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Tourism worldwide is greening its offerings, and not just among specialized, eco-friendly lodges and bed-and-breakfast inns.  Some of the world's largest luxury resorts as well as business hotel chains are jumping on the bandwagon, good news for guests and the tourism industry alike.

In a report entitled "Global Hospitality Insights" released by the firm Ernst & Young in December 2008, the firm found that government agencies, developers, and hospitality industry operators in eight regions of the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, India, Latin American, and the U.S., are clearly making strides in defining and implementing environmentally friendly practices and embracing sustainability.  The greening of the hospitality industry is clearly a trend that will endure, especially as hotel companies face rising energy costs, government pressure, and customer expectations.

The report found the Caribbean lodging sector has more Green Globe certified hotels, mostly all-inclusive resorts, than anywhere else in the world.  Green Globe International, Inc. is the worldwide owner of Green Globe, and develops standards for sustainable tourism currently used in nearly 50 countries.  Small, luxury ecotourism resorts such as Maho Bay Camp in St. John continue to be a model for other green resorts in the Caribbean. 

At the same time, boutique hotels in Europe are turning to eco-friendly practices as a differentiator and are adopting measures such as towel re-use and using environmentally responsible brands.  In February, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched a report called "Leading the Challenge of Climate Change" listing ten key action items for the tourism industry such as a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 over 200 levels, and an interim target of a carbon emission reduction of 30 percent by 2020.  And large luxury resorts in the Middle East, such as the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, are leading the eco-friendly movement, with the area's first environmentally friendly budget hotel expected to open in Dubai sometime in 2009. 

Several large chains including Marriott International, Inc. and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have recently announced new efforts to go green.  Beginning in February, when a guest books a room at www.marriott.com, he or she can offset the carbon footprint generated for as little as $10 or $1 a day for 10 days.  Guests can also contribute to a Brazilian rainforest preservation fund as part of Marriott's "Spirit to Preserve" five-point environmental strategy.  The fund is supported by a $2 million commitment by the company.  Marriott has already been active in reducing its carbon footprint through efforts such as reducing fuel and water consumption by 25 percent per room, installing solar power at nearly 40 hotels by 2017, and creating green construction standards for hotel developers to achieve LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Fairmont, which has a comprehensive environmental platform focused on areas such as waste reduction, energy management, water conservation, and community outreach programs, is participating in Earth Hour 2009, a global environmental awareness event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  On Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., all 56 Fairmont hotels and resorts around the world will go dark by turning off their lights for one hour.  Several of the company's hotels will host special events to coincide with Earth Hour, which began in Sydney in 2007, when two million people worldwide switched off their lights.  In 2008, more than 50 million people participated, and WWF hopes this year's Earth Hour will reach one billion people in 1,000 cities.

Other hotel chains that include DoubleTree Guest Suites in Times Square, New York, have special floors dedicated to eco-friendly rooms that include wastebaskets labeled for recycling, energy-saving light bulbs, low-flow showerheads, and on-the-wall containers filled with shampoo and conditioner rather than individual-sized bottles of toiletries.  Both Best Western and Wyndham Worldwide have partnered with Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.  And the Orbitz environmental "micro-site" now features hotels that have earned the Energy Star.

To locate green hotels visit Sustainable Travel International, Green seal, or Green Lodge, all of which offer lists of eco-friendly lodging.

Related Reading:
Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?
All It Takes to Be Happy