Sustainability Press Releases

October 1, 2024

UN Tourism and easyJet holidays advance partnership towards ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses

According to the latest UN Tourism data, international tourist arrivals have returned to 96% of pre-pandemic levels, with full recovery likely by the end of the year. With further growth anticipated, there is a pressing need to look beyond economic impacts of the sector and measure metrics relating to environmental dependencies, community impact, employee wellbeing, and much more. However, the sector currently lacks a unified Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting framework, making it difficult for tourism companies and stakeholders to measure, compare, and meaningfully communicate their sustainability efforts and impacts.

UN Tourism

Press Release

September 30, 2024

Belize leads net positive drive as host of inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards

The global leaders of sustainable tourism convened in Belize for a ceremony to recognise the individuals and organisations that are accelerating change in net positive tourism. The inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards, held on 27 September to coincide with World Tourism Day, proved a fitting showcase for Belize and its pioneering sustainability initiatives.

World Travel Awards

Press Release

September 26, 2024

Preferred Travel Group Unveils Development Process And Vision For Companywide Climate Action Plan

Preferred Travel Group, parent company of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, PTG Consulting, and Beyond Green Travel, is reaffirming its commitment to sustainable tourism and climate action with the development of a comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP). Created in partnership with the Travel Foundation, a prominent international sustainable tourism organization, this initiative builds on the organization’s signing of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. It underscores Preferred Travel Group's proactive role in leading by example to drive necessary change within the travel industry.

Preferred

HN TV

Press Release

September 25, 2024

Cornell Roundtables at NYC Climate Week: Meeting the Challenges Ahead to Lower Tourism and Hospitality Climate Impacts

During the New York City Climate Week 2024, HNtv INSIDERS had the unique opportunity to engage with experts with Megan Epler-Wood (Cornell University, USA), Jeanne Varney (Cornell University USA) and Willy Legrand (IU International University of Applied Sciences, Germany) and discuss key insights from the Sustainability in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Roundtables—an event jointly hosted by Cornell University, its Center for Hospitality Research, and the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise. This discussion spanned a variety of pressing topics, from innovative green financing and the escalating costs of insurance in the face of climate risks, to sustainable agricultural practices and the capacity to manage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions via our Destination Marketing/Management and National Tourism organizations in tourism destinations worldwide. Join us for a concise 20-minute summary that captures the essence of these discussions and a chance to grasp how the tourism and hospitality sectors are navigating the multifaceted challenges of climate mitigation and adaptation.

By Jeanne Varney, Willy Legrand, and Megan Epler Wood

Press Release

September 25, 2024

IHG and GBTA Foundation Convene Sustainability Leaders Deliberating Decarbonization of Business Travel

IHG Hotels & Resorts and the GBTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), brought together some of travel’s biggest sustainability leaders yesterday during 2024 Climate Week NYC to spark dialogue about the decarbonization of business travel. In collaboration with co-hosts IDEO, Accenture, American Express Global Business Travel, Delta Air Lines and Hertz, the event challenged attendees to explore tensions and collaborative approaches inherent in balancing the necessity of business travel with the imperative to reduce carbon emissions.

IHG

New York, New York, United States

Press Release

September 18, 2024

CitySuites unveils latest ESG report, highlighting significant environmental and social impact

CitySuites, a leading provider of luxury serviced apartments, is pleased to announce the release of its fourth Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report. The report offers a comprehensive overview of the company’s activities, achievements, and performance in ESG matters over the past year.

CitySuites

Press Release

September 13, 2024

MGM Resorts Signs Agreement to Increase Renewable Energy Use

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) ("MGM Resorts" or the "Company") is making a bold leap toward its ambitious sustainability goals, signing a power purchase agreement with Escape Solar LLC that will more than double its access to clean solar electricity—an extraordinary stride toward a greener future. The agreement will help propel the Company closer to its goal of procuring 100% renewable electricity in North America by 2030. Already a global leader in sustainability with the world's largest direct connect solar array in the hospitality industry, MGM Resorts currently uses solar power for 90% of the total daytime needs at 11 of its iconic Las Vegas Strip properties.

MGM Resorts International

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Hospitality Net

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Ernest - Lighthouse's AI for hoteliers

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Lighthouse

Press Release

September 13, 2024

How data and transparency will power sustainable financing in hospitality

Given the pressing issue of climate change the world faces today, sustainable financing is gaining attention globally and in Asia Pacific as a valuable tool for the private sector to adopt more responsible practices. There are multiple factors contributing to its significance.

JLL

Press Release

September 12, 2024

UN Tourism’s Committee on Tourism and Sustainability Committee Meets to Spotlight Responsible, Nature-Positive Growth for Sector

The 19th meeting of the Committee (CTS) brought together the elected members of the Committee from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Americas. A total of 140 leading policymakers and experts reflected in-depth on pathways for balancing growth and prosperity with inclusiveness and sustainability. Over the course of two days, special Thematic Sessions focused on the key sustainability challenges posed as the sector continues to grow, with an expected 35 billion domestic, same-day and international visitors expected to travel annually by 2030.

