Sustainable Travel

ASTA announced its ASTA Green Member Program this week which is designed to educate travel agents on how to work with green travel suppliers to offer their customers sustainable vacations, how to market their services as a green travel professional and how to green their agency's operations by reducing, reusing and recycling - and working with green vendors of supplies and services.

Travelport, the industry conglomerate that owns Galileo and Worldspan and a piece of Orbitz, is the first official Global Sponsor of the ASTA Green Program, while Avis Budget is the car rental sponsor, the Society announced.

The Green Member Program is open to all categories of ASTA members and costs $49.

ASTA listed the following benefits for travel agents participating in the program:

- Position your travel agency as a friend of the environment;
- Learn about the needs of the green travel market;
- Promotion of your green commitment to consumers;
- Save time by having clear criteria on how to measure a green supplier;
- Receive a checklist for determining what suppliers to work with;
- Stay abreast of the latest environmental travel initiatives;
- Use the ASTA Green logo on your Web site and promotional literature;
- Receive a special listing as a green travel agent on ASTA's consumer Web site.

Once Green Members, both agents and suppliers, comply with standards set forth in the program, they will have access to the ASTA Green Member logo, and travel agents will be listed as "green" professionals on travelsense.org, the ASTA consumer Web site.

ASTA president and CEO Cheryl Hudak, who owns Travel Dimensions in the Youngstown, OH, area, said at a press conference in New York today that agencies can begin greening their businesses by starting with small items.

For instance, sales agents at her agency now use their own mugs for water and not Styrofoam cups. They keep the thermostat at one setting and shut off printers at the close of business. The agency continues to use both sides of fax paper as it has for years. Hudak noted that these steps cost nothing to implement and can lead to reductions in operating costs.

Travelport president and CEO Jeff Clark said that in addition to his personal commitment to being green, his company is committed to greening the travel industry because travel has a high profile and is often the first to be cited for its impact on the environment.

Travel agents have to be educated about their customers' concerns on the environment if the industry is to continue to grow, he said.

Travelport's Carbon Tracker, announced last week, allows agents to show their customers the carbon impact of their trips as part of the sustainable travel policies that their companies may have, said Clark. He added that Travelport intends to make its Carbon Tracker technology available to other GDSs.

Source: TravelTrade

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The solar powered 'Innovation Hotel' – now available for virtual viewing and exploring on IHG's Web site – outlines the latest technology in energy and water conservation and recycling. The project's features, listed below, may be earmarked as standard across all IHG brands within the next few years, according to company executives.

"We have some excellent examples of responsible tourism already under way in our hotels," says David Jerome, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility for IHG. "Now we're looking at setting company-wide goals for our business to deliver real benefits to the environment, based on clear understanding of where we can make a difference and on guests' needs."

Innovation Hotel features:

* Solar panels on the roof to heat water
* Wind power to generate electricity for the hotel
* Household waste to provide heat and power
* A rainwater harvesting system to supply water to toilets
* A roof garden rich in shrubbery to provide extra insulation
* Recycled glass windows
* Furniture and fittings made entirely from recycled materials

"People who do their bit for the environment when they're at home are likely to be interested in doing the same when they're staying in a hotel," Jerome says. "Responsible tourism is about growing in a way that makes sense for business while managing our impact on the environment and community. We want to know what ‘green’ features are important to guests before making them part of brand standards. [The Innovation Hotel] gives them a chance to weigh in with their ideas."

The first inkling a guest will get of the Innovation Hotel's green attributes is the green roof – planted with low-maintenance plants – which improves the thermal performance of the hotel and helps keep it cool in warm weather and insulate it in winter. The plants and thin layer of soil work like a sound barrier, particularly when they're wet, helping to reduce noise pollution. Other environmental benefits include improvements to air quality, biodiversity and storm water run off.

As for the other green attributes:

* On the roof there will be up to four huge solar panels drawing energy from the sun to heat water and help cut back on nonrenewable energy use.

* Harvesting systems collect rainwater in tanks either on the roof or underground. In regions where there's plenty of regular rain, harvesting is an effective and low-cost way of reducing demand on local water supplies.

* The hotel uses the rain water to flush toilets and water grounds, as well as for dishwashers and washing machines.

* Oil produced from household waste can be used as bio-fuel instead of fossil fuels to generate heat and power.

* Natural lava stone signage at the entrance and on the lawns replaces traditional plastic and metal signs.

* All the furniture in the reception is made from recycled material and all the paper used by the receptionists will also be recycled.

* The decor is low emission paint; all the artwork is produced by local artists to ensure a low carbon-footprint and there are recycling bins for guests to use.

* All unused food from the kitchens is packaged and delivered to local charities or food banks to cut wastage, and leftover scraps are composted to create a rich fertilizer for use on hotel plants and lawns.

* In the bedroom all furniture and fittings including towels are made from recycled materials; mattresses consist of natural fiber such as horsehair, as do carpets.

* Bathrooms feature low-flow showerheads and dual flush toilets.

