The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon

It has been an exciting month for our sister hotel, The Grand Hotel in Salem!  ”The Block” of the Salem Conference Center, The Grand Hotel in Salem and Bentley’s Grill was recognized for their environmentally sound practices at the 2011 Mid-Valley Green Awards in Salem, Oregon!

“The Block” was  named “Large Sustainable Business Of  The Year” at the 2011 Mid-Valley Green Awards in Salem, Oregon!

The Grand Hotel in Salem and Bentley’s Grill and The Salem Conference Center is the first hotel and restaurant and conference center in Salem and Marion County to be EarthWISE certified.

We are very proud to be a part of a company that engages in sustainable practices in everyday operations, and strives to do business with other companies who share dedication to “green” business practices.  A few of our green operational practices include:

• Use 100% recycled paper for all printed material
• Utilize Earth friendly cleaning solutions
• Installation of earth friendly drainage systems
• Energy Star appliances used throughout the hotel
• Sleeping room towel and linen program
• Recycling in all guest rooms as well as public areas
• Use of compact fluorescent light bulb throughout the hotel

Our sister hotel, The Grand Hotel Salem/Phoenix Grand Hotel in Salem Oregon has been on the forefront on implementing even better Eco practices by developing a “Green Team” led by Sales Director Kristi Reed.

In fact- we are moving in a direction where operating a “green business” is becoming an industry standard.  This expectation is demonstrated in an article from Travel Portland

From 2009 Green Meeting Trends

…. the sustainable meeting industry is alive, growing and shows no signs of stopping.  In fact, the move from fringe to mainstream is well underway. According to the December 2008 Ernst & Young Report, Global Hospitality Insights: Hospitality Going Green, “Those companies with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest opportunity of achieving a ‘sustainable’ competitive advantage.”

“It’s a buyer’s market, and the buyers appear to want green,” reports Tyler Davidson, editorial director, Meetings Media. “There was a size able jump in the number of meeting planners who are planning or expect to plan a green meeting, led by 51 percent of independents [a 16 percent jump over the last survey] and followed by 46.8 percent of corporates [a 10.5 percent jump over the last survey], and 44.4 percent both of association planners and government planners.”

The MPI Business Barometer, November 2008, reports similar findings. “Many meeting professionals continue to expect a trend toward ‘green’ meetings. Technology providers and regional destinations may specifically prosper from current trends.” The same report identifies “green meetings” as a “Top Ten” trend planners anticipate influencing meetings and events business over the next six months.

A recent survey of corporate travel managers by the National Business Travel Association indicates nearly 30 percent of managers incorporate green considerations into their travel policies and that nearly 25 percent prefer green meeting suppliers. Another 30 percent will use hotels in the future that feature environmentally friendly amenities and practices.

Consumers are driving the demand. A 2008 survey on consumer choice and the environment found that customers “feel empowered when it comes to the environment and are taking some action in their daily lives to reduce consumption and waste.”  More than a third of American respondents in a TripAdvisor survey said they will visit an environmentally friendly hotel or resort in 2009. Additionally, 32 percent of respondents said they will be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions than they were the year before.

What are your thoughts?  We would love to hear your comments on our blog or on our Facebook Page and hear your ideas on how you think we can make our hotel even “greener”.

]]> http://grandhotelbridgeport.com/2010/01/26/green-and-environmentally-sustainable-hotels-and-events-are-not-just-a-trend/feed/ 0