Vermonters live in a place where the mountains, as well as the businesses and employees behind them, embody the "green" in the Green Mountain State. Now, Vermont's official seasonal guidebooks will reflect our lodging facilities' environmental commitment.
Beginning with the 2009 Winter Vacation Guide, Vermont's designated "Green Hotels," who also participate in the seasonal guides published by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing, have another opportunity to market their stewardship by taking advantage of a new initiative that allows for a green leaf symbol next to their guidebook listing.
What is a Green Hotel? It is any Vermont lodging establishment that solidifies its commitment to environmental excellence by achieving a rigorous set of environmental standards. According to Peter Crawford, who represents the Green Hotels in the Green Mountain State program, "Lodging facilities that choose to participate in the program use sound environmental management practices to reduce their impacts on the environment, improve their bottom line and satisfy customer demand for environmentally-conscious lodging establishments.
The Vermont Winter Vacation Guide, published in early September, and the Vermont Vacation Guide for summer and fall, released in January, are the official visitor inquiry fulfillment pieces for the State of Vermont. Annually, 100,000 copies of the Winter Vacation Guide, and 200,000 copies of the Vacation Guide for summer and fall, are used by visitors from all over the world to plan their trips to Vermont.
Major distribution outlets include all inquiries, from across the country and internationally, originating from the state's website (www.vermontvacation.com), the Vermont Chamber's website (www.visitvt.com) and Vermont's toll-free number (1-800-VERMONT). The Winter Vacation Guide is also placed in all 20 of Vermont's Welcome Centers, and distributed at dozens of consumer and trade shows around the world.
If you would like to participate in the seasonal guidebooks, please contact Samantha Kolber ([email protected], 802-223-3443). To learn more about becoming a Green Hotel, please contact Peter Crawford or visit the website of the Green Hotels in the Green Mountain State ([email protected],
www.vtgreenhotels.org).