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June 15, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AAHOA News
The Iowa Hotel and Lodging Association (IHLA) has announced that Omkar Bhatt, Owner/Operator of the Sol Inn and the Executive Inn in Marshalltown, has joined the recently formed Association’s Board of Directors.
Bhatt immigrated to the US from India as a teen and began working in his uncle’s Fort Dodge hotel. He attended William Penn University, and upon graduation, worked in hospitality groups across the country, studying best practices and operational strategies before returning to Iowa to launch his Leo Hospitality. He took ownership of his first hotel in 2021 and added a second in 2023.
“Omkar represents the next generation of hoteliers,” said IHLA Board Chairman Scott Math, of Heart of America. “He will be a strong advocate for the entire hospitality industry, especially on issues and topics entrepreneurs deal with day in and day out.”
Bhatt is a resident of, and an active community member of, Marshalltown. Like his fellow IHLA board directors, he serves as an elected volunteer who collaborates with other members to determine and communicate the Association’s state legislative agenda to local, state, and federal lawmakers. He is also a member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) whose mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, and professional development.
“It is truly an honor to serve on the board and represent diverse hotel owners of Iowa. I am looking forward to being a valuable voice for under-represented hotel owners of Iowa,” AAHOA Member Omkar Bhatt told AAHOA in a separate interview. “I am extremely proud of the work AAHOA, and its leadership team, has done, and I hope to take advantage of what I’ve learned as an AAHOA Member and utilize it in my new role.”
Congratulations to Neal Patel, CHIA, AAHOA Past Chair (2022-2023), on being appointed to the Center for Hospitality Research Corporate Advisory Board for Cornell Nolan School Centers & Institutes.
Neal Patel serves as the Immediate Past Chairman of AAHOA, the voice of nearly 20,000 hotel owners who own 60% of the hotels in the U.S., which translates to more than 34,000 properties.
Patel is a second-generation hotelier who grew up in the industry wearing many hats as he helped his family run their first 20-room independent property. He began his hospitality career in Texas and owns and operates branded and independent hotels in several states.
Neal is inspired to give back to the hospitality industry through service. He has served on a franchise advisory council, he currently serves on the HITEC Advisory Council, and promotes organ donor awareness through his volunteer work with Samaj Saves Lives.
"I'm truly honored to accept my new role as a member of the Advisory Board for the Cornell Nolan School - Center for Hospitality Research. This appointment, a responsibility that comes with my recent position as the Immediate Past Chairman of AAHOA, provides an exciting opportunity to further contribute to the future of the hospitality industry," Patel said. "In both roles, I will continue to bring the perspectives and voices of thousands of hotel owners. As a second-generation hotelier, I look forward to sharing my personal experiences and insights, while continuing to serve, learn, and make a difference in this new capacity."
During the height of Regionals season, AAHOA has recently hosted several incredibly successful Regional Conferences & Trade Shows. The Florida, Georgia, and Northeast Regional Conferences & Trade Shows all took place within less than two weeks of each other, but the attendee numbers were strong, and PAC donations were generous.
Nearly 1,000 AAHOA Members attended these three regionals combined, and almost $100,000 in PAC donations were collected across these three events. Furthermore, members had the chance to earn their certificate onsite for the BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training, sponsored by AAHOA.
Thanks to the amazing dedication of the Regional Directors and Ambassadors, these Regional Conferences & Trade Shows consistently set the bar high for other similar industry events. With a plethora of educational resources, networking opportunities, vendor options, and chances to hear from elected officials whom AAHOA has fostered relationships with, AAHOA Regionals are simply unbeatable.
Check out the full Regional Conference & Trade Show schedule here, so you can plan on attending one or more and be a part of the excitement, passion, and community.
AAHOA’s newest Chairman, Bharat Patel, and Immediate Past Chairman (2022-2023), Neal Patel, sat down for a conversation with Asian Hospitality as part of its Leadership Series.
