Salisbury, MD | The Knowland Group, the world’s leader in hotel group intelligence, finds that meeting planners do not actually require their attendees to accept hotel-offered green options! Practices, such as forgoing daily laundering, can not be individually enforced by planners, Knowland found, after calling environmental groups from within the extensive Knowland database of meeting and event planners.

An event planner for one of the nation’s top ecology organizations (commenting anonymously), said his organization doesn’t mandate the placement of “Do Not Launder” cards on beds by its members, though he would hear complaints if such options were not offered. He adds that supposedly green hotels vary wildly in their commitment to offer environmentally conscious options. “They’re in it for the money, just like everyone else,” he noted, although he credited Hyatt, Hilton and Starwood as being among the better hotel chains, in terms of their sincerity in providing green options.

Knowland contacted the Environmental Markets Association and found they typically choose environmentally conscious hotels for their meetings and strongly advise their attendees to eschew the daily laundering of sheets and towels. However, executive director, Lauren LeMunyan, acknowledged the group doesn’t police their members individually. “We don’t have to,” says LeMunyan. Her members, she added, would immediately inform her if such eco-friendly options weren’t offered. LeMunyan’s group is planning their upcoming conference in the week following Earth Day.

The Knowland Group, who speaks to thousands of meeting planners every month (including the scheduling of sales appointments, booking events, conducting follow up interviews and much more), found that offering a comprehensive menu of ecologically conscious choices has become a “green” bottom line that can gain or lose hotels coveted “green” customers. Knowland also discovered that the state of the economy has caused many Earth Day celebrations to be scaled back or kept local this year, further impacting the hotel business in major markets.

About Knowland: Headquartered in Salisbury, MD, The Knowland Group is a premier provider of sales and marketing products and services to the hospitality industry worldwide. Knowland serves over 90 markets within the United States, Canada, and beyond. Single-minded in its goal to add client value, Knowland is a proven innovator, consistently striving to develop market-changing products and services. For more information, visit or call 410-860-2270.

David Warick
Public Affairs/Media Relations
(302) 645-9777 ext 207