CSR and Sustainability

🚧 Choice Hotels International, Inc. expanded hotel ownership for underrepresented entrepreneurs via 17 SOAR contracts in 2021, with a WoodSpring Suites in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (82-room, construction next year), and a Rodeway Inn in Effingham, Illinois (49-room, opened October). SOAR's 20-year history boasts 387 franchise agreements, averaging two contracts per month over the last five years, enhancing diverse ownership in the hospitality industry.

🌊 Dhawa Ihuru celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Rannamaari shipwreck in October, marking its transformation into a thriving artificial reef since sinking in 1999. Events ran from 4th to 6th October, featuring exclusive shipwreck dives, freediving, treasure hunts, an underwater photography contest, stone carving workshops, yoga sessions, marine conservation talks, and folklore performances. The wreck, a symbol of marine conservation, is rich with coral growth and marine species, illustrating the success of artificial reefs.

🏠 Hospitality Action's 2024 Winter Online Auction, in partnership with Square, runs from November 18 to December 2, featuring over 49 lots. Highlights include a seven-course meal for six at The Ritz, a stay at The Savoy Hotel, and a spa experience at The Swan at Lavenham. A £10 raffle offers afternoon tea at The Prince Akatoki London. Funds support hospitality workers amid the cost of living crisis. Bidding starts at 10 am on November 18 and concludes at 2 pm on December 2.

💰 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts partners with Lafayette Square, aiming to provide hoteliers up to $100 million financing over the coming years. The partnership supports Wyndham's BOLD and Women Own the Room initiatives, which have facilitated over 100 hotel deals with Black and women entrepreneurs, with more than 20 hotels currently open. Amina James, a BOLD member, becomes the first to receive financing from Lafayette Square, enabling her to purchase and upgrade Wyndham Lake Charles.

🔔 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts partnered with Lafayette Square, aiming to provide up to $100 million in financing to diverse hoteliers. This initiative is part of Wyndham’s BOLD and Women Own the Room programs, which have already resulted in over 100 hotel deals, with more than 20 now open. Lafayette Square's strategy tackles the capital access issue, supporting credible hoteliers facing financing barriers. Galen Barrett of Wyndham and Abhay Patel of Lafayette Square emphasize the importance of inclusivity in hospitality ownership.

🏡 Ken and Pam Cruse, co-founders of Soul Community Planet - SCP Hotels, aim to redefine hospitality with a focus on sustainability, wellness, and community. SCP's regenerative hospitality model emphasizes a values-based approach and has developed into a social enterprise that prioritizes stakeholders, specifically customers, local communities, and the planet, over immediate profitability. They maintain a high direct booking rate of 65%, despite having only 10 hotels, attributed to customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth referrals.SCP aspires to a net promoter score (NPS) of 75, indicating a high level of guest satisfaction and advocacy. SCP's integrated structure owns the real estate, management, and brand, allowing for consistent values while adapting to the uniqueness of each market. SCP's first property was a vintage motel in Southern Colorado Springs, but they found more success with nature-based resorts and small town downtown boutique hotels. SCP was established in 2018, and the Cruses met in graduate school in Washington D.C., and both worked for Marriott International post-graduation. Ken's career in hospitality was influenced by his involvement in a basketball group at Marriott, which led to key opportunities, including the acquisition of the Renaissance brand. Pam's career shifted from Marriott to USA Today, enhancing her focus on marketing and consumer psychology. SCP's holistic hospitality concept ties in with the Global Wellness Institute's definition of wellness, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions

🏄 Bastian, a German national, established Waved in Panama in 2016 to provide English and surfing lessons along with swimming classes and public school infrastructure improvements. Waved's curriculum includes an eight-week compulsory Ocean Safety course, with a focus on literacy in English and Spanish. 90% of locals lack formal employment, and 25% live under extreme poverty. Aiming to start in 2025, Bastian is creating Econecta, a community tourism project in partnership with Fundes Centroamérica to support education and generate income, with an existing similar project in Mexico. Waved is unique in its transparency, being the only social purpose organization in Panama to publish quarterly reports.

🌳 Hotels integrating sustainability into marketing strategies enhance their appeal to eco-conscious consumers by showcasing energy-efficient lighting, water conservation, and waste reduction initiatives. They partner with local sustainable suppliers, share green initiatives via social media, and offer promotions for guests who engage in sustainable practices. Challenges include initial investments and resistance to change, but the long-term benefits are customer loyalty and a competitive edge.