“On the cusp of his transition to chairman of AAHOA, Bharat Patel was ready to take the reins of the association at a time when it was embroiled in a conflict with several large hotel companies over its support for franchise reform. Bharat sat down with his predecessor Nishant “Neal” Patel to talk with Asian Hospitality for our Leadership Series to discuss the situation and his plans for the future of the association.” Read more here. Watch the interview here. AAHOA Advocacy in Action
Featured Content
Earlier this week, AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake was featured on the Modern Hotelier podcast, hosted by Steve Carran and David Millili.
The podcast episode, titled "Always Striving for Bigger & Better at AAHOA," provided Blake the opportunity to share her insights on how the hospitality industry can utilize technology to fill the space caused by the labor shortage that continues to plague hoteliers.
"How can robotics make a difference? Maybe using robots to deliver room service, or using robots to vacuum the floors," Blake said.
To listen to the full episode and view other episodes by The Modern Hotelier, click here.
Member Testimonial
AAHOA Education
Given the labor shortage the hotel industry is experiencing, having a sales-and-service-focused culture can help us separate ourselves from the competition. It also can help you attract and retain the right employees and customers. In this two-part webinar series, discover how to build and lead a sales-focused culture to help you stand out in the crowd.
Presenter: Tammy Gillis, CEO & Founder, Gillis Sales
Last month, on May 23, Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) held a complimentary webinar for all industry stakeholders. This exchange was part of a deepening partnership between the associations with a shared pursuit to advance the hospitality environment to the benefit of their members and the overall industry.
The webinar, titled "U.S. Legislative Updates from AAHOA," addressed AAHOA's initiatives on the U.S. Federal level, as well as state and local government levels.
Blake also covered policy recommendations that address the industry's labor shortage and SBA loan limits. In addition, she discussed how AAHOA works with states on STRs, OTA, evictions, and human trafficking awareness training and prevention. HFTP offers a robust Virtual Education program for its members, hosting between two to four hour-long sessions a month on a variety of topics of interest to its stakeholders.
You can watch the recording of the webinar here.
Featured Club Blue Member
With the best technology in the industry, DISH Business delivers a premium entertainment experience for properties of all sizes. EVOLVE by DISH lets your guests cast personal content, watch live TV and access the apps they love – all on your in-room TV. Get DISH to give your guests the entertainment they want at prices you’ll love. Visit the website, then contact Tyler Floyd (Tyler.floyd@dish.com) to start saving today!
Featured Member Benefit
All Insurance Underwriters (AIU) is a National Managing General Agency giving AAHOA Members the option to retain current Insurance Agents. We also offer all Commercial General Lines of insurance, together packaged with Worker’s compensation (where applicable) extra savings can be found. Check out the website for more information on AAHOA Member benefits, and fill out a form to contact one of our dedicated team members.
Featured Platinum/Silver Partner
At Curve Hospitality, we combine creative design solutions with our ability to manufacture and deliver contract furnishings. Our experienced hospitality interior design team works closely with clients to turn their vision into a marketable commercial product. Visit our website for more information.
Industry News
With costs continuing to rise, more travelers are staying home as discretionary spending appears to be slowing for the first time this year.
(Source: The Washington Post) To boost revenue and adapt to ever-changing guest preferences, forward-thinking hotels are implementing cutting-edge technology solutions, including mobile check-in, contactless payments, in-room voice-controlled devices, and more.
(Source: HospitalityNet) Today's Hotelier
In the Market
Truist Securities reports, “Overall U.S. RevPAR was -1.2% y/y for the week ending 6/10/2023, per STR, below the prior week's result of -1.0%, and below the trailing 10-week average of +2.7%. Vs. 2019, RevPAR was +10.0%, above the prior week’s result of -3.5%, but below the trailing 10-week average of +11.1%. The y/y comparison was clean with no holiday shifts. We see continued evidence of difficult comps for summer leisure travel which is most evident in high-end resorts and in the lowest-priced hotels (Economy and some Independents). Upscale RevPAR: +2.4% y/y and +5.2% vs. 2019; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +1.1% y/y and +9.9% vs. 2019.”
For more, read the full report here, read the China/Europe report here, and read the RevPAR monitor here. Upcoming Events
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