The average three-day meeting at a Marriott hotel attended by 1,000 people produces more than 12 tons of trash, uses 200,000 kilowatts of power and consumes 100,000 gallons of water. Beginning this summer, Marriott, JW Marriott and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts will introduce a series of meeting products that are eco-friendly and will help guests and meeting planners reduce their environmental impact. Marriott is building on an aggressive environmental strategy by adding new elements to green its meetings.

Alexandria, VA | The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) today announced the availability of a wide range of online technology offerings to compliment and enhance its 40th Annual International Convention & Exposition to be held in Los Angeles July 27-30, 2008. A virtual technology exposition, a web-based press room, and NBTA"s own Convention television news program will help to bring the global community of corporate travel professionals together before, during and after the business travel event of the year.

Alexandria, VA -- The Chapter Presidents" Council (CPC) of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) today announced winners of the 2008 Business Travel Professional Service Awards and the 2008 CPC scholarship program. The CPC, a board-level committee of NBTA, is made up of the Presidents of NBTA"s 41 U.S. Chapters.

It took 1,000 tonnes of sand and a team of four sculptors working 14 hours a day for seven days to build the structure on Weymouth beach. Guests can book to stay in the hotel, which includes beds made out of sand, until the rain washes it away.

The travel industry is moving so fast these days. It seems we only just get to grips with a new technology or trend when another springs up demanding our attention. Even more frightening is the fact that your consumer is more tech-savvy than ever - and more demanding. It's no longer enough just to have a presence; you have to be the presence!

The UEFA EURO 2008 football championships caused a massive surge in profit for Vienna’s chain hotels, according to the latest European HotStats survey from TRI Hospitality Consulting.

Industry occupancy reached 65.0 percent in the three months ending June 2008, down 2.5 percent versus second quarter 2007. Second quarter average room rate gained 3.8 percent to $107.31 and revenue per available room (REVPAR) --- the combination of occupancy and average room rate and a key industry productivity measure --- increased 1.2 percent to $69.70.

Smith Travel Research (STR) is the recognized leader in providing accurate, actionable information and analysis to the lodging industry. Since 1985, the company has served the industry operating on the key principals of integrity, confidentiality and customer service. STR provides timely information and analysis to all major North American hotel chains and a growing number of chains in Europe and Asia. Individual hotels, management companies, appraisers, consultants, lenders and other lodging industry analysts also rely on STR data for the accuracy they require.

Gone are the days when travel guides or travel agents were the most up-to-date source of travel information. With new online travel tools developing daily, all sorts of NYC attractions can be pre-planned and booked from a comfy chair at home.

During a festive dinner at the recent SCENTworld CONFERENCE & EXPO 2008, the Scent Marketing Institute announced this year's winners of the SMItty Awards. According to the Institute's founder, Harald H. Vogt, "the individuals that we honor and their companies are instrumental in shaping the future of our quickly expanding industry. They are proof that Scent Marketing is not a fad but a viable solution to engage the consumer, improve product perception and generate sales."