With Smart Travel Editor Kate Zaliznock checking out the upscale offerings in Orlando this week, I thought I would jump in and share some of the items that made me put down my coffee when they crossed my keyboard. The more you know, the easier your job will be and that is definitely the case when it comes to resources that will help you find suppliers that leave a destination better and give you a short cut to reporting all your sustainable decisions.
Also, I was curious how you feel about lining up for a quick mug shot every time you make a run for the gate. Are you one of the nine in 10 who support biometric screening at TSA stations if it will speed up the line and possibly do a better job of screening out the “bad guys” the whole “no liquids over 3 oz.” process was designed to find?
Finally, I added a bonus brief because I love thinking about the people all those decades ago who had the foresight to make it possible for us to get from place to place with ease—unless it is closed for maintenance, of course. The full-circle story of the building and repairing of the Holland Tunnel put a lot of things in perspective for me.
Let us know whether you agree by dropping a line to editor@smartmeetings.com. Send your travel news there, too. Let’s see if you can make us spill our mocha.
Don’t worry, Kate is back next week and I will be reporting from our Smart Meetings Luxury Experience in Rhode Island so hold onto your pearls.
Hotels Pledge 100,000 Hours for Overlooked Populations
Just in time for the holidays, American Hotel & Lodging Association announced that 23 hospitality companies have signed a Dignity of Work pledge that could result in more than $7.4 million in purchases to reach the goal of 100,000 hours of paid employment for people who face barriers to work. You can see a list of the founding partners here if you are looking to source from responsible sourcers.
The initiative with Procure Impact, a B2B marketplace for products that support minority communities, works with people with disabilities, refugees, veterans and those who have experienced poverty, mental health challenges, homelessness, trauma, incarceration and addiction. Products include food and beverages, bath and body, retail, furniture and art.
Learn more about one example Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates in Fairfax, Virginia, which employs 30 people with disabilities and is now in 90 hotels and see the wholesale products here and gifting ideas here.
New Marriott Program Will Help You Plan Sustainably
If reporting on your event’s carbon footprint is part of your RFP requirement, Marriott Bonvoy Events has a new program that might allow you and your attendees’ consciences rest easier.
Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events helps meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports will help measure the environmental impact of events and select options to purchase carbon credits from South Pole, a carbon asset developer and climate consultancy.
Read More: Brand Update: Marriott International
The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of this month.
“Meetings and events are important business for Marriott. Our customers are eager to participate in sustainability efforts. Connect Responsibly expands ongoing initiatives and strengthens our efforts focused on sustainability in hospitality,” said Tammy Routh, senior vice president of global sales with Marriott International.
Get Ready to Smile for the TSA Cameras
Have you stepped up to airport security screening lately only to be asked to stand for a photo that will be deleted after the exchange? Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has started testing biometric technology—facial matching, digital identity and facial identification—to enhance security and efficiency and it seems to be getting the thumbs up.
Read More: Las Vegas Airport Tests Self-Service Security Checkpoint
U.S. Travel Association is advocating for the shift from what it calls “the bartender method” of visual comparison with an ID. The non-profit representing all sectors of the travel industry, recently surveyed travelers and found that four out of five support the use of biometric technology.
Nine in 10 said they would be “more likely” or “equally likely” to support biometric use if it reduced the typical time it takes to get through security, but they also cited stopping terrorism and human trafficking as well as making airports safer as the top two reasons for supporting biometrics—even above their own convenience.
Bonus Brief: Anniversary of Meeting in the Middle; Find Alternatives for Late Night Jersey Shuttles
Oct. 29, 2024, will mark two significant anniversaries for the Holland Tunnel connecting two popular Northeast meeting destinations. It will be exactly 100 years since digging teams from Jersey City and Lower Manhattan met in the middle deep under the Hudson River and established the passage that thousands of motor vehicles now traverse each day. It’ll also mark exactly 12 years since the river attempted to reclaim the space, as storm surge from Superstorm Sandy sent 30 million gallons of water into the tunnel, flooding it with several feet of water.
“It’s a little eerie,” acknowledged Enrique Ramirez, the Holland Tunnel’s general manager.
Ramirez and his team are currently overhauling the tunnel’s critical components. Corrosive damage left by Sandy’s saltwater on the tunnels’ walls, electrical systems and pump rooms now necessitates closer inspections and replacement to prepare the crossing for whatever may come in its next 100 years.
A word of warning, however if you have groups in the area late at night. The work is resulting in overnight shutdowns on the New Jersey-bound tube. And if you are a history buff, the backstory, including the death of the chief engineer and namesake two days before the opening due to a “nervous breakdown.”
