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Buddhist World Peace Center Opens in USA

February 17, 2019 by forimmediaterelease.net -

The Fernwood Hotel and Conference Center in Pennsylvania, USA has been transformed into a Buddhist ‘World Peace Center’. The new owners want this to be a place the community can enjoy again.

The Jinyin Temple will hold its first public prayer ceremony there on Saturday. The new owners hope to spread compassion and kindness while deepening the friendship between Chinese and Americans.

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A shiny new statue of Buddha greets drivers on Milford Road; a sign the Jinyin Temple of Sino Esoteric Buddhism is open.

Inside, you’ll find 20-foot tall statues weighing three tons each. The Prayer Hall is adorned with elaborate statues shipped from overseas.

“Our aim here is to build a temple, I should say, to pray for world peace,” explains Jack Wang, construction officer. The main Jinyin temple is in China, and this is the first location in America.

Temple leaders toured other potential locations, including in California, but ultimately decided to build here because it would be a challenge.

“We always build mandala or our temple in the most undeveloped area. I would say economically undeveloped area,” Wang says.

The property’s main draw, which once served as Fernwood’s event center, burnt down last summer. The new owners lost precious artifacts in the fire, but they vowed to continue on.

“It’s a setback but it’s not going to stop us,” Wang adds.

Later this year they plan to start offering public classes like meditation, yoga, calligraphy and kung fu. This is meant to be a place for different cultures and religions to come together as one.

“We’re open to local people, we also want to learn from them,” Wang smiles.

The master and other disciples traveled from China to be here.

“In a few years this is going to be a magnet for tourism,” Wang envisions.

Saturday’s ceremony starts with sign-in from 1-2 pm. The day continues with art and prayer, then wraps up with dinner from 5:30-6:30 pm.

Priests, volunteers and maintenance crews live on-site in the former hotel rooms.

SOURCE: IIPT

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach: Phuket pioneer in sustainable tourism

February 15, 2019 by PressEditor

The 5-star Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach, a holiday beach resort in Phuket has been re-certified by Green Globe for the seventh year in a row and has achieved an outstanding compliance score of 86%.

Announcing the resort’s 2019 Green Globe re-certification, Mr. Harold Rainfroy, General Manager, said, “We are honored and proud of this achievement, as this only validates our efforts to help reduce our impact on the planet. Our team will keep on with the resort’s ethical and eco practices and will continue to develop programs towards social and environmental sustainability.”

Regarded as a pioneering hotel for sustainable tourism in Phuket, the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach has been active in social and cultural sustainability, as well as ecologically friendly practices. Sustainable operations implemented at this property include an effective pollution prevention program, water consumption reduction and energy-efficient lighting system.

The Phuket resort also recently launched its ‘Orchid Garden,’ an on-going project which aims not only to beautify the resort grounds but also help preserve and propagate several species of Thai native orchids.

An eco-focused initiative is in the pipeline as well, with the re-introduction of its ‘Organic Vegetable Garden and Plant Nursery’ where guests will have the chance to know more about organic planting and the ‘farm-to-table’ concept. The organic garden and nursery will host an array of vegetables and herbs including parsley, chili, eggplant, Thai basil, lemongrass and pandan. This project will also excite food lovers who are looking for a remarkable culinary experience. Once launched, guests may sign up for a Thai cooking class held in the organic garden, which will provide them with plenty of opportunities on picking their own herbs and spices needed for the cooking adventure.

For years, the Mövenpick Karon Beach Resort has also demonstrated a firm commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. The property works closely with the local community in Phuket, supporting local schools and donating to various charitable institutions. Furthermore, a Community Support Fund has been established where hotel guests are encouraged to voluntarily donate 1 USD per stay. The funds generated are used to provide assistance to the ‘Life Home Project’, ‘Phuket Has Been Good to Us’ foundation and the ‘Phuket House of Aged and Disaster Funds.’

The Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach is one of the leading eco-friendly sustainable hotels in Phuket, situated just steps away from the pristine sands of Karon Beach. The property features luxurious guestrooms and suites surrounded by lush tropical gardens, four swimming pools, a kid’s club, seven restaurants & bars, a world-class spa, a fully-equipped fitness center, as well as upscale meeting rooms perfect for private events and conferences.