UN Tourism

Press Release

September 12, 2024

Summit Hotel Properties Publishes 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (NYSE: INN) (the "Company") today announced the publication of its annual Corporate Responsibility Report, which presents the Company's ongoing commitment to creating long-term shareholder value by investing responsibly, safeguarding the environment, and supporting its employees, communities, and other stakeholders.

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.

Press Release

September 11, 2024

UN Tourism Welcomes First Students to Sustainable Tourism Degree Course

Developed in collaboration with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), the three-year Bachelor of Science in International Sustainable Tourism is designed to train graduates capable of leading the sector toward a more sustainable future.

UN Tourism

Press Release

September 11, 2024

EEA launches a Taskforce and global consultation on sustainability standards in hospitality

The Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA) today announced the launch of a ground-breaking global consultation led by its newly established Taskforce on Hotels & Lodging Sustainability Standards. This initiative will work to develop industry-wide agreements on sustainability standards, benchmarks and financial performance metrics, specifically tailored for the hotels and lodging sector. This work will be particularly important for determining the valuation of hospitality assets.

Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA)

Press Release

September 9, 2024

The Pathway To Net Zero

From decarbonisation to data management and sustainability to staff training, ESG is at the top of the hospitality sector’s agenda. With People, Planet and Profit a key conference track at the upcoming FHS World, taking place from 30 September to 2 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, leading hospitality leaders discuss what the industry is already doing – and what more can be achieved – to strike a balance between best practice and maintaining top-flight services, amenities and industry standards.

The Bench

Press Release

September 5, 2024

International air capacity revival underpins solid performance for Accor’s Queensland hotels

Accor’s Queensland hotel network recorded sustained growth in the year to the end of July 2024, emphasising Queensland’s premier position in the Australian tourism and hotel market.

Accor

Australia

Press Release

September 4, 2024

Leading the Way in Eco-Design: Mercure Katowice Centrum, Poland

At Accor, sustainability is rooted at the center of our design strategy. In practice, that means that the Design & Technical Services teams channel their talent and creativity into ensuring that the strategy and the concepts they create have a positive impact on the environment and society. Our teams have developed specific construction guidelines for sustainability for each of our brands, while a rigorous selection criteria for design, and construction products and suppliers has been set to guarantee that all our partners ౼ from conception to production ౼ share our commitment to sustainability. With circularity and carbon reduction in mind, we have also begun using an eco-design measurement tool to analyze the environmental performance of our design concepts.

Accor

Katowice, Poland

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Ernest - Lighthouse's AI for hoteliers

"Just tell me why my weekend pickup dropped." With Ernest, now you can ask your commercial data anything, and act on the answer.

Lighthouse

Press Release

September 3, 2024

UN Tourism and FIA Reinforce Partnership to Advance Sustainable Sports Tourism

The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a step forward in the partnership between the two organisations, highlighting their mutual dedication to advancing sustainable practices and raising awareness about the positive impact of Sports Tourism on destinations. By combining expertise and influence, it aims to leverage the power of world-class sporting events to drive tourism, economic growth, and sustainability.

UN Tourism

Press Release

August 29, 2024

Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World takes centre stage with action-packed programme, industry-leading speaker line-up and groundbreaking announcements at biggest event yet

FHS World today unveiled its stellar line up of speakers, an action-packed agenda and a wealth of new features at its biggest event to date, which will see more than 1,500 hospitality and tourism leaders descend on Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, 30 September to 2 October.

The Bench

Press Release

August 28, 2024

Sustainable technologies: How smart hotels reduce environmental impact

Given the immense climatic challenges we currently face and the growing consumer demand for more sustainable products and services, businesses in every sector are starting to take their environmental impact seriously.

EHL

Press Release

August 26, 2024

Relais & Châteaux Publishes Second Sustainability Report and Records Positive Gains Across Almost Every Indicator

The new publication demonstrates positive gains across almost all its indicators and core objectives against the Association’s first sustainability report, published in 2022. The report also announces the formation of a Sustainability Commission, with members hand-picked by President Laurent Gardinier, to advance and accelerate the Association’s sustainability action plan.

Relais & Châteaux

Press Release

August 26, 2024

In Latin America, UN Tourism Drives Growth Through Investment

Tourism is increasingly emerging as a fundamental pillar for development in the region, offering ample opportunities for economic growth and community empowerment. To harness this potential, UN Tourism has confirmed its plans to expand its series of Investment Guides and Investment Forums, each focused on a specific country in the region. The guides identify key competitiveness factors to build an attractive value proposition for investors, including information on green and sustainable investments, underlining a commitment to environmental responsibility.

UN Tourism

HN Original

World Panel

AI-generated data: evidence, or fluff at scale?

By Maribel Esparcia Pérez

Expert Views (13)

Professor Ioannis S. Pantelidis, PhD, SFHEA, FIH

It was about time! The EU’s tighter rules on environmental claims give hospitality a reason to examine what sits behind the word “green”.For me, the real test is whether a hotel makes life better for the people and place around it.

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