Since its recent stint in hosting the Olympics, (for better or worse) Beijing has been on the minds of the eco-travel-minded throughout the world. Heading into its sixth year, the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Tourism for Tomorrow Awards has selected the city of Beijing for its 2010 festivities. The awards, aimed at recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism across the globe, focuses on the travel industry as concerns continue to grow over the cultivation and preser... Read Full Story

The city’s all-new City Center has finally earned Six LEED Gold Certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council. Opening this December, the development has long-touted its commitment to environmental consciousness through its efforts in energy, materials and waster management; creating a veritable 18 million square foot sustainable metropolis. “From its intense focus on water conservation to the multiple strategies for energy efficiency, the CityCenter team has delivered sever... Read Full Story

With climate change-related disasters frequently occurring throughout the world, humanitarian aid organizations are struggling to keep pace with the increasing demands of affected communities. According to reps for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), climate change is a major factor in the newest hurdles to bringing aid to recent disasters. In a new survey, entitled “Believe in Humanity”, the IFRC states: “World powers expect huma... Read Full Story

A new roundtable study at Cornell University is trying to find the mythical “green bullet” when it comes to green hotels, as well as define what “green travel” really means, once and for all. Produced by Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) and chaired by Associate Professor David Sherwyn, Cornell’s Sustainability Roundtable found that hoteliers looking to create a more eco-friendly property find themselves in a situation where environmental standards are very i... Read Full Story

The Ecocamp Patagonia tour company has won high honors at this year’s Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009 for “Best in a Mountain Environment.” The awards, run by responsibletravel.com since 2004, are run in association with World Travel Market (WTM), The Daily Telegraph and Geographical Magazine. The awards were handed out at a ceremony hosted WTM in London. “Working our way through this year’s long lists, we were impressed by the willingness of so many organiza... Read Full Story

The new year’s top ten travel and vacation destinations show how travelers want to go green, get active and find adventure. According to new travel trends report by British Airways, ecotourism as well as sporting events are having a major impact on travel activities for 2010. With the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and Winter Olympics in Vancouver, hotels and other hospitality services are gearing up for huge peaks in tourism – while bookings are already spiking for the new year t... Read Full Story

Two new itinerary tools are aiming to make travelers’ trips a whole lot easier. From laptops to iPhones, travelers can compile and organize their travel itineraries in real-time, while actively sharing their scheduled adventures with others. Not only are these travel solutions paperless (good for the planet), but they won’t cost a dime. Kayak Trips Popular online booking search aggregator, Kayakcom, has recently announced its latest travel-tech tool: Kayak Trips – a free it... Read Full Story

Over the next 5 years, hotel giant Marriott International, Inc. is planning to expand its “green hotel” portoflio by 10-times its current size by introducing a “green hotel prototype” that will be LEED pre-certified. Beginning in 2010, the prototype model will save hotel owners arpound $100,000 as well as six months of design time, while reducing energy and water use by almost 25%. LEED, which if you don’t know by now stands for Leadership in Energy and Environm... Read Full Story

A new online store is aiming to transform how the hotel industry finds and buys eco-amenities for environmentally-conscious travelers. The new www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com, launched last weekend, is a one-stop marketplace of over 1000 bulk products and services for the green hospitality industry; a place for property managers and supply-buyers to find environmentally sensitive amenities, earth-friendly cleaning supplies and sustainable furniture to biodegradable key cards and marketing services... Read Full Story

A new online store is aiming to transform how the hotel industry finds and buys eco-amenities for environmentally-conscious travelers. The new www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com, launched last weekend, is a one-stop marketplace of over 1000 bulk products and services for the green hospitality industry; a place for property managers and supply-buyers to find environmentally sensitive amenities, earth-friendly cleaning supplies and sustainable furniture to biodegradable key cards and marketing services... Read Full Story