For further information, please visit www.movenpick.com/resort-phuket-karon-beach/ or call +66 76 683 350. To stay updated, follow Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. #movenpickkaronbeach

About Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 16,000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 83 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 20 properties are planned or under construction, including those in Chiang Mai (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia) and Marrakech (Morocco).

Focusing on expanding within its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities. Of Swiss heritage and with headquarters in central Switzerland (Baar), Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to supporting sustainable environments, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe-certified hotel company in the world. For more information, please visit movenpick.com.

About Green Globe Certification

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). For information, please visit greenglobe.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Bradley Cox, Director of Communications, Green Globe Certification, 5230 Pacific Concourse Drive, Suite 102, Los Angeles, California 90045, U.S.A., phone +1-310-337-3000, fax +1-310-626-9982, Email prlax@greenglobe.com , web www.greenglobe.com

Cinnamon Lodge Habarana reaches greater heights

February 8, 2019 by PressEditor

Cinnamon Lodge Habarana is a 5-star resort nestled in nature’s serenity right in the heart of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle

Green Globe recertified Cinnamon Lodge Habarana in January this year with the resort achieving a high compliance score of 86%.

Mr Arosha Pananwala, General Manager at the resort said, “We, at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, are extremely thrilled to announce that we have once again been awarded the Green Globe Certification for this year. We are honored to hold this prestigious, globally accredited certification for performance improvement, designed specifically for the travel and tourism industry. This achievement solidifies our undisputed reputation in providing high quality services to our customers and improving our performance in line with global standards. I would like to congratulate our staff and team at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana on this outstanding accolade and encourage them to continue their excellent performance which will raise our brand to greater heights.”

Both management and staff at the resort have made great efforts in key areas of sustainability with resounding success.

Water management was one of the most outstanding accomplishments over the last 12 months. At the end of 2017/18 – Cinnamon Lodge achieved a 21% year on year reduction in water drawn from natural sources. A water audit was also conducted in 2017/18 to identify areas where water savings could be made and recommendations are currently being implemented. Plans are in place to install flow restrictors in all guest rooms in order to ensure a moderate flow based on set standards.

Wastewater recycling has also seen a marked improvement. As a monthly average, 52% of total water used is completely recycled through the onsite sewerage treatment plant (STP). Furthermore, landfill was reduced by 7% and the property’s carbon footprint was reduced by 6% per guest night in 2017/18.

The resort has implemented a number of initiatives including increased energy efficient lighting, which have ensured reductions in energy usage. In 2017/18, 300 CFL bulbs were changed over to LED in guest areas and 20 conventional AC units were replaced with inverter AC units. Renewable energy is also utilized with solar panels used for water heating.

Sri Lankan organic culinary experience at the Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana

Cinnamon Lodge is now offering its guests a novel culinary experience that is both organic and authentically Sri Lankan. Based in the resort’s quaint and traditional mud hut, the new organic dining experience has been specially curated for local and international guests and will allow them to observe a wide array of traditional cooking techniques and preparation methods, sample a delicious array of Sri Lankan dishes and flavors and learn more about local farming techniques. The resort operates an extensive organic farm on its grounds, which produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, as well as rice, milk, and honey.

Compost Project of Cinnamon Lodge

The Green Team at the property has established a successful composting system. Compost consists of garden waste collected from the Cinnamon Lodge Habarana grounds along with farmyard manure and is used to fertilize the resort’s organic herbs and vegetables. The resort has started providing compost by the ton and by tractor loads to certain buyers, thereby reducing the use of chemical fertilizers in gardens and farms. Packs of compost are also sold to visitors and guests.

About Green Globe Certification

Sir Albert Hotel awarded Green Globe Gold

February 6, 2019 by PressEditor

Sir Albert Hotel Amsterdam is a sophisticated destination located right in the heart of the capital’s De Pijp district. Green Globe awarded Sir Albert Gold status in January this year, marking five consecutive years of certification.

Sophie Huisman, General Manager at Sir Albert said, “I am very proud to be a part of a company that takes sustainability so seriously. As a Green Globe certified member for the past five years, Sir Albert has made great strides in creating a more sustainable environment – incorporating water and energy saving techniques, as well as supporting local initiatives. We are dedicated to increasing awareness across our hotels and with all our staff members and hotel guests.”

