Hotelier Weekly
May 30, 2024
Champion PTAC, LLC
AAHOA News
AAHOA's First Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows of 2024 Are Smashing Successes
  
Congratulations to the Greater Los Angeles Area and South Pacific Regions on a spectacular start to the year! With over 750 attendees, the event raised an impressive $50,000+ for the AAHOA PAC. The HYPE and HerOwnership event that followed was also a tremendous success.
 
The North Pacific Hotel Owners Conference & Trade Show was highly successful. Among the attendees were Alex Bastian, President and CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco, and Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco. Dr. Reddy noted in his remarks that he appreciated AAHOA's considerable impact on the U.S. economy and its efforts to strengthen trade relations between the U.S. and India, especially in the hospitality sector.
 
Combined, the two events welcomed 20 new AAHOA Members. AAHOA looks forward to the continued success of the Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows over the next several months.
SAVE THE DATE! AAHOA 2024 Fall National Advocacy Conference
  
The 2024 Fall National Advocacy Conference (FNAC) will be here before we know it. Save the date and ensure you're ready to convene on Capitol Hill with fellow AAHOA Members to advocate for America's hotel owners.
 
The 2024 AAHOA Fall National Advocacy Conference is taking place Sept. 18-19, 2024, in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club.
 
AAHOA's Spring and Fall National Advocacy Conferences bring together industry leaders and hoteliers to engage in discussions with elected officials on issues that matter most to the hospitality industry. By participating, you are helping to make a difference for hotel owners and operators nationwide.
 
Stay tuned for further details as the event gets closer; AAHOA will soon launch the waitlist for those interested in attending. 
Attention AAHOA Members: Claim Your Share of the $5.54B Settlement with Visa/Mastercard!
  
What You Need to Know
  • A lawsuit alleging excessive fees charged to business owners by Visa and Mastercard has recently been settled.
  • Businesses that accepted Visa and Mastercard credit cards from 2004 to 2019 could potentially receive a portion of a $5.54 billion settlement.
  • Act soon: Claims must be submitted by June 30, 2024.
 
Time Is Running Out - Act Now!
Don't miss out on your opportunity to receive funds from a $5.54 billion settlement reached with Visa and Mastercard for merchants who used their credit card services between January 1, 2004, and January 31, 2019.
AAHOA Welcomes Memorial Day Travel Reports, Looks Forward to Strong Summer
  
AAHOA welcomes the good news about the record highway and air travel numbers set over Memorial Day weekend and is optimistic about the tone it sets for summer travel.
 
"With the summer travel season underway, the numbers from Memorial Day weekend travel, considered the kickoff to summer, indicate great things for America's hotel industry during the upcoming summer months," AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel said.
 
The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) reported a staggering 2.95 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Friday, May 24, surpassing a previous record set last year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
 
In a LinkedIn poll conducted over Memorial Day, AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake asked users about their preferred hotel amenities. The results were as follows: 76% of respondents indicated "great mattress and pillows" as their top choice, followed by 10% who selected "contactless check-in," and 9% for "electric vehicle charging stations."
Lead Designs LLC
Ajmera Law Group
AAHOA Advocacy in Action
Lawsuit Filed Regarding Final 2024 Overtime Rule of the Department of Labor
  
A lawsuit challenging the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final 2024 Overtime Rule was filed on Wednesday, May 22.
 
Why is this Important?
On April 23, 2024, the DOL published its final Overtime Rule, which would have increased the salary threshold for overtime pay eligibility from $35,568 to $43,888 on July 1, 2024, and then to $58,656 by January 1, 2025. In addition, starting July 2027, the threshold would be automatically raised every three years.
 
AAHOA’s Role  
AAHOA sent a letter opposing the proposed rule in November 2023 to the Department of Labor Acting Secretary Julie A. Su, illustrating our concerns and the negative impact the rule would have on AAHOA Members.
 
“AAHOA represents nearly 20,000 members owning more than 60% of all hotels in the United States,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “This 2024 Overtime Rule will undoubtedly have a negative impact on all hoteliers and their operations. We commend the filing of the lawsuit to vacate and set aside the Rule, and enjoin the DOL from implementing it. The DOL was stopped from implementing a similar rule back in 2017. We trust the Court will stop them once again to protect employers across the country.”
 