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Concerns about the environmemt will make short haul flying "socially unacceptable" for many people in the near future, a poll for Eurostar shows.

More than a third (37%) "agree or strongly agree" that in a few years’ time, environmental concerns will rule out short flights where there is an alternative of going by train.

The independent YouGov survey of 2,246 people shows that more than half the UK public (57%) is concerned about environmental impact when planning a journey of 300–400 miles.

A third (33%) say environmental concerns about a short-haul journey are more or much more important to them than a year ago, compared to just 3% who say environmental concerns are less or much less important than before.

One in 20 (5%) say that over the next year or so, environmental concerns mean they plan to switch from flights to train for journeys within the UK or to closer European destinations.

The survey results were unveiled as Eurostar reported a 21.3% rise in passengers to 2.17 million in the first quarter over the same period in 2007.

Revenues were up by 25.2% to £178.4 million during the first full three-month period of journeys on High Speed 1, the new 186 mph line between St Pancras International and the Channel Tunnel.

Eurostar said it achieved record punctuality of 93.6% of trains on time or within 15 minutes of schedule. The company said the on-time performance compared with an average of 68% during 2007 for airlines competing on its routes.

The number of travellers using Eurostar for high-speed journeys to mainland Europe from the regions has gone up since the introduction last November of through fares from 68 towns and cities.

The number of travellers from the East Midlands and Yorkshire more than doubled, compared with a year earlier. Demand from counties north of London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Scotland all increased “very significantly”.

by Phil Davies

Source: TravelMole Ltd

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Global Lodging Leader Announces Integrated Strategy to Address Climate Change

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) and the state of Amazonas today signed an agreement to support the first project of its kind to help protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest. This innovative partnership between government and the private sector is one of the first in the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. Marriott has committed $2 million to fund an environmental management plan administered by the newly created Amazonas Sustainable Foundation. By year end, Marriott guests and group customers will also be able to offset the greenhouse gas emissions generated from their hotel stays by contributing to this rainforest fund. In addition to offering this carbon offset, Marriott is taking new steps to reduce the company's water, waste and energy consumption; green its supply chain; build greener hotels; and engage employees and guests to take action.

"At Marriott, we believe the future of business is green," says Arne Sorenson, Chief Financial Officer and co-chair of the company's Green Council. "Building on a 20-year track record of responsible energy consumption and waste reduction, we believe rainforest preservation is critical to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change."

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) and the state of Amazonas today signed an agreement to help protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest. Marriott has committed $2 million; guests will be able to offset their carbon footprint through contributions (l. to r. - Governor Eduardo Braga, Amazonas; J.W. Marriott, Jr., Marriott International; Dr. Vigilio Viana, General Dir., Amazonas Sustainable Foundation). For more information, visit www.marriott.com/environment and www.marriottonthemove.com.

"This is the first project on reducing emissions from deforestation in Brazil and one of the first in the world," said Amazonas Governor Eduardo Braga. "This agreement between the government of Amazonas and Marriott will make history because it demonstrates how rainforest preservation can be used as a climate strategy."

To reduce and offset its global environmental footprint, which it has calculated at 2.9 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually*-or .030 metric tons (65.5 pounds) per available room -Marriott has developed a five-point strategy in collaboration with Conservation International, a global conservation organization. This includes:

-- Carbon Offsets ... Protecting the Rainforest - Help protect the 1.4 million acre (589,000 hectares) Juma Sustainable Development reserve, an area rich in biodiversity. The burning and clearing of tropical rainforests causes more carbon emissions than all the world's cars, trains, SUVs and trucks combined.

Under the agreement signed today, Marriott and its customers will contribute to a fund to be administered by the newly created Amazonas Sustainable Foundation, which, together with the State of Amazonas, will monitor and enforce the protection of the reserve. The project will support employment, education and healthcare for the reserve's approximately 500 residents. The Foundation is seeking certification of the conservation project by an independent accredited environmental auditing firm under the internationally recognized Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards.

-- Water, Waste and Energy - Further reduce fuel and water consumption by 25 percent per available room over the next 10 years, and install solar power at up to 40 hotels by 2017. Expand existing "reduce, reuse, recycle" programs already in place at 90 percent of hotels to consistently include guest and meeting rooms, beginning with pilot hotels across all brands in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.

-- Supply Chain - Engage the company's top 40 vendors to supply price- neutral greener products across 12 categories of its $10 billion supply chain. Some of the first products to be rolled out are annual purchases of 47 million BIC Ecolutions(TM) pens designed for Marriott, made from pre-consumer recycled plastic; more than 1 million gallons of low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint; and 1 million "room-ready" towels by Standard Textile, which saves 6 million gallons of water annually by eliminating the initial wash cycle. Other items under consideration include compostable key cards, recyclable carpet, and more responsibly packaged soaps and shampoos.

