JULY 2010
Stephen Farrant, Director of the International Tourism Partnership writes an article for The World Travel Market World Responsible Tourism Day

In the article, Stephen discusses how environmental and social responsibilty have been placed on the agendas of global company boards.
 
Click here  to read the full article.

JUNE 2010
ITP's partnership approach endorsed in new report published by US State Department

A new report entitled "Strategies for Multilevel Climate Change Partnerships" (published on www.America.gov by the US State Department) argues that cross-sector partnerships that bridge the gap between global initiatives and local action on climate change are an under-utilised resource. The report cites the International Tourism Partnership as an example of a successful Adaptation Partnership that, for 18 years now, has been helping the industry to collaborate on developing practical solutions to "green" their operations.

For the full article, click here.

JUNE 2010
ITP partners with VisitEngland on new tool to help businesses Go Green

VisitEngland has launched the first of its kind online toolkit to help small to medium sized businesses become more sustainable.  Green Start is available, at no cost, to all tourism businesses interested in understanding how they can embrace sustainable practices.  The online and DVD based initiative has been designed to help businesses review their performance and illustrates how sustainable practice can save money, encourage greater efficiency and have a positive impact on the local community.

Through implementing simple steps in sustainability businesses can reduce their energy waste and water costs by at least 10 per cent, with additional possible savings to be made of up to 40 per cent.  Sustainable businesses can also offer customers a higher quality experience through better engagement with local communities.

James Berresford Chief Executive VisitEngland said:
“It’s important for the industry to realise that becoming sustainable has multiple benefits, not least improving the bottom line.  The future success of the tourism industry must be underpinned by a sustainable approach, both in terms of protecting the natural environment that makes England  such an attractive destination,  and ensuring long-term economic success.  Green Start will help businesess make those first vital steps towards reaching that goal.”

Green Start delivers all of the resources that a tourism business requires to introduce and develop their sustainability programme and operates in partnership with class room training initiatives such as Green Edge Training (part of the Welcome to Excellence suite of courses that has been developed in line with Green Start) and other regional or national resources where they exist.

Developed using technology from the International Tourism Partnership and including expertise from the founders of the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS),  CESHI LTD, and support from GTBS, Green Start is a first for the whole of the domestic tourism industry.  

Alongside Green Start, Keep it Real, is a complementary marketing and communications tool providing businesses with tips and advice on marketing their green credentials.  Comprised of five useful chapters, Keep it Real answers key questions: Who do I tell? Why am I telling it? What do I say? Where do I tell? and When do I tell? This project is a joint initiative with the regional tourism delivery partners of England, led by the national tourist board VisitEngland.

Andrea Nicholas, Director Green Business UK said:
“Green Tourism Business Scheme welcomes VisitEngland’s initiatives, Green Start and Keep it Real as they will both help businesses on their green journey.  These support tools will provide guidance for businesses just starting, help them get the right message out to their guests and identifying the benefits of green certification.”

Green Start is available on www.better-tourism.org

Keep it Real is available on www.visitengland.com/keepitreal

MAY 2010
Diamond Resorts International® confirms commitment to sustainability and joins the International Tourism Partnership

Global hospitality and vacation ownership company recognizes its social responsibility and takes step forward in collaborating on finding practical solutions to the challenges of sustainable development

LAS VEGAS, Nev., (May 27, 2010) –Diamond Resorts International, a global leader in the hospitality and vacation ownership industries, has today announced its decision to join the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) which will place DRI alongside other global leaders in the hospitality sector who share the same commitment to collaborating on finding practical solutions to the challenges of sustainable development.

The International Tourism Partnership, founded in 1992 and part of the International Business Leaders Forum, is a unique organization that brings together industry leaders to demonstrate in a practical way that environmental and social responsibility make good business sense. According to Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Resorts International®, “Our decision to join the International Tourism Partnership demonstrates our acknowledgement of the important position Diamond shares in the hospitality industry and how vital our environmental leadership is in our global operations as we embrace all aspects of sustainability, preservation and social responsibility. We greatly value the opportunity to have the support of the International Tourism Partnership to establish a mutually beneficial relationship toward our sustainability goals."