We will work to keep AAHOA Members informed as the situation evolves.
Featured Content
Get a Discount on CBRE Hotels Research Reports
AAHOA Members: CBRE has an exclusive discount code when purchasing a Hotels Research Report!

During the checkout process, use the following discount code when prompted to receive a 10% discount:  AAHOA_CBRE24
 
Take advantage of this discount code and purchase a CBRE Hotels Research Report today!
HerOwnership
SAVE THE DATE! AAHOA 2024 HerOwnership Conference & Retreat
  
Get ready for the Third Annual AAHOA HerOwnership Conference & Retreat! Join us on Sept. 12-13, 2024, in beautiful Redondo Beach, CA, for two inspiring days of networking, learning, and growth tailored for women in hospitality.
 
Mark your calendars now, and stay tuned for more details coming soon! You won't want to miss this empowering event.
American Pride Bank
Charter Communications Operating, LLC
Member Testimonial

"It's an amazing opportunity to be able to come into a room with people from all over the hospitality industry and have the opportunity to connect with everyone around."

-Grant Gordon, Kennesaw State University, AAHOACON24 Collegiate Hotel Turnaround Competition Participant

Hotel Equities
Red Roof Inn
Featured Club Blue Member
O'CONNOR & ASSOCIATES
  
O’Connor is the largest property tax consulting firm in the United States. O’Connor’s team of professionals possess the resources and unparalleled market expertise in the areas of property tax, cost segregation, and commercial and residential real estate appraisals. Their proven solutions continue to help taxpayers reduce their annual property tax rates. To learn more information about potentially reducing your property taxes, visit their website.
DISH Business
Panasonic
Featured Member Benefit
DOCYT
  
Docyt, pronounced “docket”, is a bundled, integrated, AI-powered accounting automation software platform. Docyt AI’s super power is enabling much faster decision making. Because it digitizes financial data, automates workflows, and continuously reconciles the books, you get real-time accounting. It also reduces the cost and technical complexity of bookkeeping and back-office tasks for businesses and their accountants.
Featured Platinum/Silver Partner
BEST WESTERN HOTELS & RESORTS
  
BWH Hotels is a leading global hospitality enterprise comprised of three hotel companies including WorldHotels™, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotels®. The global enterprise boasts approximately 4,300 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide. With 19 unique brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotels suits the needs of developers and guests in every market as each brand offers its own personality and style.
Red Lion Hotel Corp - Sonesta
PayRange
Industry News
CoStar, Hotels Slam Consumers' ‘Fanciful’ Room Pricing Lawsuit
In litigation being watched across the industry, the defendants in a case alleging hotel room price fixing have asked a U.S. judge to dismiss the "implausible and legally deficient" case, saying there is no proof of illegal activities.
(Source: Reuters)
U.S. Hotels’ Hot Start in May Should Taper, but Weekday and Group Demand Are Steady Nationwide
The hospitality industry is heading into the always-busy summer travel season on a relative hot streak, with May occupancy reaching the highest levels of the year thus far.
(Source: CoStar)
The Cost Difference Between Hotels & Airbnbs in Every U.S. State
Travelers choosing lodging based purely on price are likely to pick short-term rentals, like Airbnb or Vrbo, vs. traditional hotel accommodations, so hoteliers are leaning heavily into the services and amenities they alone can offer.
(Source: Upgraded Points)
Naylor Association Solutions
Naylor Association Solutions
Today's Hotelier

Pushing an Impactful National Advocacy Agenda in Washington, D.C.

In mid-March, as part of the 2024 Spring National Advocacy Conference (SNAC), AAHOA hosted more than 200 key AAHOA leaders and members for two days in Washington, D.C., for an event designed specifically to allow members of the largest hotel owners association in the world to speak directly with legislators responsible for shaping policy and legislative activity in the years and decades to come.

The Conference opened with a legislative learning session at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, followed by an evening Congressional Reception at the Cannon House Office Building, and then a full day of Congressional meetings.

Read more