AAHOA President & CEO, Laura Lee Blake, was recently quoted in a Forbes article regarding the possible Choice/Wyndham merger.

 

Choice Hotels has launched an exchange offer to acquire Wyndham for $49.50 in cash and 0.324 shares of Choice common stock per Wyndham share, valuing the deal at approximately $86 per share. The proposed merger aims to create the largest budget hotel franchisor in North America. However, Wyndham's board remains skeptical, stating that the offer appears unchanged from previously rejected proposals.

 

AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, with nearly 20,0000 members who own 60% of hotels in the nation, announced today the launch of HYPE Ownership: Helping Young Professionals Evolve, an initiative dedicated to fostering the growth and success of emerging hoteliers within AAHOA and across the broader industry.

 

The holiday spirit came alive as the AAHOA staff gathered for a festive celebration at the iconic Red Phone Booth in downtown Atlanta. The evening was a dazzling affair filled with camaraderie and cheer, set against the backdrop of this exclusive speakeasy-style venue. Attendees enjoyed a delicious spread of food and a selection of expertly crafted drinks that added a touch of sophistication to the night.

 

The highlight of the evening was the AAHOA Awards, where several employees were bestowed awards that fellow staff members nominated them for. AAHOA CSO Heather Carnes won the "Dressed to Kill" and "Future CEO" awards, AAHOA Director of Marketing Nancy Taylor won "Fire Extinguisher" award, and AAHOA Director of Convention Alyson Corey won "The Coach" award, to name a few.

 

In addition to the awards, the night was punctuated with lively games and entertainment, fostering a sense of unity and shared joy. The AAHOA staff celebrated the holiday season in grand style, creating lasting memories and strengthening their bonds as they ushered in the festive spirit at this exquisite Atlanta venue.
 
 Stay tuned for an official video of the highlights from the AAHOA Holiday Party!

Read the e-book from Hotel Management that highlights just a bit of the content from AAHOA’s 2023 HerOwnership Conference & Retreat, held November 2-3 at The Beeman Hotel in Dallas. Nearly 300 registrants signed up to take part in the packed schedule of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities over the two-day event.

 

AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake opened the conference with a moving message. “In this room, I see leaders, innovators, and trailblazers. You are shaping the landscape of this industry, and you are rewriting the narrative of what women in this industry can achieve,” she said.

 

 

 

 

 

New Orleans-based Gauthier, Murphy & Houghtaling Law has had a leading role in litigation that has shaped the civil landscape in the U.S. for more than 50 years. Their attorneys have extensive experience representing clients in many areas, including business litigation, natural disaster litigation, class actions, insurance disputes, and more and have secured hundreds of billions of dollars (yes, with a "B") in verdicts and settlements for their clients. Check out their website to see how they can help with your legal needs.

AAHOA is proud to collaborate with Kennesaw State University to establish the Michael Leven and Lee Dushoff AAHOA Scholarship for Compassionate Leadership. This annual scholarship will support students seeking an undergraduate degree in hospitality management. For more on the qualifications and how to apply, please call 470-578-2206. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the scholarship endowment, please click here.

There have been countless headlines recently about artificial intelligence and its possibilities for impacting the hospitality industry, but we've barely scratched the surface with regards to this technology's capabilities.
(Source: Hospitality World)

With hotel and restaurant workers in painfully short supply, industry representatives are continuing to push for relaxed or modified visa regulations in an attempt to broaden the hiring pool.
(Source: Law360)

With independent properties thriving, growth opportunities outside the brand sphere is as attractive as ever.
(Source: Hotel Business)

Truist Securities reports, “Overall U.S. RevPAR was +3.3% y/y for the week ending 12/9/2023, per STR, above the prior week's result of -0.8%, and above the trailing 10-week average of +2.5%. Versus 2019, RevPAR was +17.0%, above the prior week’s result of +0.1%, and effectively in-line with the trailing 10-week average of +16.9%. As we expected, last week had better sequential results, driven by a higher mix of business and group travel than the prior two weeks which were more leisure-centric. Of the three customer segments, business and group are the relatively outperforming customer segments of late, especially group. Results, especially for luxury hotels, from two weeks ago were also negatively impacted by the timing of Art Basel in Miami whereas last week was helped (Miami RevPAR +67.0% y/y). Upscale RevPAR: +4.4% y/y and +10.1% vs. 2019; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +1.0% y/y and +13.8% vs. 2019.”
For more, read the full report here, read the China/Europe report here, and read the RevPAR monitor here.