The International Tourism Partnership brings together leading corporate partners in the hospitality and tourism industry to demonstrate that environmental and social responsibility makes good business sense. Its aim is to encourage the hospitality industry to improve its impact on both environment and society by showcasing examples of leadership, working in partnership with other sectors, companies and agendas, and providing practical products, projects and solutions that focus on both short term outcomes and long term goals. Stephen Farrant, Director of ITP commented, “The issue of moving toward greater sustainability remains a huge challenge but also a great opportunity for the sector. The more enlightened businesses are already taking meaningful action on improving their environmental and social impacts, and the International Tourism Partnership has a vital role to play in championing and enabling this. We are delighted to welcome Diamond Resorts International® to the group and very much look forward to working with a global partner with a footprint as large as that of DRI’s.”

The members of ITP represent some of the largest travel and tourism companies in the world, comprising over 11,100 hotel properties and 1.8 million rooms. They understand that only through collective, industry-wide action at local, destination and country levels can real progress be made towards a more sustainable hotel, travel and tourism industry. Visit www.tourismpartnership.org for more information.

Annually, nearly 1.4 million owners, members and guests enjoy the simplicity, choice and comfort Diamond Resorts International® offers through our branded hospitality experience.

Diamond Resorts International®, with global headquarters in Las Vegas, Nev., is one of the largest vacation ownership companies in the world with more than 160 branded and affiliated resorts and over 24,000 guest beds in 26 countries with destinations throughout the continental United States and Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. Offering simplicity, choice and comfort to more than 400,000 owners and members through the branded hospitality service of more than 5,500 team members worldwide, Diamond Resorts International® is dedicated to providing its guests with effortless and relaxing vacation experiences every time, for a lifetime. To learn more, visit DiamondResorts.com.

FEBRUARY 2010
Whitbread confirms commitment to sustainability with its decision to join the International Tourism Partnership

Whitbread PLC, the UK's largest hotel and restaurant group, has announced its decision to join the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) as a core part of its new sustainability strategy.

Whitbread's decision places the company alongside other global leaders in the hospitality sector who share the same commitment to collaborating on finding practical solutions to the challenges of sustainable development. The International Tourism Partnership, founded in 1992 and part of the International Business Leaders Forum, is a unique organisation that brings together industry leaders to demonstrate in a practical way that environmental and social responsibility make good business sense.

This commitment comes as Whitbread seeks to embed its new Corporate Responsibility (CR) strategy across the business, and as the company rolls out the Premier Inn brand to Middle Eastern and Indian markets. The company has unveiled plans for a new green hotel and its first low-carbon restaurant, to be built in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. The development is an evolution from Whitbread's first sustainably designed hotel in Tamworth, Staffordshire which opened in December 2008. This push towards more efficient and sustainable water management is part of Whitbread's wider 'Good Together' CR programme.

Commenting on Whitbread's decision to join ITP, Alan Parker, CEO said: "We are delighted to be joining the ITP's work to develop and promote a more sustainable approach to hospitality and tourism. We look forward to playing an active role in this important industry initiative as we in turn continue to progress Good Together and embed sustainability into our business."

Stephen Farrant, Director of ITP commented: "The issue of moving towards greater sustainability remains a huge challenge, but also a big opportunity for the sector. The more enlightened businesses are already taking meaningful action on improving their environmental and social impacts, and the International Tourism Partnership has a vital role to play in championing and enabling this. We are delighted to welcome Whitbread to the group and very much look forward to working with them."

For further information, please contact:
Helen Harris at Whitbread via helen.harris@whitbread.com www.whitbread.co.uk or Stephen Farrant via stephen.farrant@iblf.org or +44 204 467 3630.

Notes to editors:
1. Whitbread PLC is the UK's largest hotel and restaurant company operating market-leading businesses in the budget hotels and restaurants sectors. Its brands include Premier Inn, Beefeater, Table Table, Brewers Fayre, Taybarns and Costa Coffee. Whitbread PLC employs over 33,000 people and serves 9 million customers every month in its 1900 outlets across the UK. Whitbread PLC is a FTSE 100 company, listed on the London Stock Exchange. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good Index and was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in 2009.

