UPDATED: Calling all G6, Wyndham, Hyatt, Best Western, Choice, Red Roof, RLHC and La Quinta owners! These franchisors have agreed to offer a QA holiday for AAHOA member-owners who attend the 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, so contact the AAHOA office now to register your property and enjoy an inspections-free convention week! 

Over 800 hospitality owners, managers and students made the 2017 Converge on the Capitol with Texas Hotel & Lodging Association last week a smashing success. We spoke with nearly every single member of the Texas Senate and House about our top issues, making this one of the most successful state lobby days in AAHOA’s history. Thanks to all who made the trip to help AAHOA make a difference!

On Tuesday, February 21, the Florida House Appropriations Committee approved a measure that would significantly cut travel and tourism funding in the state. AAHOA is currently working closely with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) and other advocacy partners to oppose this harmful proposal. Florida members, click here to send a letter to your local elected officials in support of tourism!

Last week, AAHOA hosted its second small delegation meeting of the year in Washington, D.C. At this event, AAHOA members from Georgia and New Jersey convened for a full day of legislative meetings to discuss the importance of 1031 like-kind exchanges and the growing threat of ADA "drive-by" lawsuits. 

AAHOA will host its first workshop on how to develop a hotel next week, March 2–3, in Dallas. The workshop will be facilitated by longtime AAHOA member and educator Tarun Kapoor, who has been instrumental in the creation of many AAHOA member-owned management companies, including NewcrestImage, DKN, Paragon Hotel Company and many others. The workshop is now full. Check the AAHOA Events calendar for more information and to find out when the next workshop date is finalized! 

Here’s your chance to meet face-to-face with the 79th Legislative Assembly at the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association's Taste Oregon event, a hosted reception for industry members and Legislators. Register now to attend!

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The integration of the Sheraton brand into Marriott International’s portfolio creates synergies, according to brand leader Brian McGuinness. And there is definitely room for improvement from the brand, according to president and CEO Arne Sorenson.

If you happen to tune in to watch the Academy Awards this Sunday, chances are you’ll catch Hyatt’s new ad campaign, "For a World of Understanding." Shot on location in Thailand, Morocco, and Spain the campaign shows a series of vignettes of travelers in those three cities, while Andra Day sings her own rendition of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s iconic song, "What the World Needs Now is Love."

Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta said the economic policies considered by the Trump administration are likely to outweigh the effects of the potential fallout from President Donald Trump's attempts at travel restrictions. The head of the second-largest U.S. hotel company, behind Marriott International, also said Hilton could unveil a soft brand, the company's third, by the end of the year, and he added that the direct-booking campaign is pulling reservations away from OTAs and other intermediaries.

In the rapidly changing digital marketplace, hotels are faced with a difficult balancing act. They want to attract as many guests as possible but don’t want so many of those guests booking through third-party intermediaries that commissions really start to eat into revenue growth. An empty hotel room benefits no one, but relying too heavily on online travel agencies (OTAs) and metasearch websites for customers comes at a hefty cost.

As of Jan. 22, 2017, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began requiring all employers to use a new version of Form I-9 for employment eligibility verification. The approved I-9 revisions include the addition of "smart" features for filling out the form as well content-based changes that add new fields and update the language found in others.

Renovations can be lumped into two basic categories: light and complete. Determining which suits your current needs is a good first step. This article is dedicated to the light category, as it is the type of renovation program you will experience most often as well as the one that represents the best opportunity for immediate returns.