SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Roaming Gnome is hosting a week-long scavenger hunt, where Twitter Followers have a chance to win prizes, while finding the “greenest” hotspots from uptown to downtown Manhattan. “The Roaming Gnome Makes Earth Day Sweet Scavenger Hunt,” will kick off in New York City on Monday, April 18.
The Roaming Gnome will be posting updates throughout the week, and the first Twitter Follower who decodes his Tweeted clues and appears at the right location will win the grand prize. Grand prizes include hotel stays, show tickets and more. The next 100 runners-up will enjoy a green cookie from Sweetery, one of New York’s most popular (and sustainable) food trucks.
“Mother Earth is a dear old friend - who makes a splendid buttered crumpet, I might add,” says the Roaming Gnome. “I can’t wait to see all my marvelous friends in New York City lend her a helping hand during my scavenger hunt.”
At the conclusion of the scavenger hunt, the Roaming Gnome will head to Times Square for NYC’s EDAY Event. Travelocity will have a booth where visitors can take a picture with the Roaming Gnome, and enter to win a sustainable vacation package.
And of course all of the Roaming Gnome’s travel and all of the travel prizes awarded during Earth Week will be offset through a donation to Travelocity’s partner, The Conservation Fund. This donation will help plant trees at Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge to restore wildlife habitat.
GREEN HOTELS FOR EARTH DAY
“The travel industry continues to adopt green policies to accommodate the growing number of eco-friendly travelers,” said Alison Presley manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good® program. “Last year alone, the number of hotels in our Green Hotel Directory tripled, and New York City is leading the way. We look forward to seeing the eco-efforts of these cutting-edge properties gain widespread adoption across the country.”
For travelers who want to travel green this year, Travelocity has also launched an Earth Day green hotel sale, offering up to 45 percent off over 60 green hotels around the world. For those heading to New York, here are the top green-hotel recommendations:
- Element Times Square: Element New York Times Square West is one of the city's greenest properties offering an energizing, eco-chic environment with bright public spaces, smart design and modern touches. The high-performance building’s sustainable practices in design help reduce waste and conserve resources, including everything from furnishings and appliances to the ubiquitous "Do Not Disturb" sign, which has been replaced with a reusable environment-friendly magnet.
- Ink48 and The Muse Hotel New York: Kimpton Hotels has been implementing eco-friendly policies before going green was trendy. In 1981, the company began recycling at the Bedford Hotel in San Francisco, and other sustainable standards quickly followed. In March 2005, Kimpton’s EarthCare program became mandatory for all hotels and restaurants.
- InterContinental New York Times Square: Upon its approval, the Intercontinental New York Times Square will be the largest new-build hotel to achieve LEED status on the Eastern Seaboard. As a participant in the Green Engage program, the hotel continues to develop innovative technology and standards to reduce carbon emissions on a daily basis.
About Travelocity Global
Travelocity® is committed to being the traveler's champion - before, during and after the trip – and provides the most comprehensive and proactive guarantee in the industry (www.travelocity.com/guarantee). This customer-driven focus, backed by 24/7 live phone support, competitive prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity one of the largest travel companies in the world. Travelocity owns and operates: Travelocity Business® for corporate travel; igougo.com, a leading online travel community; lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel; and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation, a world leader in travel marketing and distribution.