Archive for the ‘trends’ category

Florida’s Green Hotel Success

January 13th, 2010

VISITFLORIDAAdirondack chai 0015 212563 Floridas Green Hotel Success

Florida’s Green Lodging program is a green hotel success story.

More Florida hotels than ever have committed to protect Florida’s environment by becoming members of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Green Lodging program.

Recently, 19 hotels were added to the voluntary program, which now has 600 members and 614+ designated properties statewide.  Designated members adopt cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality and reduce waste.

Says DEP Director of Sustainable Initiatives Deas Bohn:

“Earning designation in the Florida Green Lodging program is an achievement these 614 facilities can be proud of.  The environmental commitment demonstrated by Green Lodging facilities serves as an example and challenge to other hotels to adopt innovative green practices, conserve resources and save money.”

The newest Green Lodging designations include:

» Read more: Florida’s Green Hotel Success

Hotel Guests Greener, Says Survey

January 11th, 2010

NovotelSurveyYoga243832 2 1024x831 Hotel Guests Greener, Says Survey

Hotel guests in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji are becoming greener and cleaner, according to a new Novotel Survey.

Novotel housekeepers and other hotel staff reported on the travel habits of men and women who stay at the group’s 30 hotels and resorts in Australia, New  Zealand and Fiji.  A decade ago, the first survey was conducted.

This second Novotel survey of in-hotel habits reveals that “guests of both sexes are leaving their rooms cleaner and greener, but still ending up naked in corridors and leaving unusual objects behind in their rooms.”

Survey findings include guests are traveling with fewer bags (1 bag per male to 2.1 bags per woman); more likely to reuse towels; bringing along more laptops and making healthier food choices.  Research also indicates “an increased level of care for the environment” with 32% of guests reusing towels and some bed linen compared to 11% ten years ago.

The company says the survey also tracks and responds to trends in conferences and catering, food and beverage and guest desires.  In response to survey results, Novotel has introduced a minimum of organic and gluten-free items, a free yoga channel and in-room yoga mat.

Image courtesy of Accor Asia Pacific

Top 5 Travel Trends In 2010

January 5th, 2010

MtCypresspath1 1024x768 Top 5 Travel Trends In 2010

What will be the Top 5 Travel Trends in 2010?

Adventure and luxury travel website iExplore predicts these 5 travel trends:

It’s All About Value. “Bargain hunting will still abound in 2010 as consumers have been trained by the deep discounting of the past two years to seek out the lowest prices—however, in 2010 consumers will be willing to spend if they feel like they are getting a unique experience at a good price.”

Ecotourism Here to Stay. “Not a new trend, but will still continue to play a part in consumer’s travel decisions in 2010—consumers are looking for hotels and resorts that are eco-friendly as well as destinations like Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Belize that offer the opportunity to explore the rainforests, jungles and get back to nature.”

Baby Boomers Taking Experiential Trips. “Over 75 million Baby Boomers in the United States continue to shape trends. This is an active and affluent group and instead of just passing down their money, they are choosing to create lasting memories and spend the inheritance by taking their kids and grandkids on cultural and experiential vacations—hiking the Machu Picchu Trail, African Safari’s and Alaskan Adventures.”

Travel: Not a Game of Risk.  “Due to the uncertain economy and insecurity about jobs and investments, many more travelers are taking out trip insurance in advance of big trips.”

Unique and Customized Itineraries. “The customization trend that is so popular and prevalent in other consumer categories has hit travel. Consumers want truly unique and off the beaten path itineraries that cater to their passions and hobbies—for example: trips to Southeast Asia that focus on photography, cooking classes in Italy or fishing in Argentina with a private guide.”

Most Popular Stories of 2009

January 4th, 2010

CyclingEmbassyofDenmarkone wheeler Most Popular Stories of 2009

What were your favorite 2009 stories in the travel and green blogs you read?

Launching into 2010, traveling greener is looking back at the blog’s most popular posts of 2009.

Here they are:

1. 10 Photoblogs You’ll Love

2. 10 Cycling Blogs You’ll Love

3. National Geographic Traveler Scores

4. Green Travel Auction

5. 10 Digital Magazines Sites You’ll Love

6. 10 Eco-Fashion Sites You’ll Love

7. 10 COP15 Sites You’ll Love

8. Green Christmas Gift Wrap-Up 2009

9. Adopt a Koala For Christmas

10. My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets

Image courtesy of Cycling Embassy of Denmark

10 Winter Holiday Homes You’ll Love

December 15th, 2009
HomeAwayHolidayHomesCapeTown240124 2 10 Winter Holiday Homes Youll Love

Holiday home in South Africa

Dreaming of a winter sun holiday?   One excellent source of winter sun holiday homes is HomeAway Holiday-Rentals which lists thousands of homes worldwide available to rent in hotter destinations.

traveling greener loves the idea of living like a local in self-catering holiday homes whether you’re in Morocco or the Canary Islands or Bali or Jamaica.

Recently, HomeAway Holiday-Rentals created a list of ten of their best winter sun homes.  Among the holiday homes are a beachside villa in Phuket, a villa among the jungle tree-tops of Bali and a modern townhouse villa in Marrakech.

