CSR and Sustainability

🛒 Stefan Mühle of Noble House Hotels & Resorts advises on sustainability certification for hoteliers. Key steps include reviewing guidelines, conducting internal audits, creating a timeline, forming a "Green Team," and maintaining documentation such as 12-month utility bills. Regular training, clear communication with certifiers, and budgeting for upgrades are essential. Audit preparation involves accessible records, data on consumption metrics, using benchmarking tools, and understanding changing certification criteria. Continuous improvement and engagement with certifiers support recertification efforts.

🎨 INNSiDE Liverpool collaborates with dot-art for art classes starting from 2nd March with Botanical Collage, 23rd March features Recycled Liver Bird, concluding with Bookmark Weaving on 27th April 2024. Classes at £45 each include a drink and are held at the hotel's Sky Bar with panoramic city views. An overnight stay is offered from £99, plus a 10% discount on in-house dining. The hotel, located at Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9LQ, hosts quarterly art exhibitions featuring local talent.

🏨 ATPI Group, a global travel and events management company, partners with Saudi Arabia's Arjaa Travel to expand in the Middle East. Headquartered in Al Khobar, Arjaa Travel is part of Almajdouie Group from Damman. The partnership promises improved travel solutions, integrating services for strategic planning and analytics. This collaboration anticipates growth aligned with major events like the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and FIFA World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia.

🔥 In Bethesda, Maryland, Choice Hotels International Inc. announced a match campaign up to $25,000 for Choice Privileges members’ Red Cross donations for 2025 California wildfire relief. Previously, over $160,000 was raised by Choice Hotel affiliates in November 2024 for Southeast communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

💥 In response to the California wildfires, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) launched the Hope & Haven: California Wildfire Recovery Initiative. This campaign, powered by the AAHOA Charitable Foundation (ACF), aims to provide relief through room-night donations, fundraising, and community engagement. AAHOA members and hoteliers are offering shelter to displaced families. Efforts are coordinated with government agencies to effectively mobilize resources. The initiative reflects AAHOA and ACF's commitment to make a meaningful difference in the affected communities.

🔥 Wildfires in Los Angeles' Palisades and Eaton areas since Tuesday morning have burned over 27 square miles, claimed at least five lives, caused hundreds of thousands to evacuate, and destroyed several eateries, including Reel Inn, Cholada Thai Cuisine, Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio, and a McDonald’s. Reel Inn, operating for 36 years, launched a GoFundMe for staff. Other closed restaurants listed on Eater include Rancho Bar, Side Pie, and Fox’s. The blaze is now LA’s deadliest fire, with expectations of a rising death toll.

🚿 Housekeeping departments contribute to hotel sustainability by: turning off lights, using card key switches; resetting HVAC to standby in unoccupied rooms; using drapes to regulate temperature; controlling water flow with low-flow fixtures and annual maintenance. Linen reuse programs, intermittent cleaning services, and reduced plastic with refillable bottles are also implemented. These practices aim to save on water, sewage, labor, and reduce waste, with the need to inform guests of such policies.

🌍 Sustainable events prioritize their impact on the economy, society, and environment, involving digital alternatives to paper, encouraging eco-friendly transportation, using data analytics for improvement, partnering with green tech vendors, and fostering a culture of sustainability. Event professionals are transitioning to digital floorplans and immersive walkthroughs, reducing travel emissions with digital twins, and promoting public transit, carpooling, or electric vehicles. Analytics help track and refine energy and waste reduction strategies, while collaboration with eco-focused vendors and a sustainability-centric culture attract talent and guests.