-- Green Buildings - Empower our hotel development partners to site, design and construct new hotels according to green standards by updating Marriott design guidelines in line with the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards by the end of 2009. The company expects to expand its portfolio of LEED-certified hotels, which already includes The Inn & Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland, across all Marriott brands.

The company is pursuing LEED-Existing Building status for its headquarters building in Bethesda, Md., by the end of 2009. Recently, Marriott headquarters, along with its timeshare division based in Orlando, Fla., replaced more than 2.5 million pieces of Styrofoam and plastic utensils with those made of potato ("SpudWare(TM)"), sugar cane and cornstarch-all fully biodegradable within an average of 100 days.

-- Employee and Guest Engagement - Educate and inspire employees and guests to support the environment through their everyday actions at home, while at work and on travel. The company is introducing a "green meeting" program for its major meeting planners this May, and will offer its employees on business travel the Hertz Green Collection- including hybrid rental vehicles with SmartWay certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The company will expand its communications and education program to all employees worldwide, including its second annual Green Fair at its headquarters building on April 17.

"With thousands of hotels around the world, Marriott has the scale to make a strong positive contribution to the environment," says Glenn Prickett, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Center for Environmental Leadership in Business, Conservation International. "By reducing its own environmental footprint and protecting forests, Marriott is addressing the major drivers of climate change -- energy use and deforestation -- while also delivering compelling environmental and sustainable development benefits. We take pride in working with Marriott and other leading companies to identify meaningful ways to address climate change."

"We are all guests on this planet, and that's why an integrated green strategy is a business imperative," says Kathleen Matthews, Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Public Affairs and co-chair of Marriott's Green Council.

Marriott has been actively involved in energy conservation for more than 20 years, and over the last decade, replaced 450,000 light bulbs with fluorescent lighting, introduced linen reuse programs, and installed 400,000 low-flow showerheads and toilets at its hotels worldwide. The company has also helped communities around the world through environmental clean-up projects. These industry-leading efforts have been recognized by the EPA, which awarded Marriott with its 2008 Sustained Excellence award and placed the ENERGY STAR(R) label on more than 250 of its hotels (the most of any hotel company).

* Calculating Marriott's Carbon Footprint: To calculate its footprint, the company assessed the electricity and gas consumption in its guest rooms and public spaces at its nearly 1,000 managed hotels worldwide, headquarters building and regional offices. Employee travel was also included. The calculation will be certified by a recognized third party in the coming months.

For more details about this announcement, visit www.marriott.com/environment.

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Higher Cost Is a Barrier

Demand is growing for “green” services in business travel, a panel of experts told more than 225 travel managers and suppliers gathered in Toronto yesterday at a two-day conference sponsored by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Canada.

Panelist Michelle White, Director of Environmental Affairs for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, said many organizations’ requests for proposals (RFPs) for business travel agreements now include questions about what the chain is doing to mitigate its carbon footprint. Meeting planners, too, are looking to "green" their events, she said. "They are all looking at how to minimize the impacts of those meetings, and the expectation is that you will have these strategies in place because it is a key component of any venue selection."

Helen Brough, Director of Advisory Services for American Express, says the majority of American Express business travel clients are asking similar questions. The problem is that these questions about environmental programs are typically answered in vague language from marketing departments: They say, “‘We are very committed to this. We are putting procedures in place,’” she said, but, “There's no hardcore detail.”

Fairmont Hotels’ White says such vague assurances are no longer relevant; clients want concrete, measurable details. White says such vague assurances are no longer relevant; clients want concrete, measurable details. Fairmont recently signed a contract to have the World Wildlife Fund assess the company's carbon footprint and recommend a strategy for change, she says.

Until that plan is complete, White adds, “We largely focus on minimizing the environmental impacts of our hotels, looking at, for example, waste management strategies, energy and water conservation."

Assessments such as the one Fairmont is conducting are vital, according to panelist Charles Johnson, director of sales for Agresso Travel Industry Solutions. In the past, he said, CEOs might have announced their intent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% with little or no idea of what that meant. Now, there is a trend toward releasing carbon statements similar to financial statements, he said.

Although green demand is growing, Brough said, higher costs for environmentally friendly products or services can be a barrier for travel buyers. "If a hybrid car rental is more expensive, that is still an issue." She added, however, that some companies are benefiting from being green, citing a survey in which 20% of American Express business travel clients said they had actually been awarded business based on their environmental programs."

Brough, Johnson and White were among more than 225 business travel industry professionals taking part in NBTA Canada’s 4th Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase, held this week in Toronto. For information on NBTA Canada, see www.nbtacanada.org.

About NBTA Canada
NBTA Canada, the leading organization for corporate travel professionals in Canada, is part of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the world’s premier business travel organization. U.S.-based NBTA and its regional subsidiaries – NBTA Asia Pacific, NBTA Canada and NBTA Mexico – serve more than 3,200 members in 30 nations around the globe. NBTA has 41 U.S. Chapters with more than 5,000 members. NBTA members are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than US$170 billion of global business travel expenditures annually. The association provides industry-leading networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy.

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