AAHOA Chairman Bruce Patel and AAHOA Vice Chairman Bhavesh Patel will serve as panelists at the 2016 NABHOOD Summit in Miami Beach. Chairman Patel will join the CEO panel to discuss "A View from the Top" alongside Bill Fortier (Hilton), Julius Roberson (Marriott), Warren Fields (Pyramid Advisors) and Norm Jenkins (Capstone). Vice Chairman Patel will serve on the panel for "Feasibility and Marketing Studies: Why Are They So Important?" along with Ed Xanders of Marriott, Hilton and RLJ Trust.

The House Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup this week to consider the ADA Education and Reform Act (H.R. 3765), a bill that aims to limit "drive-by" lawsuits and decrease barriers to access for individuals with disabilities. This is biggest legislative achievement since the issue was introduced in 2000 and brings us even closer to realizing common-sense ADA reform. Stay tuned for more updates!

Preparation for FNAC 2016 is well underway. During this two-day (Sept. 6-7) event in Washington, D.C., AAHOA members will receive industry updates, attend networking receptions and meet with their federal elected officials to advocate on behalf of the hospitality industry. Stay tuned for registration information and event logistics!

AAHOA set up shop at LPS of USA’s annual convention and trade show last month in Cincinnati, where 2015 AAHOA Chairman Jay R. "Jimmy" Patel and AAHOA member Nancy Patel were elected secretary and treasurer, respectively. Congrats to LPS on another successful event! 

Revenue management techniques that will help you look differently at all the parts that add up to the bottom line. Understand who your most profitable customer is and how to create the "Optimized Revenue" equation. Learn how to work with the OTAs and strengthen other income streams. Presented by Kate Burda, principal of Kate Burda & Co. (Pssst... don’t miss out on the other upcoming AAHOA webinars! Check here for a full calendar.)

Are you checking the AAHOA Events calendar regularly? We hope so! We’re right on the edge of AAHOA’s busy events season, and we need you to get involved! Southeast Texas, North Pacific, Southwest and Northwest members – you’re up this week!

The next AAHOA CHO workshop is coming to Houston, Texas, on July 11. Don’t forget – it’s FREE for AAHOA members, so what are you waiting for? We hope to see you there! 

2015 was another positive year for the online travel agencies (OTA) sector, which recorded healthy growth. The two leading players within this sector, Expedia and The Priceline Group, registered strong performances, although it was the Chinese player Ctrip that achieved the strongest growth to become the third global OTA giant.

Some of the very best cities on the planet can be found in the continental United States — so is it any wonder that some of the most exciting hotels are found in the lower 48?

Battling blazes, even in small towns, is not for the faint of heart. Tens of thousands of firefighters are injured in the U.S. every year, and Albers takes those risks every time he gets the call and puts on the uniform. John Albers is a fourth-generation volunteer firefighter in Alpharetta, Georgia, a small community in the suburbs of Atlanta.

You’ve done everything right. You have a cash-flowing hotel in a high-demand market, good operating history, a desirable flag and quality sponsor. You’re on top of property improvements, RevPAR is on point and you began your search for financing well before your mortgage matures. Somehow, you still haven’t found the right financing. What could you be missing?