CSR and Sustainability

🏡 Robert De Niro, actor and hotel investor, plans to open Nobu Beach Inn in early 2026 on Barbuda’s southwest coast. The property, which De Niro will own with partners Daniel Shamoon and James Packer, spans 400 acres with over two miles of beachfront. Nobu Hospitality, co-founded by De Niro, has 19 hotels worldwide and 23 in development. The eco-friendly Barbuda project will consist of 17 bungalow cottages with 36 bedrooms, featuring multiple restaurants and real-estate opportunities. Pre-sales for 25 beachfront villa lots have begun, with more custom lots to follow.

🏆 Winners of the Equity in Tourism awards were announced at ITB Berlin. Community Homestay Network, Nepal for Accommodation and Responsible Travel, Ecuador for Travel and Destinations received awards for promoting gender equality in tourism. Amba Yaalu (Mango Friends) Kandalama, Sri Lanka, was highly commended. The award, in its third year, had a panel including Michelle Mason (World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance) and Dawn Briggs (Sojern). Eternal Landscapes Mongolia, Accor Brazil Embrace Program, and Travel Excellence are past winners.

🌏 IHG Hotels & Resorts launched voco Zeal Exeter Science Park as its first net zero carbon hotel, featuring 142 rooms, renewable and solar energy usage. The Exeter-based hotel includes a gym, landscaped gardens, meeting spaces, 12 EV charging stations, and emphasizes locally sourced ingredients at its restaurant, ISCA. It aligns with the UK Green Building Council's Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework, incorporates Solarlab vertical photovoltaic panels, follows the Passivhaus standard, and utilized Ecocrete to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85%. Exeter Science Park will host 76,400 m² dedicated to STEMM businesses, and voco brand plans 20+ new properties in the coming years.

🏨 Monica Salter, part of OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group, expressed her commitment to ESG initiatives—aiming to preserve cultural heritage and promote sustainable tourism for future generations. Mentored by Joan Bennet of Bennet Group PR, Salter learned the importance of preparation, confidence, and trust in one's abilities. Inspired by her mother, a successful photographer, she values hard work and perseverance. Salter is optimistic about increasing diversity in hospitality leadership, especially with more women and diverse individuals assuming key roles. She advocates for supporting working mothers with childcare to enhance women's leadership opportunities. With progress being made, Salter envisions a future of inclusive hospitality leadership mirroring the diversity of communities.

🎓 EHL Hospitality Business School partners with LVMH to launch an Executive Master in Sustainable Luxury, starting October 2025. A ten-month programme at EHL Lausanne campus, with an exclusive trip to LVMH companies, includes five modules, a six-month internship, and a final project. Aimed at EHL graduates and professionals with a Master's degree, the programme focuses on sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence in luxury retail and hospitality, offering career advancement within LVMH.

🏕 Trailborn opened its fifth hotel, Trailborn Grand Canyon, in Williams, Ariz. along Route 66 near Grand Canyon National Park. The redesigned hotel features 96 king and queen guest rooms with modern amenities, a saloon-style event space hosting up to 200 guests, and a restaurant. Outdoor amenities include a pool, hot tub, bocce court, and more. Miss Kitty's, a Southwest steakhouse and bar, will open later this spring. A portion of booking proceeds supports the Grand Canyon Conservancy's initiatives.

🏖️ TUI Group launches its 500th hotel, the TUI Magic Life Agadir, and aims to expand from 433 to 600 hotels. Located on Agadir's Atlantic coast with 300+ sunny days annually, the resort features 427 rooms, 3 restaurants, 4 bars, 3 pools, and offers sports and entertainment. Committed to sustainability, TUI implements eco-friendly technologies like a photovoltaic system. Moroccan authorities support the project, anticipating economic and tourism growth. TUI operates 11 hotels with 3,700+ rooms in Morocco, with the Agadir opening slated for 2027.

🏨 Starwood Hotels, under Barry Sternlicht’s leadership, celebrates its 10th anniversary by reverting to its original name and aims to continue global expansion with over 40 hotels across four continents. In 2025, openings include properties in Tokyo, Melbourne, and Copenhagen, with expansions in the Middle East and Southern Europe. 1 Hotels & Homes, since 2015, plans to open in Seattle (spring), Melbourne (mid-year), Copenhagen (summer), and Tokyo (autumn), and partners with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 100,000 trees in Los Angeles. Baccarat Hotels eyes growth in Rome, Florence, Dubai, Riyadh, and the Maldives, despite delays. Treehouse Hotels schedules openings in Manchester and Silicon Valley (both spring 2025), with more to come in Riyadh, Miami, and Adelaide. Starwood aims for LEED or BREEAM certifications and prioritizes sustainability, having reduced 46,612 tonnes of CO2 and recycled 3.4 million pounds of materials by 2024. Despite only 13 hotels currently operating and facing postponements, Sternlicht remains optimistic about the group's future.

🏨 Lexy Stevens, with a background in hospitality via Hotel Equities, emphasizes the importance of mentorship and the company's ethos of nurturing talent. Mentors include Nancy Curtin Morris, who taught the value of trust, attention to detail, and the empowerment of women, and her father Michael Jochim, who demonstrated the impact of mindset and a positive work environment. Stevens highlights ongoing efforts for diversity and inclusion, specifically mentioning an initiative for hiring individuals with intellectual disabilities, aiming to fill employment gaps and enhance team diversity. Additionally, she notes the necessity for women in the industry to develop and mentor future female leaders.