Building on the success of last year’s inaugural edition in Zimbabwe, UN Tourism, the Basque Culinary Center and the United Republic of Tanzania will host the Second Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Arusha on 23–25 April 2025. The event is the leading UN Tourism initiative to position gastronomy tourism as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.
IHG Academy, a world class hospitality education and training programme, is proud to announce its partnership with the Queen Rania Foundation (QRF) and Edraak, a pioneering massive open online course (MOOC) platform, to launch a new Arabic-language course titled "Careers in Hospitality." This initiative aims to provide aspiring hospitality professionals in Jordan with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse and dynamic world of hospitality careers.
RIU Hotels & Resorts has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability in the Maldives by renewing its collaboration on the Blue Reef Reforest project for a further three years (until 2027) and launching a new alliance with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP). The aim of these initiatives is to preserve marine biodiversity in the Maldives by helping restore coral reefs and protecting the iconic endangered whale shark.
SPARK, in partnership with EYouth and with support from Google.org, has launched the Maharat for Tourism E-Learning Hub in Egypt - a pioneering platform designed to equip 25,000 individuals across the MENA region with essential skills for the tourism industry (Maharat.SPARK.Ngo/).
Further to the recent announcement, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Goa for the country’s largest hospitality skilling centre in Goa to boost employment opportunities for youth in the state. This signing ceremony was held in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Goa -Shri Pramod Sawant and Mr. Prasad Lolayekar, IAS, Secretary, Education and Skills Development and Mr. S S Gaonkar, Director of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, Goa.
Despite growing evidence supporting the business benefits of sustainability in risk mitigation and opportunity creation, investors in the APAC region tend to undervalue its importance during hotel transactions. This raises questions about the primary factors influencing capital allocation towards sustainable real estate, the potential impact on property valuation, and the strategy that various stakeholders—including general partners, limited partners, lenders, and hotel operators—can adopt to build more resilient and sustainable hospitality investments.
RIU Hotels & Resorts has taken a further step forward in its Proudly Committed sustainability strategy with the announcement of its first collaboration with two local NGOs in Mauritius, the Coral Garden Conservation (CGC) and Adolescent Non-Formal Education Network (ANFEN). Both alliances aspire to have a positive impact on the local environment and community by promoting ecological restoration and social inclusion.
Reuben Brothers and Three Rules Capital proudly announce that Audubon International– the environmentally focused non-profit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play – has approved Esencia to pursue its highest accolade in environmental stewardship: the Signature Platinum Certification. Set on 2,000 acres of tropical natural beauty on Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast, Esencia is a new cosmopolitan coastal community that seamlessly integrates hotels, branded residences, and amenities across a sensitively designed master plan at Boquerón Bay in Cabo Rojo. In a rare endeavor, the Developers are pursuing certification for the entire development, positioning Esencia as the world’s largest Signature Platinum community by acreage.
Climate change is driving the world’s agenda. Business leaders everywhere are wrestling with how to respond to rising public and political pressure and align their systems and operations with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, established to keep global warming below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C. None more so than for hotels, that means implementing sustainable hospitality strategies to reduce their emissions by 90 percent by 2050.
Hospitality Net’s Simone Puorto caught up with Willy Legrand, Professor at IU International University of Applied Sciences, Germany, during our time at ITB Berlin, where sustainability was a hot topic. Willy is a well-known expert in the field and has played a big role in shaping the conversation around sustainable hospitality.
Hotel Yearbook 2025 Sustainability Tech Edition Debuts at ITB, Bridging Technology and Eco-Innovation in Hospitality
Airbnb is pleased to share the latest recipients of Airbnb Community Fund grants, which include more than 160 organizations making a difference in 30+ countries across six continents.
What motivates travellers to adopt sustainable behaviours? A new report co-produced by Accor, Booking.com and the University of Surrey delves into this question through an in-depth study. It includes 24 traveller interviews, the journey analysis of 22 additional travellers and rigorous lab-based behavioural research with 67 participants.
New study from Accor, Booking.com and University of Surrey assesses how to deliver effective and engaging sustainability communications to guests. The report – “engaging travellers to embrace more sustainable behaviours” – sets out some of the challenges hospitality providers face when communicating with guests on sustainability and identifies four key ways to positively influence guest behaviour.
The Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA) has released its latest report, "How Important is ESG in Hospitality Investment Decisions?" which is based on in-depth interviews with investors responsible for over $360 billion in hotel assets. The findings underscore the growing role Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations play in shaping the future of hotel and lodging investment strategies for all investment groups, as follows.
As guest expectations evolve, Accor is transforming food consumption by prioritizing sustainability, local sourcing, and innovation. Through global actions like our Good Food Policy and local programs like 88 Bites, we are reshaping dining experiences with initiatives that support local communities and reduce environmental impact.
For more than 100 years, Hilton has believed in the power of hospitality to be a transformative force for good. With that belief in mind and its deep ties to the Los Angeles community – encompassing 70 years of history, including 40 years as the company’s headquarters – Hilton was proud to partner with American Express to support Angelinos impacted by the recent devastating wildfires by donating 20,000 hotel room nights to families in need of temporary accommodations.
BWH Hotels is enabling its 230 independent UK hotels to take control of their carbon footprint with the launch of a new carbon calculator.
A new climate action training programme for destinations has been launched by sustainable tourism non-profit, the Travel Foundation, in partnership with Expedia Group. ‘Destination Climate Champions’ is the first climate action training course that is free to access for those working in Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), thanks to generous sponsorship from Expedia Group.
UN Tourism has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its prestigious Best Tourism Villages initiative. This initiative marks a continued commitment to advancing rural tourism as a catalyst for sustainable development and inclusion, while celebrating the rich tapestry of cultural and natural heritage, community values, and sustainable practices that make these destinations unique.