this commitment on many levels.

Perhaps principal among them is the fact that two underground reservoirs provide all of the hotel’s water – both hot and cold – eliminating the need to use any other energy sources for heating or cooling it. The hotel also has in place significant practices for conserving water and electricity, and recycling a variety of materials.

In addition to engaging vigorously in staff training, the hotel offers guests opportunities to support its sustainability initiatives through tree-planting projects, contributions to the local community development fund, and making local products and handcrafts available for sale in its shops.

Commenting on the resort’s philosophy, Uwe Wagner, general manager, noted, “One may not be able to change the world, but one can certainly make a big difference in the place where you live, making it a better place for everyone.”

Brian T. Mullis, President of Sustainable Travel International stated, “The Luxury Eco Certification Standard has set a new precedent in the luxury accommodation sector. An increasing number of five-star hoteliers around the world are applying for eco-certification. They’ve excelled in quality and service and now want to demonstrate their commitment to helping to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of our planet for future generations.”

Several other members of The Leading Hotels of the World are slated to complete the inspection process by late summer. Hotels interested in pursuing LECS certification, can visit www.leadingquality.com or www.ecocertification.org. For more information about Leading Green, visit www.lhwgreen.com.

Just last month, I wrote on the company’s commitment to sustainability as going “beyond” the typical green measure. True sustainability is a viable means for lodging properties to protect the longevity of their business by remaining ahead of the curve.

And here is the proof: Isla Palenque just won a prestigious Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in the Analysis and Planning category for its geo-responsible resort master plan.

Only a select few of the hundreds of applicants for the ASLA’s award are honored each year.

Intelligent design

The plan itself, conceived by architecture firm Design Workshop, showcases design that is at the core of the resort’s environmentally-focused mission – making intelligent use of the terrain and lavishes attention on the beauty of the island itself.

Founded in 1969, Design Workshop is an international landscape architecture, land planning, urban design and strategic services firm whose philosophy challenges the project team to equally integrate and balance artistic vision, environmental sensitivity, community values and sound economics to create unique places that stand the test of time.

“We chose Design Workshop because they are uniquely skilled at creating designs that encourage people to experience the natural world that surrounds them,” says Amble President Ben Loomis. “Their design will allow the resort’s future homeowners to connect to the island in a profound way: to feel that they are a natural part of it, not an intruder upon it.”

Amble and Design Workshop share the award with the rest of the development team, including architects 4240, environmental advisors Panama Environmental Services, and engineering firmEast Bay Group.

“We’re especially proud of this award because it was a particularly competitive year to win,” says Richard Shaw, FASLA, a Principal and Partner at Design Workshop. But for Shaw, it’s been clear from the start that Isla Palenque is exceptional.

“Amble’s concept is special to begin with,” says Shaw. “The idea behind the master plan has always been to retain natural resources while accommodating low-density development; synthesizing aspects of sustainability, conservation, and ecotourism for a result that will really create unprecedented character.”

“The placement of the buildings is thoughtful, putting most of the buildings in the few areas that were previously cleared for farming, allowing the sensitive ecosystems and cultural material to be preserved.”

“Design Workshop really understands our goal here,” says Loomis. “We want to create sustainability that is not only good for the land, but good for the people that will live on it.” Loomis considers the natural environment to be the most important luxury amenity the sophisticated resort can provide. “The pristine quality of the land will still be there when all the development is done, and will be maintained for generations to come.”

For more, visit http://www.IslaPalenque.com.

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).

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.

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.

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.”

“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.”

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.