For the third consecutive year, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will participate in Earth Hour, a global event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to raise awareness about climate change. On Saturday March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m., all 60 of Fairmont’s landmark hotels and resorts around the planet will participate by turning off their lights for one hour.

“Earth Hour is a unique opportunity for Fairmont colleagues and guests to participate in the world’s largest global climate change initiative,” said Brian Richardson, Vice President of Brand Marketing & Communications. “It furthers our ongoing support of environmental awareness and demonstrates energy conservation can go beyond just turning out the lights for an hour - it’s about promoting a low carbon future.”

In addition to switching off principal lighting, a number of Fairmont’s properties will also mark this eco-friendly event by involving hotel guests. At Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, Germany, the hotel’s award-winning restaurants will offer a candlelight dinner experience for diners. Guests and colleagues of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii will celebrate Earth Hour with complimentary hot chocolate and s’mores roasted over an oceanside fire pit under the stars. Guests may also choose to dine by candlelight from 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at Brown’s Beach House, the resort’s signature oceanfront restaurant.

In South Florida, Fairmont Turnberry Isle will host a 2.9-mile Earth Hour run benefiting Operation Green Leaves, a Miami-based non-profit organization focused on environmental issues and earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Also available are complimentary Chef’s Garden Tours, a special Glow-in-the-dark Solar Drop cocktail in the Lobby Lounge, a candlelit three-course Earth Hour dinner at Cascata Grille restaurant, and at 8:30 pm, the Earth Hour celebration will culminate with an outdoor presentation from Astronomer Dr. James Webb, director of the SARA Observatory at Florida International University. A telescope will be on-hand for guests to explore the night sky.

In Monaco, Fairmont Monte Carlo will feature special sushi and maki offerings created by Chef Maryan Gandon. The sushi will be prepared using fruits and vegetables from the hotel’s onsite garden, which provides the property with sustainable, local ingredients throughout the year. Guests of Kenya’s Fairmont Mara Safari Club will sit under the African stars in the lantern lit restaurant, Boma and listen to the resident naturalist talk about conservation and Maasai-style environmentalism. After dinner, guests will be entertained by Maasai dancers before retiring to bed in their luxury tents. Fairmont Singapore will celebrate by hosting a green Flea Market to bring the green message to all.

At The Fairmont Dallas, guests will gather at Pyramid Bar for a “Happy Earth Hour” from 8:30-9:30 p.m. They will enjoy local, organic appetizers, happy Earth Hour prices and the return of the Ecotini. Wilfrid’s Restaurant at Fairmont Château Laurier will offer a romantic candlelit setting for its guests and at Zoé‘s Lounge, sustainable food offerings and special drinks such as the Dark Side cocktail will be featured.

On a corporate level, Fairmont’s offices in Toronto will also be dimming the lights to honor the occasion. The event will be extra special for corporate colleagues, who will have recently completed a move to LEED certified offices downtown, which will further the brand’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions.

Earth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when 2 million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people, including several Fairmont hotels around the globe, participated. In 2009, hundreds of millions of people and over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet.

With a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible tourism, Fairmont is a strong supporter of WWF, participating in many of their campaigns, as well as being a member of their global Climate Savers program. For the past two decades, Fairmont has been dedicated to preserving the places in which we live, work and play through its Green Partnership Program. Expanding on this 20-year commitment, Fairmont will continue to actively support a sustainable future and a low carbon economy, understanding that ultimately, we are all in this together.

For more information on Fairmont’s Green Partnership program and the company’s industry leading environmental initiatives, please visit www.fairmont.com/environment.