Prevue September/October 2011 - (Page 38)

company I built here, this was the ultimate recycling project ‘Eco Smart’ Hilton Head Hilton Head, SC was one of the first resort areas in the U.S. to take into account its impact on the environment. It started in the 1950s with Charles Fraser, who built Sea Pines Resort and rerouted the marina to save an old oak tree. Today, he’s buried beneath that oak tree. “Sustainability is very much in our DNA because prior to the 1950s, Hilton Head was primarily a fishing and farming coastal islet,” says Susan Thomas, VP of Hilton Head VCB. About 18 months ago, the VCB unveiled the “Hilton Head Island Difference” program showcasing the many different CSR-related opportunities for groups. That initiative helped lure the annual Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism Conference to Hilton Head in September—the first time it’s been held in the southeast. The VCB is developing a number of new initiatives. The “Eco Smart” program beginning 1Q 2012 will promote on-island suppliers with national or regional sustainability certification. And they’re working with USC, Beaufort to establish eco training for guides, tour ops, etc. Meanwhile, six of the golf courses have been certified as Audubon Wildlife Refuge Sanctuaries, with more on the way. And the island was just certified in August by the American League of Bicyclists for its 50+ miles of bikeable paths. hiltonheadisland.org because 30 years ago this was the Berkeley dump. And today it’s a magnificent facility on six acres right on the bay. That was my point to the city of Berkeley in the beginning. I said I can take what is now a place nobody wants to go, and turn it into a sailing school and a recreational resource for the entire community.” EVER VAIL The forefather of green meetings, Vail Resorts and its subsidiary RockResorts have elevated their sustainability commitment with a new Echo-Meetings Incentive Program. They list green basics common in the industry, from reusable decor to paperless checkout, as their “Environmental Automatics.” The Echo-Meeting program meanwhile motivates planners to go further by offering up to 5% credit on the master by committing to a selection of greener group behavior. Just a sample of actions includes: visibly promoting a meeting’s green agenda, zero use of water bottles, exact attendee count 10 days prior to an event, carbon offsets for 20% of attendee travel, volunteering with a non-profit, etc. “We realized we needed to beef up the program and better communicate our vision to meeting planners,” says Julie Klein, LEED AP, director of environmental affairs. “In this day and age, you have to have sustainable programs to be viable, let alone financially successful.” And this is exciting. Vail Resorts is in the planning stage to develop Ever Vail. Presently a brownfield site, the entire hotel/ residential/commercial development is aiming for the new “LEEDND (Neighborhood Development)” certification, stating the whole community was designed with sustainable best practices. Part of the $1 billion project includes actually widening Gore Creek, which will flow right through the townscape. Klein says, “The exciting element for me is we’re looking at the entire complex through the lens of LEED, versus just an individual building. It’s the gold standard of sustainability.” InterContinental Hotels: intercontinental.com VisitEngland: visitengland.com Hamburg Tourism: hamburggreencapital.eu VisitCopenhagen: visitcopenhagen.com Visit Iceland: visiticeland.com Waldorf/Hilton Maldives: waldorfastoria.com/hilton.com Iberostar Grand Amazon: grandamazoncruises.com Bermuda Dept of Tourism: gotobermuda.com Miller Union Atlanta: millerunion.com The Peabody Orlando: peabodyorlando.com Wyndham Grand Orlando: wyndhamgrandorlando.com OCSC Sailing School: ocscsailing.com Vail Resorts: vailresorts.com 38 | prevue magazine http://www.hiltonheadisland.org http://www.intercontinental.com http://www.visitengland.com http://www.hamburggreencapital.eu http://www.visitcopenhagen.com http://www.visiticeland.com http://www.waldorfastoria.com/hilton.com http://www.grandamazoncruises.com http://www.gotobermuda.com http://www.millerunion.com http://www.peabodyorlando.com http://www.wyndhamgrandorlando.com http://www.ocscsailing.com http://www.vailresorts.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue September/October 2011

Back Bay, Boston
Manchester
Meliá Hotels & Resorts
San Francisco/Denver/Cleveland
HSMAI + Soles4Souls
IRF/MGM Resorts, Las Vegas
Daytona Beach
Sustainability: The Next Big Thing
Central America
India
Sweden
Barcelo Resorts/Samana, DR
Portland

Prevue September/October 2011