For a full calendar of Association classes and events, click here.

 

2016 WASHINGTON LODGING CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
November 6-8, 2016 @ Davenport Grand Hotel, Spokane
This is the state's premier lodging event featuring dynamic educational workshops, industry trade show, critical business updates, professional networking, fun social events and more. Click here to learn more.

 

SavetheDateforWashingtonLodgingConvention

Workers' Comp Safety & Savings Program

 
Under WLA’s joint operating agreement with the Washington Lodging Association, WLA members now have access to WRA’s successful Retrospective Rating program. WRA started its Retro group in 1986 and is now the fifth largest Retro program in the state. It helps participants realize savings and earn refunds on their workers’ compensation premiums.

Benefits include resources to help you:

• Foster safer a work place
• Improve your safety ratings so you save money upfront on your L&I premiums
• Effectively manage claims to save time and money
• Earn annual refunds

Retro participants also have access to tools that will enhance your success, including

• Stay Safe program
• New Hire Safety Orientation
• Accident reporting procedures, and more

To pre-qualify, download the Getting Started in Retro Form and fax it to 360-357-9232.

 

 

The Only Official Publication for Marketing Washington State

 

Celebrating 17 Years of Guiding Visitors on their Travels through Washington State

The Washington State Visitors’ Guide has been an essential resource for millions of travelers since it was first launched by Washington Lodging Association in 2000 to strengthen the state’s tourism industry. Now celebrating 17 years of engaging millions of travelers, the popular Visitors’ Guide is published in partnership with the Washington Tourism Alliance and SagaCity Media, Inc., publishers of Seattle Met, Portland Monthly and other award-winning magazines.

As the only official publication for marketing Washington State, the Visitors’ Guide has a circulation of 375,000 and each edition reaches close to a million travelers. It is mailed for free upon request, distributed in visitors centers and tourism locations throughout Washington and other western states, sent to 65,000 subscribers of Seattle Met and Portland Monthly magazines, and available in select retail locations.

Prospective travelers can also read the Visitors’ Guide in a digital edition or order their own copy on the WTA’s website, ExperienceWA.com, and on WLA’s consumer website, StayinWashington.com. Savvy travelers can access versions of the Guide optimized for use on iPads, Android tablets, and smartphones.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVERTISING IN THE VISITORS' GUIDE
WLA members receive significant discounts on advertising rates in the Visitors’ Guide. For more information on advertising, please contact Jeff Adams, SagaCity’s Vice President of Custom Publishing, at 206-454-3007 or jadams@sagacitymedia.com.

Quickly Links Visitors to Accommodation Options Throughout Washington State


StayInWashington.com,
WLA’s dynamic consumer website, is designed to encourage travel throughout Washington and quickly links visitors to accommodation options in all parts of the state. In doing so, it helps fulfill WLA’s mission of strengthening the state’s vital hospitality industry.

As the companion site to the annual Washington State Visitors’ Guide, which WLA has been publishing since 2000, StayinWashington.com also extends the power of the print edition to the Internet. It connects visitors with great trip ideas, valuable travel resources, popular attractions and useful Google maps, and features a statewide calendar and the ability to search for accommodations by region and city. In addition, visitors can make reservations on the site through Travelocity.

As a benefit of membership, all WLA lodging members receive a page on StayinWashington.com that includes photos and detailed descriptions of their properties.

StayInWashington.com also features a state-of-the-art digital edition of the Washington State Visitors’ Guide with hyperlinked ads and live links from every URL mentioned in the popular guide. Visitors to the site can also have a copy of the Visitors’ Guide mailed to them for a nominal shipping and handling fee.

 

stayinwashington

 

To learn more about having your property featured on StayinWashington.com, email info@walodging.org.

 

Creating a Sustainable Lodging Establishment

Presentations from the May 6, 2015 Sustainable Lodging Workshop presented by the Washington Lodging Association, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Sheraton Seattle Hotel.