Little things that go a long way

“Over the last five years, we found that incorporating small changes to practices go a long way in creating a sustainable environment,” added Ms. Huisman.

To save energy at Sir Albert, visual reminders have been created for guests to be conscious of their usage of lights. Throughout the hotel all light bulbs have been changed to LED bulbs and systems have also been digitized such as sending internal reports, guest invoices etc. via email. Beyond saving energy, flow restrictors have been inserted in faucets and showerheads reducing water consumption. Green cleaning products and recycled paper as well as re-fillable bath product containers are used at the property. Together these small actions enable Sir Albert to inspire staff and guests to be more eco-conscious.

Supporting the local community

Sir Albert believes in supporting the local community. Management together with staff initiate projects ranging from cooking sessions to providing wholesome meals to the Salvation Army, to helping at local animal shelters. In addition to volunteer work, the hotel has devised a plan whereby a specified amount can be donated from a staff member’s salary to the organization of their choice.

“Each year Sir Albert prides itself on its collaboration with the Food Bank of Amsterdam. This past year, through the efforts and donations of team members we filled 28 boxes worth of food donations! We have also launched a company-wide program called – ‘Sir Cares’, which donates one euro for each night of a guest’s stay to a local organization that is making a difference in cities and communities,” explained Sophie Huisman.

As one of its environmental initiatives, Sir Albert has teamed up with Plastic Whale, the first professional plastic fishing company who seek to make Amsterdam’s waterways completely plastic free. Plastic Whale work year-round to collect plastic from Amsterdam’s canals and recycle it into new design products, such as tables, chairs and lamps.

Green Weeks and training sessions

The hotel has an on-site Green Team which organizes training sessions for staff members to educate them on ways to become more eco-friendly in their everyday lives. These sessions increase awareness throughout the whole company and are also used as brain storming sessions on ways to integrate these practices throughout other properties as well. For more information, visit sirhotels.com.

About Green Globe Certification

Fraport launches operations at Nashville International Airport in the USA

February 1, 2019 by forimmediaterelease.net -

Fraport launches operations at Nashville International Airport in the USA

Beginning February 1, Fraport is taking over the overall management of concession areas for shops, restaurants and other services at Nashville International Airport (BNA). With almost 16 million passengers in 2018 (up 13.2 percent year-on-year), BNA set an all-time record for the sixth consecutive year and maintained its position as one of strongest performing aviation gateways in North America.

Fraport USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fraport AG, won the bid last year in a highly competitive tender process. Since the signing of the 10-year contract last summer, Fraport USA has been preparing for the February 2019 startup. The agreement with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) covers the design, construction, lease and management of concessions space throughout the airport’s four concourses in the passenger terminal. A major airport expansion to be completed by 2023 will result in some 12,300 square meters (more than 133,000 square feet) of concession space for over 90 shops, restaurants and service outlets – plus common-use areas for seating and entertainment. Fraport is expected to invest some 17 million dollars in the BNA concessions development during the next decade, with further investments to be made by the individual subtenants.

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Dr. Stefan Schulte, Fraport AG’s executive board chairman, commented on the Group’s launch of the company’s fifth location in the U.S. market: “We are pleased to expand Fraport USA’s concessions development and management program to Nashville Airport. Nashville is the second new concessions development to be launched by Fraport USA in less than a year.”

Famous as the Music Capital of America, Nashville’s metropolitan region of about 1.8 million people has become a major tourist destination and one of the country’s fastest growing business hubs. Dr. Schulte added: “Our Nashville team is highly committed to developing an innovative retail concept that exemplifies the spirit of Nashville, with its rich cultural heritage and thriving music industry. We will focus on giving passengers a memorable experience with an exciting mix of the best local restaurants and brands, as well as international outlets. We look forward to many years of close partnership here where the music plays!”

Fraport USA is renowned for setting the standard in managing, designing and developing airport retail concessions in North America. Along with Nashville, Fraport USA is the developer and manager of the retail, food and beverage concession areas at a total of five airports in the United States: Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), Cleveland International Airport (CLE), Nashville International Airport (BNA), New York Kennedy Airport (JFK – JetBlue’s Terminal 5), and Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).