Many a traveler who values cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages also appreciate hotels that offer guests opportunities to do volunteer work while they are on vacation or attending business meetings. Community outreach programs and environmental initiatives that range from building homes and feeding the homeless to rebuilding sand dunes are increasing in popularity.
There is a growing sense among travelers that they want to be able to give back to destinations that they visit. Hoteliers are increasing finding that they need to participate in community outreach, environmental initiatives and corporate social responsibility in general to remain competitive.
Most big hotel chains, including Fairmont and Marriott, have some type of community social responsibility program that they are supporting.
Increasingly, frequent travelers factor in hotels green initiatives and the programs they offer to support the communities they are located in when deciding where to stay.
Hotels are working to appeal to such interests. Dolce Hotels and Resorts for example has a 35 point sustainability program what includes comprehensive, on property recycling, stresses the purchase of recyclable and recycled materials, encourages local and sustainable food purchase as well as green meetings practices.
Ritz-Carlton has found that its most popular program for meetings planners is partnerships with Habitat for Humanity to help build houses.
Vail Resorts supports a guest giving program that raises money for the National Forest Foundation. So far it has risen over $1.6 million to support a variety of local conservation projects by soliciting for $1 contribution on season ski passes, lift tickets and room nights at its hotels.
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