2. The International Tourism Partnership is a global programme of the International Business Leaders Forum. The International Tourism Partnership brings together the leading corporates in the hospitality and tourism industry to demonstrate that environmental and social responsibility makes good business sense.

Its aim is to mobilise the hospitality industry to improve its impact on both environment and society by showcasing examples of leadership, working in partnership with other sectors, organisations and agendas and providing practical products, projects and solutions.

The members of ITP represent some of the largest travel and tourism companies in the world, comprising over 11,100 hotel properties and 1.8 million rooms. They understand that only through collective, industry-wide action at local, destination and country levels can real progress be made towards a more sustainable hotel, travel and tourism industry.

3. The International Business Leaders Forum is an independent, not-for-profit global organisation working with business leaders to deliver exceptional sustainable development worldwide. Find out more by visiting www.iblf.org.

december 2009
Green Hotelier Issue 49 is out now
With the world's leaders coming together to debate the global strategy on climate change, all eyes are on the UN conference in Copenhagen this month. With so much at stake, Green hotelier brings and you  pre-conference analysis on the  key issues on the table, and importantly, what it means for the hospitality and tourism industry.

It will closely following events as they unfold and feature an update in our post-conference report in January. Also this issue, see our guide to solar technology, destination report on a project set up to protect the Caribbean from the impact of climate change, plus interview  with Paul White, President and CEO of Orient-Express Hotels.

Register now to receive it. www.greenhotelier.org

OCTOBER 2009
ITP launches new look Green Hotelier online

The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) has re-launched the Green Hotelier publication as an email newsletter and dedicated website, www.greenhotelier.org.

ITP has appointed the digital and publishing agency Illustrated London News Limited (ILN) to develop and manage the site and online newsletter, which launched in October 2009.

Green Hotelier is to become the communications portal that sets the agenda for responsible business in hotels and tourism, showcasing the best practice among its members and the wider industry. It will also provide the latest trends and insight into sustainable tourism, and be the leading source of inspirational, practical and technical information on "green" issues for the hotel sector.

The launch site of Green Hotelier asks whether hoteliers can still afford to be green in an economic downturn and features an in-depth guide to best golf course management practice, including how to conserve water and attract wildlife. It also brings you the latest news on sustainable initiatives around the world, from a major green tourism development in Greece to the hotel that is investing $1million to safeguard rare plants.

Stephen Farrant, Director of ITP, says:
"Never before has the focus on 'the triple bottom line' of economic, social and environmental impact been so important. Green Hotelier will become an      increasingly accessible, sustainable and influential focal point for the work of the ITP, its members and partners, and others in the wider hospitality and tourism industries."

Lisa Barnard, Chief Executive at ILN, says:
"Transforming the previous print publication Green Hotelier into an online engagement platform makes 100% sense from a strategic, creative and logical perspective, especially given ITP's core purpose. ILN is delighted it played a pivotal role in working with ITP to launch Green Hotelier into its digital future."

For further information and to sign up for this new online publication, please go to www.greenhotelier.org.

JULY 2009
NH Hotels join ITP
NH Hoteles confirmed its commitment to sustainable development by becoming the first Spanish hotel chain to join IBLF’s International Tourism Partnership, which works with leaders in the travel and tourism sectors to help demonstrate that environmental and social responsibility makes good business sense.

As the only Spanish member, NH Hoteles brings distinctive benefits to the International Tourism Partnership . It will help extend its reach into the rapidly-growing Spanish-speaking tourism market as well as strenghthen the influence on the social and environmental impacts of the world’s biggest industry sector.

The partnership with International Tourism Partnership builds naturally on NH Hoteles’ already credible work track record in the sustainable development field. The company will be able to share its know-how in sustainable practices and solutions with the other members of the partnership. It will also receive advice and support, as well as access to a range of products, tools and programmes designed specifically for the sector.

