For more than 90 years, the Washington Lodging Association (WLA) has been a valued partner to the state's lodging owners and operators, paving the way to opportunities and mitigating the challenges of turbulent times. WLA strengthens state hospitality by supporting favorable legislation, promoting tourism and green initiatives, delivering cutting-edge education and safety programs and providing its members with millions of dollars in refunds and savings annually.

Convention
Group Retro Program
Green Program
Visitors' Guide
Stay In Washington
Safety Training
AH&LA

Annual Convention, Trade Show & Golf Tournament

Group Retro Program
Green Program
Visitors' Guide
Stay In Washington
Safety Training
AH&LA

Group Retro Program

WLA launched a Workers' Comp Group Retro Program in 2006 with a pledge to safeguard members against the skyrocketing costs of workers' compensation insurance by providing the lodging and hospitality industry with scrupulous management of claims and proactive programs that result in a decrease in on-the-job accidents and injuries.

Refunds already sent to members demonstrate that WLA is delivering on that pledge. With an average group refund of 33.1% for 2006 and 28.9% for 2008 plan years, WLA continues to be one of the top performers among all Washington group retro programs.

Recovering higher refunds is important, because it puts money directly back into members' pockets. Refunds are an important first step toward the ultimate goal of lowering the amount members spend on workers’ compensation insurance premiums at the outset. This is achieved by consistently working toward a safer workplace. The WLA Group Retro Program is unique among Washington state programs in bringing members valuable -- and in most cases, free -- resources to do just that.

Click the links below to learn more about how your business can benefit from the WLA Group Retro Program.

You can also contact WLA at 877-906-1001 and WLA's professional partner at Approach Management Services, Sam Lipoma, at 800-626-0846.

WLA's Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program: Background and Update

In 2009, the Washington Lodging Association was awarded a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to launch a statewide “Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry Program.” WLA’s grant application was one of only 13 grants funded by Ecology in 2009. Of 100 grants submitted, WLA earned the fourth highest overall score; Ecology noted this was a “very impressive feat given incredibly fierce competition.”

The primary focus of the Program, which is being implemented now through mid-2011, is to conduct pilot projects with two hotel companies to:

implement at least three new environmental practices at each of their properties
measure the business and environmental impacts
share the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public

The Program is intended to help hotels throughout the state save money, maximize marketing opportunities and capture new business, while being better environmental stewards for the benefit of their staff and their local communities. It will result in case studies documenting the actions and outcomes at the pilot properties and, as a result, WLA will provide the industry with web-based resources and educational forums.

WLA chose a consulting team led by Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. of Seattle, WA as its professional partner to implement the Program. Since 1993, Cascadia has pioneered a sustainable future by providing consulting services on issues related to the convergence of people, business and the environment. Bringing high-quality, creative, data-driven solutions to public and private sector clients across the country, Cascadia expanded from its original Seattle office to open a Berkeley office in 2009 and merged with Environmental Planning Consultants of San Jose earlier this year. Throughout its transitions, Cascadia's mission has remained consistent: make a difference to their clients and the environment. The consultant team also includes two other key partners, MeetGreen®, an internationally-recognized green meeting consultancy and Colehour+Cohen, a Seattle-based PR and communications firm.

As planned, our efforts since our kick off in March have been focused on the two companies selected as pilots for the program, Columbia Hospitality and Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington. Under the leadership and with the expertise of our professional partner, Cascadia Consulting Group, we have been working collaboratively with each company’s team to identify and spearhead a number of new green practices at each property. In particular, our project activities have included:

Conducting kick-off meetings with the project team
Collecting baseline utility, purchasing, and other hotel data
Performing on-site green audits at Salish Lodge & Spa and Best Western Peppertree Inn Spokane Airport
Preparing surveys for pilots’ employees and guests about green lodging knowledge, awareness and preferences
Identifying new environmental actions for implementation at all seven pilot properties
Creating a summary-level green action planfor each pilot
Generating media attentionfor the participating pilot companies
Implementing early actions with each property
Planning our first regional workshop at the WLA Annual Convention in October
Continuing to add new members to our green interest group

Click here to read more.

Valuable Resources and Advantages for Greening Your Hotel

Learn from Washington Hotels Who Are Going Green

WLA is working with two pilot companies, Columbia Hospitality and Peppertree Inns of Washington to launch new green initiatives at their properties. The following documents are used to guide these companies’ efforts and intended to assist any hotel interested in enhancing their environmental performance:

Tapping into employee enthusiam and ideas.
To what extent do our guests want green lodging options?
What gets measured gets managed: a data needs checklist to set a baseline and track progress.
Communicating your action plan to management or ownership: PepperTree Inns and Salish Lodge examples.

Greening Washington Lodging Industry Program Media Attention

With the assistance of our PR and communications partner, Colehour+Cohen, WLA and its pilot companies have received the following media attention for their Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program.

Click here or call WLA at 877-906-1001 for more information.

It’s nice to be sought after . . . and WLA is happy to report that the 2010 Washington State Visitors’ Guide is by far one of the most requested Washington travel resources at visitor centers throughout the state.

Just ask Gerry Reitan. He thanked the Washington Lodging Association for sending additional copies of the Visitors’ Guide to him at the Kitsap Peninsula VCB and told us, “It’s a great magazine. We get too many of the ones no one wants and not enough of the popular ones!”

We’re creative in ensuring that the Washington State Visitors’ Guide is both highly sought after and easy to find . . . getting into the hands of travelers who value the Visitors’ Guide's useful and engaging editorial content; find inspiration in its beautiful design; and plan their trips based on its eye-catching advertisements. Our diligent management of distribution guarantees that your ad in our 2011 edition will reach travelers:

At 1,800 visitor centers and tourism locations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and British Columbia.
At more than 400 retail locations including QFC, Safeway and Barnes & Noble in Washington and Oregon.
With spring 2011 issues of PortlandMonthly and Seattle Metropolitan, when the Visitors' Guide will be mailed with these top-selling city magazines to subscribers.

