The last issue before the 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show features Kalibri Labs CEO Cindy Estis Green on "Demystifying the Digital Marketplace" and offers lessons for the hospitality industry taken from an unlikely source – the sharing economy.

The 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show is less than two months out. Have you registered? Checked out what’s on the agenda? Booked your flight and hotel room? We've got a fantastic lineup of speakers and entertainers you don't want to miss! See you in San Antonio! 

AAHOA convention attendees: We would love for you to participate in the annual AAHOA PAC Golf Tournament on Tuesday, April 11. Tournament registration is just $150 per person, or $600 for a group of four. Registration includes green fees, cart, putting contest, breakfast and lunch. Not to mention, the proceeds will support the AAHOA PAC, which advocates for hoteliers and small business owners in Washington, D.C. and state capitols across the country! Click here to register right now. Still unsure if you want to participate in this unbelievable opportunity? Please contact Jordan, who can answer any questions you may have.

On May 17–18, AAHOA will be partnering with the American Hotel & Lodging Association to host the largest advocacy conference to ever hit the hospitality industry. Trust us; you don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to meet members of congress, network and celebrate the strength of our industry in vibrant Washington, D.C.! 

The AAHOA Government Affairs team is bringing together Arizona small business owners and lawmakers for a day of face-to-face discussion. As with all state capitol days, this is an unparalleled opportunity to meet with your elected officials and let them know firsthand what issues matter to YOU. Don’t miss out! 

Calling all Tennessee hoteliers! Meet and speak with your elected officials next Wednesday, March 8, during the Tennessee State Capitol Lobby Day.

It’s that time of year again! Chances are, your regional director has scheduled one or two town halls over the next few weeks, and we encourage you to get involved! With less than two months to go until the 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, it’s the perfect time to find out what’s going on in your region. Click here to visit the list of town halls on the AAHOA Event Calendar! 

March 3
Georgia Region Town Hall, Macon, Georgia

March 4
North Central Town Hall, Lincoln Park, Michigan

March 6
Northeast Region Town Hall, Batavia, New York
North Texas Town Hall, Longview, Texas
Upper Midwest Town Hall, Hillside, Illinois
Mid South Town Hall, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
South Central Texas Town Hall, McAllen, Texas
Mid Atlantic Town Hall, Wilmington, Delaware

March 7
Northeast Region Town Hall, Glenmont, New York
North Texas Town Hall, Irving, Texas
North Carolina Town Hall, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Georgia Region Town Hall, Atlanta, Georgia

March 8
Northeast Region Town Hall, Bethel, Connecticut
Mid Atlantic Town Hall, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

March 9
Mid Atlantic Town Hall, Edison, New Jersey

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There isn’t a single Tru by Hilton property open and operating today, but there are some clear signs it is already arguably among Hilton’s most successful brands. Officials with Tru by Hilton, launched in early 2016, said the brand has seen the fastest takeoff in Hilton’s history from a development perspective, even though the first property won’t open until early spring.

By the year 2020, the industry will see a new breed of highly sophisticated and digital native hotel guests who will be better informed, seek unique experiences, have higher expectations and also expect recognition. But hoteliers may not be ready for them: According to a new report, the industry technology remains stuck in the early 2000s. 

It’s been a little over a year since the major hotel companies initiated their direct booking offensive in an attempt to take away share from online travel agencies [OTAs] and other third-party distribution parties. And in that time, quarter by quarter, hotel CEOs have told us they’ve seen significant changes in how consumers are choosing to book with them, and in how many travelers are signing up for their respective loyalty programs.

When Airbnb first landed on the scene, Bashar Wali had a spiel in his pocket, always at the ready for anyone who asked him about the sharing-economy site. "There were two types of Airbnb customers," says the principal and president of Provenance Hotels. "There’s the couch surfer who wants to go crash somewhere at $25 a night because that’s all he or she can afford. And those are not hotel customers... looking for exclusively value."

This January, the Republican Party celebrated its near-historic domination of the federal government and state governments nationwide with the swearing in of President Donald J. Trump and the opening gavels of dozens of state legislatures across the country. History tells us it could very well be short-lived.

Outer space may be the only place to escape the onslaught of the newly famous cadre of alternative lodging companies categorized as a part of the sharing economy, including but not limited to HomeAway (owned by Expedia), HomeToGo, Vacation Rentals By Owner (otherwise known as VRBO), Couchsurfing, onefinestay (recently acquired by Accor), FlipKey (owned by TripAdvisor) and, of course, the behemoth that is Airbnb.

PHOTO: UBER.