Regional Director Kalpesh Joshi and his Regional Ambassadors hosted the Upper Midwest Regional Conference & Trade Show Monday in Des Moines, IA, the second of three planned for the region. Secretary Nishant (Neal) Patel and Interim President & CEO Rachel Humphrey gave the AAHOA update, while the trade show gave attendees the opportunity to take advantage of all the great deals offered by our vendor partners. The final regional will be held in Elmhurst, IL, on August 22.

Regional Director Sanjay (Sam) Patel and the Regional Ambassadors hosted the Mid Atlantic Regional Conference & Trade Show in Cherry Hill, NJ, on Wednesday. Andrew LaFevre, director of government affairs for the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association, and David Eisen from HotStats were featured speakers at the event, which also saw more than 50 attendees trained during the Human Trafficking Awareness Training session. Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala, Treasurer Vinay Patel, Secretary Nishant (Neal) Patel, and Interim President & CEO Rachel Humphrey gave the AAHOA update. AAHOA Members also had the opportunity to share their feedback on which issues in the industry are most impactful to their businesses.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst saw the war to stop human trafficking gain 70 new soldiers Tuesday. The two politicians have partnered with AAHOA and AHLA to raise awareness and formulate a unified approach to the issue, which has plagued the nation in general and the hotel industry in particular. “Iowa is committed to leading the charge in the fight against human trafficking, and we are proud to partner with the hotel industry to prevent these horrific acts,” Reynolds said. Employees at the Holiday Inn Mercy Campus in Des Moines participated in a Human Trafficking Awareness Training session. AAHOA Interim President & CEO Rachel Humphrey and AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers were in attendance for the event.

Vice Chairman Biran Patel, Treasurer Vinay Patel, and Young Professional Director Eastern Division Purvi Panwala were featured at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville, TN, today. Biran participated in the "Help Wanted! Dealing with Today and Tomorrow’s Labor Issues" panel, Vinay shared insights during the "Downturn Preparation: Staying Ahead of the Curve" panel, and Purvi represented AAHOA on the "Independent But Not Unbranded" panel. The Hotel Data Conference provides STR data presentations, including pipeline and top markets, and general session presentations, including an industry outlook, and tips and trends on everything from revenue management to digital marketing.

AAHOA remains committed to making a difference in our communities. Northwest Regional Director Hiten Patel and local hosts Arvind Patel and Shirin Patel will host the 16th annual Northwest Region Charity Golf Tournament in Camas, WA, at the Camas Meadows Golf Club on August 19. The sold-out event will benefit Make A Wish Oregon, BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA, and the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation. Later that week, on August 24-25, North Carolina Regional Director Akshat Patel and local hosts Jay (Trini) Patel, Rashmikant (Haji) Patel, and Vimal Hardev will host the Charlotte Charity Golf Tournament at The Golf Club at Ballantyne. The two-day event, which also is sold out, will raise money to support 11 charities, including the USO of NC and Samaritan's Feet. 

Registration is open for the newly reimagined HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA. The two-day hospitality industry conference and expo in New York City, November 10-11, will feature 24 curated educational sessions, exclusive young professional hoteliers opportunities and events, networking with top industry leaders and professionals, and an expo featuring hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest trends and technology to help take your property to the next level. Register today using promo code AAHOA19 to receive a free two-day expo pass, $50 off the full-conference pass, or $25 off the one-day conference pass.

RLH Corporation has expanded its WILL (Women In Leadership & Learning) to include the franchisee community and is inviting women franchisees and decision-makers to participate in its WILL Leadership Development Series webinars. These 90-minute complimentary leadership sessions will explore personal-growth topics via video conferencing and will be conducted by leading organizational psychologist and human resources expert Michelle Crosby, PhD. Guest speakers will include Female Director Eastern Division Lina Patel and Female Director Western Division Nimisha Patel. The two webinars, "Leading vs. Managing" (August 27) and "5 Behaviors of an Effective Team" (October 22), promote the professional development and empowerment of women leaders in the hospitality industry. Register today.

What have you missed this week? Regional Director Kalpesh Joshi and his Ambassadors hosted the Upper Midwest Regional Conference & Trade Show in Des Moines, IA; Regional Director Sanjay (Sam) Patel and his Ambassadors hosted the Mid Atlantic Regional Conference & Trade Show in Cherry Hill, NJ; Vice Chairman Biran Patel, Treasurer Vinay Patel, and Young Professional Director Eastern Division Purvi Panwala were featured at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville, TN. Check out the AAHOA Facebook page to see our members doing great things!

Join us for the Regional Conference & Trade Show closest to you for access to top vendors, incredible networking opportunities, and region-specific industry updates you won't see anywhere else. These events are open to all hotel owners, even if you're not yet a member. Plus, Lifetime Members receive a free golf shirt for attending.

 

 

 

 

Town Halls are a great opportunity to build your professional network and to learn more about AAHOA programs and resources available to help you strengthen every aspect of your business. These events are open to all hotel owners, even if you're not already a member. Coming up soon:

 

 

August 22 - Alabama Town Hall Meeting - Montgomery, AL 

 

 

Registration continues for the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) program, which will take place September 17-18 in Orlando, FL. AAHOA Members in good standing are eligible for a deeply discounted rate to receive the training, which is the only hotel-related certification for industry professionals that focuses specifically on analytics. The rate is the lowest available in the industry, so encourage nonmember hoteliers in your region to join AAHOA, and sign up today to participate in this valuable training.

 

 

HBO, the oldest and longest continuously operating pay TV service in the U.S., is offering AAHOA Members the chance to earn money back. Members get a rebate of $9 per room (5-year contract) or $7 per room (3-year contract) when they add the service at their properties. Click here today to complete the rebate form and get started.

Spectrum Enterprise Solutions builds business-to-business solutions with a people-to-people focus, providing the bandwidth and support AAHOA Members need to accelerate business. Spectrum’s largest customers enjoy enterprise-grade voice, video, data, network, cloud, and managed services via a flexible and secure fiber-based network. For more information, contact David Fitts today!

AAHOA Members, get preferred access to the market's best rates and terms. Non-recourse bridge and permanent loans, as well as refinance and acquisition hotel loans available. LTVs up to 75 percent off with potential for cash-out. Contact Rushi Shah for a no-obligation pre-approval.

Hotel Tech Report has initiated a program to rate hotel software vendors. Tech companies can become HTR Global Support Certified vendors to let hoteliers know that they are committed to customer support. With better customer service comes less downtime for software upgrades and fewer unused software features.

Mentoring is often associated with academia or trades requiring specific skill sets. The hospitality industry requires so many different roles it would seem mentoring wouldn't have a place in hotels. However, since the industry is seeing a lack of available skilled labor, mentoring could be the way to get the high-quality employees many hoteliers are seeking.

When hotel groups have many soft brands, or even one brand with multiple locations, finding the correct design for each location can be difficult. Accor has found the path to design success: one brand, one identity, one design. Accor takes one design concept and applies it to each of its 33 brands in a way that makes sense for the particular brand and also fits with the overall group aesthetic.