Virginia Green Announces 2016 Green Travel Star & Green Travel Leader Award Winners!
Awards were presented on February 17th at the 4th annual Virginia Green Travel Conference held at the UVA Darden School Conference Center
RICHMOND, VA. — The Virginia Green presented the Virginia Green Travel Star Award to nineteen (19) Virginia tourism businesses for their outstanding commitments to green tourism practices at the 4th annual Virginia Green Travel Conference and Travel Star Awards Celebration. Twenty-two (22) additional tourism businesses will also recognized and received the Virginia Green Travel Leader Award for their efforts to protect the environment and promote green tourism in Virginia.
Alleyn Harned, Executive Director of Virginia Clean Cities accepts the Green Supporting Partner of the Year Award from First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe
The conference and awards were held on February 16-17, 2017, at the Darden School of Business Conference Center at the University of Virginia. The conference featured educational workshops, a green tourism business expo, and great speakers, including a keynote by Maxime Verstraete, VP of Corporate Responsibility for Hilton Worldwide. The conference culminated on February 17th with the Virginia Green Travel Star Awards Luncheon, hosted by the First Lady of Virginia Dorothy McAuliffe.
“The Governor and I want to congratulate these incredible Virginia Green businesses that are working every day to protect our natural resources and promote green tourism opportunities in Virginia,” said Mrs. McAuliffe. “These environmentally conscious destinations are part of what makes Virginia such an appealing place to visit for people from all over the country and the world.”
The Virginia Green program is run through a partnership between the Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, and the Virginia Green Travel Alliance. The program encourages green practices in Virginia’s tourism industry, and it has nearly 1,700 partner organizations that have self-certified their green commitments and are continuously improving their environmental programs.
The 2016 Virginia Green Travel Star Award winners are:
• Green Attraction of the Year- Jungle Golf of Virginia Beach
• Green B&B/Inn of the Year- Peabody’s ‘Hip Little Stay’
• Green Brewery of the Year- Wild Wolf Brewing Company
• Green Travel Chapter of the Year- Chesapeake Green
• Green Conference Center of the Year- UVA Inn at Darden Conference & Event Center
• Green Convention Center of the Year- Virginia Beach Convention Center
• Green Event of the Year- Newport News One City Marathon
• Green Hotel of the Year- Westin Reston Heights
• Green Restaurant of the Year- The Daily
• Green Supplier of the Year- Rep Source MidAtlantic
• Green Supporting Partner of the Year- Virginia Clean Cities
• Green Transportation Partner of the Year- Richmond Limousine
• Green Visitor Center of the Year- Hardesty-Higgins House
• Green Winery of the Year- DuCard Vineyards
• Green Winery of the Year- North Gate Vineyard
• Most Innovative Green Projects- Executive Mansion Greening
• Most Innovative Green Projects- Oystoberfest Richmond
• Most Innovative Green Projects- Green Corner Consulting
• Industry Game Changer- Eric Walter, Black Bear Composting
The 2016 Virginia Green Travel Leader Award winners are:
• Adventure Kayak Tours
• Burnham Guides
• Green Leaf and Pebble Spa
• Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation
• Blue Mountain Brewery
• Coelacanth Brewing
• Port City Brewing Company
• The Damascus Brewery
• RVA Green Team Volunteer Network
• Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast
• Clay Corner Inn & Spa
• Doubletree by Hilton Virginia Beach
• Hilton Richmond Downtown
• Hostelling International Richmond
• Mountain Song Inn
• Oak Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast
• Shadow Mountain Escape
• Caffe Amouri
• Capital Ale House
• Local Roots – A Farm to Table Restaurant
• The Monticello Wine Trail
• Birdsong Pleasure Garden
Marketing of Virginia Green partners is handled by the Virginia Tourism Corporation and is available at www.VirginiaGreenTravel.org. Information about the Virginia Green program is available on here or a www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/PollutionPrevention/VirginiaGreen.aspx. Program outreach and partner educational opportunities are supported by the VirginiaGreenTravelAlliance.org.
News Media Questions? Please contact Tom Griffin of the Virginia Green Travel Alliance at (804) 986-9119 or VirginiaGreen@Virginia.org.