» Read more: 10 Winter Holiday Homes You’ll Love

Gap Adventures’ New Lifetime Deposits

December 11th, 2009

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Have you ever had to postpone a trip and been forced to pay additional charges?

Gap Adventures has now adopted a new Lifetime Deposit policy which lets passengers postpone trips indefinitely at no extra charge.  The company says it understands that travel plans change and sometimes need to be delayed and listened to traveler feedback.

The adventure tour operator offers 1,000+ small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents to more than 100,000 travelers a year.  Its  adventures focus on wildlife encounters, active travel and cultural interaction, ideal for travelers who want to get off-the-beaten track and experience local culture.

In an adventure travel industry first, passengers who forced to delay a departure will now retain their initial deposit with Gap Adventures for life. The no-questions-asked Lifetime Deposit policy allows passengers to save their initial deposits for Gap Adventures for use at a later date.

Says Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Gap Adventures:

“We see this as an opportunity to once again demonstrate our commitment to leading with service and change this industry-standard practice. We understand the needs of our travelers and we feel that providing this extra flexibility will enhance their travel experiences with us. Under the new policy, deposits are also transferable. Our passengers are telling us they need flexibility now more than ever.  This new policy fits in perfectly with our core mission to provide the best customer service in the industry, which is an essential part of the life-changing adventures that our loyal travellers have come to expect from Gap Adventures.”

The original passenger may transfer the initial deposit to another traveler of their choice at no additional charge. They can also donate their deposit to the non-profit Planeterra Foundation – Gap Adventures will then match the value of that donation.

For more details, check out GapAdventures.com.

Image courtesy of Planeterra Foundation

U.S. Train Travel Breaks Record

December 10th, 2009

AmtrakacelaTRNS036 2 1024x661 U.S. Train Travel Breaks Record

American intercity passenger rail operator Amtrak had a record-breaking Thanksgiving holiday travel week.  It carried 685,876 passengers, including 127,577 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

“More and more people are choosing Amtrak for their traveling needs and the record number for Thanksgiving shows what this railroad is capable of achieving,” says Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

Comparing Thanksgiving 2009 to Thanksgiving 2008, there was a 5.5 percent increase in ridership on the Northeast Corridor, a 2.9 percent increase on state-supported trains and other short distance corridors and a 4.7 percent increase on long-distance trains.  Amtrak added extra trains along the Northeast Corridor and the Pacific Northwest and increased capacity on trains operating in California and the Midwest.

Last fiscal year, Amtrak carried 27.2 million passengers, achieving its second-best year in the company’s history.  With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates 300+ trains daily to over 500 destinations.

For more info, visit Amtrak.com.

Image courtesy of Amtrak

The Rise of ‘Austerity Chic’?

November 30th, 2009

CVTravelwhitewashed122355 The Rise of Austerity Chic?

`Austerity Chic’ is the new `Bling Fling’ in villa holidays according to the new THE VILLA MARKET Report 2009/2010 by CV Travel.  The British villa holiday specialist concludes that  “conspicuous consumption has given way to personal fulfillment”.

CV Travel reports that niche holidays including activity, culture and learning a skill are increasingly popular as travelers seek more fulfilling travel experiences. The report studied population, socio-economic and technology trends, recent booking patterns among UK travelers and published research.

» Read more: The Rise of ‘Austerity Chic’?

Top 10 Favorites

November 27th, 2009
RomePhotoBlogbike1 Top 10 Favorites

Photo credit: RomePhotoBlog

Top 10 lists can be everything from fun, quirky, informative to even inspiring.  What Top 10s have you loved lately in the blogosphere?

Here are the most popular Top 10s on traveling greener:

1. 10 PhotoBlogs

2. 10 Cycling Blogs

3. 10 Digital Magazine Sites

4. 10 Green Travel Gift Ideas

5. 10 Green Travelers on Twitter

6. 10 Eco-Fashion Sites

7. Gap Adventures Top 10 New Trips

8. Top 10 Ski & Save Tips

10 Eco-Fashion Sites You’ll Love

November 24th, 2009

feminine web 10 Eco Fashion Sites Youll Love

Are you an eco-conscious traveler with style?   Take heart, eco-friendly fashion seems more available everywhere.

Around the world, companies are creating original designs from all types of greener materials including hemp, linen, organic cotton and wool, recycled polyester fleece, wild silk, bamboo and more.

Italy’s Cehoz.com recently sent traveling greener one of the company’s stylish, organic cotton t-shirts to review.  Soft, silky and comfortable, these  are Euro eco-chic answers to the classic black t-shirt.

The raw cotton used by Cehoz comes from organic agriculture in Turkey.  Spinning of the cotton, fabrics, weaving, dyeing and finishing are all done by an Italian organic certified company.

Cehoz.com allocates part of its income to NutriAid humanitarian organization and funds raised to Nets4Children campaign to buy mosquito nets to prevent malaria.  Cehoz.com is offering a special 5% discount for traveling greener readers: coupon 5J4yQe7,  Valid until 15/04/2010.

Here are 10 Eco-Fashion Sites You’ll Love:

» Read more: 10 Eco-Fashion Sites You’ll Love