Six vacation resorts honored for industry-leading sustainability efforts

RCI^®, the world’s leading vacation exchange company celebrating 50 years in the industry, commemorated Earth Day by announcing the winners of the annual RCI^® Green Awards program.

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The RCI Green Platinum Award (International) was awarded to Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. (Photo: Business Wire)

Each year, the RCI Green Awards celebrates the RCI-affiliated resorts leading the pack in environmentally sustainable resort operations practices. Third-party eco-certification expert GreenCircle Certified, LLC verifies nominations and selects winners in Platinum, Gold and Silver categories based on advances in energy and water conservation, waste management, community outreach and environmental management.

While the awards program was historically open to U.S.-based affiliates only, the 2023 program expanded to include global RCI affiliates, doubling the total number of winners from three to six (with one U.S. and one international winner per category). The program’s auditing scope was also increased, doubling the number of finalists considered.

“The RCI Green Awards shines a light on the champions of sustainability in our industry,” said Paul Mulcahy, managing director for RCI North America. “We hope all resorts within the RCI affiliate network will be inspired by our winners’ commendable efforts to protect their local environments, while continuing to provide vacation experiences of the utmost quality for owners and guests.”

The RCI Green Platinum Award (International) was awarded to Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. With its environmental strategy led by a ‘Green Team’ that meets quarterly, the resort has implemented many advancements including energy-efficient lighting, water-efficient appliances in all guest rooms, and accessible recycling bins available across the property. The resort holds a Gold Label certification from EarthCheck and has been part of The United Nations Global Compact since 2017.

The RCI Green Platinum Award (U.S.) was awarded to Florida’s Legacy Vacation Resorts Orlando/Kissimmee. This eco-conscious resort has implemented bamboo key cards, installed rain barrels for water collection, and replaced bottled water with boxed water in its market store. The resort is part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging Program, which recognizes hotels and resorts that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida's natural resources.

Additional winners include:

• Gold RCI Green Awards
  • Club Mahindra Ashtamudi Resort in Kollam, Kerala, India
  • Club Wyndham Skyline Tower in Atlantic City, New Jersey

• Silver RCI Green Awards
  • Ultimate Leisure Club in Mexico’s Riviera Maya and the Dominican Republic
  • Club Wyndham Sedona in Sedona, Arizona

The RCI Green Award program is free and open to all RCI affiliates. The application process for the 2024 RCI Green Awards program will be announced in the fall of this year.

To learn more about RCI, please visit www.RCI.com.

About RCI

RCI^® is the new shape of travel™. As the worldwide leader in membership travel services to the vacation ownership industry, the company offers the industry’s leading vacation exchange platform to its 3.5 million members around the world, providing access to 4,100 affiliated resorts in approximately 110 countries. RCI Travel offers enhanced travel services allowing its members to flexibly travel year round. RCI is a part of the family of travel brands at Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE:TNL). For additional information visit rci.com. RCI also can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

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