Reserve your space now to make sure that the more than 725,000 highly motivated travelers who will read the Washington State Visitors’ Guide keep your business and your region top of mind when they plan their 2011 travels. Contact Dean Desilet today to plan your ad campaign, 206-957-2234 x132, ddesilet@sagacitymedia.com, or send him the fax-back form. And remember: WLA members who advertise in the Visitors’ Guide receive a free photo kiosk on www.StayInWashington.com, posted just as soon as ad space is reserved.

WLA is pleased to partner with you in driving tourists to Washington and your business with this 12th annual edition of the Washington State Visitors' Guide!

StayInWashington.com

Washington Lodging Association (WLA) has released the 11th annual Washington State Visitors’ Guide, published in partnership with SagaCity Media, an essential promotional vehicle that entices readers to travel in Washington more often and to stay longer -- and spend more -- while they’re here. Click here to learn more about the Visitors' Guide.

Stay InWashington.com, the Visitors’ Guide's companion website, extends the power of the printed edition to the Internet. Visitors to the newly redesigned website can view the entire edition in a digital reader, order their own printed copy, quickly access the Visitors’ Guide's wealth of insider tips, and link to more than 1,000 accommodation options and info. New features on the website include a slide show, Google Maps and Travelocity. Guide advertisers receive free links on StayInWashington.com, and WLA member-advertisers get a free photo kiosk and more.

To find out about advertising in the 2011 edition of the Washington State Visitors’ Guide or on StayInWashington.com, please contact Dean Desilet at 206-957-2234, extension 132 or ddesilet@sagacitymedia.com.

Workplace Safety Training

WLA launched a Workers’ Comp Group Retro Program in 2006 with a pledge to safeguard members against the skyrocketing costs of workers' compensation insurance by providing the lodging and hospitality industry with scrupulous management of claims and proactive programs that result in a decrease in on-the-job accidents and injuries.

Click here to learn more about the refunds sent to members participating in the WLA Group Retro Program and how can you get involved.

Lowering the amount members spend on workers’ compensation insurance premiums is achieved by consistently working toward a safer workplace. Below are resources that help you to do just that.

Valuable and Informative Classes. Click here to see the current schedule of workshops and seminars, including CPR in English and Spanish, Anti-Harassment and Discrimination, Unemployment Claims Management, Safety Orientation for New Hires and more. Each member property or business is entitled to four free classes each year, and all classes are available at discounted member rates.
Participate in a Free Claims Management Workshop. Receive your Claims Management Manual and valuable tools and information on managing claims and controlling costs. Click here for more information and to reserve your place. Annual attendance at a Claims Management Workshop is required for every member of the WLA Group Retro Program.
Bring a free Loss-Control Review or other accident prevention program right to your property. Click here to see all the benefits of a Loss-Control Review.

The more you take advantage of your membership in the WLA Group Retro Program, the more you, your employees and your bottom line will benefit. Sign up for a program or class today!

To learn more about how your business can benefit from the WLA Group Retro Program click here, or contact WLA at 877-906-1001 or Sam Lipoma, WLA’s professional partner at Approach Management Services, at 800-626-0846.

American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Programs

WLA Membership Delivers Benefits and a Bonus: For properties with 51 or more rooms, Washington Lodging Association membership delivers double the value: American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) membership is included with your WLA membership fee.

Serving the hospitality industry for nearly a century, the Washington, D.C.-based AH&LA provides members with national issues advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services that provide bottom-line savings. Members receive answers from its industry-leading Information Center, advanced training materials from its Educational Institute, a free subscription to Lodging Magazine and discounts on conferences, certification, services and products. (WLA members with 50 and under rooms can join AH&LA for a nominal fee.)

For details on WLA membership, click here.
Click here to visit AH&LA’S website.

American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AH&LEI)

EI is a premier source for quality hospitality education, training and professional certification. WLA members save 20-40% on all AH&LEI products and services!

Take advantage of industry-tested, research-driven, hospitality training programs, available on the Internet or through videos, textbooks, seminars and professional certification. Train all levelsof hospitality personnel with custom programs to meet your specific training needs.

Download EI’s catalog, or view it directly, by clicking on the link below. Visit the Educational Institute’s website for more information.

The AH&LA Information Center

Located at the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston, the AH&LA Info Center is a full-service research facility dedicated to collecting information about the lodging industry. The Information Center provides members with answers to hospitality questions at no cost, usually within three business days.

Much of the information you may need is already available on the AH&LA Information Center's website. Members can access the History of Lodging in the USA, a current Lodging Industry Profile, Traveler Expenditure Data, a list of the Top 50 Hotel Companies, an array of Frequently Asked Questions, and Industry Links. Another excellent research tool is the AH&LA Industry Knowledge Base, containing press releases, articles, reports, trends, and more, which is updated daily from a variety of sources.

To take advantage of this valuable resource, complete an Information Request Form or e-mail Lydia Westbrook, research director, AH&LA Information Center.

Want more info? Email us.

©2010 Washington Lodging Association
Formerly the Washington State Hotel & Lodging Association
13540 Linden Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98133
Phone: 206-306-1001 Toll Free: 877-906-1001 Fax: 206-306-1006

A 4th Avenue Media Production

Industry Website: www.WAlodging.org
Consumer Website: www.StayInWashington.com
Partner, American Hotel & Lodging Association