Gabriele Burgio, Chairman and CEO said, “The International Tourism Partnership provides the perfect opportunity to collaborate with other leaders in this sector to develop new, practical solutions and to share best practice, as well as help to influence the next stage of the partnership’s development.”

Stephen Farrant, the International Tourism Partnership’s Director said “I am delighted that NH Hoteles have agreed to become the latest company to join our Partnership. NH Hoteles already show an impressive degree of commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, and by joining the International Tourism Partnership they will now be able to take part in collaborative action with other industry leaders to address the pressing issues of sustainable development that face society around the world.”

Details of NH Hotels can be found here.
For the full press release, click here.

March 2009
New Leadership for the ITP
The International Tourism Partnership is delighted to announce that Stephen Farrant will be joining the team as its new Director. Stephen brings a strong and broadly-based background in travel and tourism, including senior management experience at British Airways, VisitBritain, and a leading international tourism consultancy, TEAM Tourism Consulting. Stephen has also worked as Marketing and Membership Director for the RSA, and is a member of the UK Advisory Panel of the Sustainable Development Commission.

For more details on Stephen, click here

10 March 2009
IHIF Leadership Award for Sustainable Development for Lyndall DeMarco
The International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) has announced that Lyndall De Marco would be the recipient of a special Leadership Award for her efforts in championing sustainability issues within the hotel industry.  The former International Tourism Partnership Executive Director was presented with the award at the IHIF conference today. 

For further details, click here

15 JANUARY 2009
New Issue of Greenhotelier: Education - The Future
The latest edition of greenhotelier focuses on ‘Education – the Future’ – a critically important issue in the global hospitality industry. The feature provides a summary of the sustainability issues involved in the education of management and staff, communities, hotel school and university students, guests and educators amongst all the other stakeholder groups involved in this major task

The issue’s comment piece is by Christopher Nassetta, recently appointed President and CEO of the Hilton Hotel Corporation. He writes about the challenges and successes of Hilton’s approach to sustainability in all its forms. He says,  “Our mission is to manage our business through a lens of sustainability.  We will create better experiences for our guests, better business opportunities for our partners and investors, better work facilities for our colleagues, and better serve our communities”

Among the feature’s examples of best practice are:
   The &Beyond Foundation’s innovative Community Leaders Education Fund, educating leaders in Africa as part of their efforts to create a sustainable future
   Orient Express Hotels’ staff travelling in their local area to educate their neighbours about sustainability issues
   HEI Hotels’ sponsored Cornell University’s new course delivering Sustainable Hospitality education for hoteliers
   Failte Ireland commissioning research on sustainable hospitality and tourism from DIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism and implementing its conclusions throughout Ireland’s vocational education system

The issue’s Know-How section is on Gardens and Grounds – our guide to creating a truly sustainable local environment, with tips on choosing appropriate methods and products .

In the news section, Worldbrief: Inspired Green Space at IHG Headquarters: Scarborough pledges green agenda: Mount Nelson earthworms receive accommodation upgrade: Deep sustainability at Jackson Hole: Fairmont’s home grown greening: And more…

To subscribe to greenhotelier, go to www.iblf.org/greenhotelier.

6 November 2008
Going Green Goes Spanish
The International Tourism Partnership has recently launched ‘El Camino Verde’, the Spanish version of the Going Green standards.

The ‘Going Green’ initiative was first launched in June 2007 to help hotels focus on sustainability and achieve goals for better environmental management.  This user-friendly tool provides a list of practical steps that should be taken to create a successful, sustainable business operation. Developed in conjunction with the International Tourism Partnership’s members, these guidelines were created from a wealth of knowledge and experience in the everyday logistics of hotel operations and commercial priorities. 

The strategies and approaches included in this guide will help increase the sustainability of hotel operations by minimising their negative impacts on the surrounding ecosystems and cultures, while increasing their positive contributions to biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage preservation and community development. 

These standards are now available in Spanish and can be downloaded free of charge from the ITP website.  Other languages will soon follow. 

Download El Camino Verde here