HOTEL PANELISTS

Rodney Schauf, FMA, CEOE, Sheraton Seattle Hotel

Tom Waithe, CHA, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Debbie R. Friedel, Delaware North Parks & Resorts, Kalaloch Lodge

 

Jay Bartleson, Columbia Hospitality

Diana Rayo, Fairmont Olympic Hotel

 

TECHNICAL PANELISTS

Domenic Calabro, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Pat Kaufman, Seattle Public Utilities

Christopher Boroughs, Puget Sound Energy

John LeCompte, Seattle City Light

Mike Brent, Cascade Water Alliance

 

Sustainability Resources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

WaterSense H2Otel Challenge

Energy Star

Food Recovery Challenge

Safer Choice (includes product lists)

Seattle Public Utilities Green Your Business Program

Puget Sound Energy Business Services and Energy Advisors

Seattle City Light Conservation Tools and Resources

Cascade Water Alliance

Food Lifeline Industry Food Donation Program

 

WLA's Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program

Green Lodging Practices Assessment:Assessyourgreening practices.

Lodging Facility Audit Form:Assessyourfacilityspaceby space.

Lodging Employee Survey:Tapintoemployeeenthusiasm& ideas.

Lodging Guest Survey:Doyourguestswantgreen lodging?

Green Lodging Data Sheet: Quantifyyourenergy&materials usage.

Washington State Greening Program Case Studies: Peppertree Inns and Salish Lodge

AH&LA Green Resource Center

AH&LA 14 Minimum Guidelines for Going Green

 

In 2009 Washington Lodging Association received a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to underwrite WLA's Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program. Working with Cascadia Consulting Group, WLA implemented a pilot program from March 2010 through June 2011 which demonstrated the benefits of green lodging. Columbia Hospitality and Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington were selected as the project's two pilot companies and working with Cascadia, they implemented at least three environmental practices at each of their properties, measured the business and environmental impacts and shared the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public.

"Through this program, we demonstrated that green lodging is good business practice, even in these challenging economic times. Many green practices result in utility savings and sometimes leverage financial incentives, such as utility rebates and tax breaks," said Gerry Link, CHA, WLA Green Team Co-Chair.

Both pilot companies experienced cost savings, marketing benefits and enhanced employee engagement. For highlights of the companies' successes and lessons learned click here for Columbia Hospitality's Green Pilot case study and here to see Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington's case study. For more detailed results, check out Columbia Hospitality's presentation from the March 7, 2011 WLA luncheon or Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington's presentation from the June 9, 2011 WLA luncheon. With the assistance of our PR and communications partner, Colehour+Cohen, WLA and its pilot companies have received media attention for their Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program.

As a part of the Green Program, we challenged other hotels around Washington to undertake at least one new green initiative. These 22 properties pledged 44 new green actions.

In 2012 Washington Lodging Association's application for a 2nd Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to support and expand the Greening Program came in third place. Unfortunately due to funding issues, no Public Participation Grants were awarded in 2012, and the Greening Committee continues to look for ways to enhance and grow the Greening Program.

For a full calendar of Association classes and events, click here.

 

NORTHWEST FOODSERVICE SHOW
March 20-21, 2016 @ Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle
Every year thousands of restaurant and foodservice industry professionals attend the Northwest Foodservice Show to connect with hundreds of vendors on the show floor, expand their knowledge at the educational seminars, sample delicious new products and find inspiring ideas that will make the difference in their operations. Register before March 18 and attend for FREE! REGISTER HERE

Northwest Foodservice Show

2016 WASHINGTON LODGING CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
November 6-8, 2016 @ Davenport Grand Hotel, Spokane
This is the state's premier lodging event featuring dynamic educational workshops, industry trade show, critical business updates, professional networking, fun social events and more. Click here to add to your calendar.

 

SavetheDateforWashingtonLodgingConvention