At this week's RLH Corporation Conference, Brand Showcase & Expo in Las Vegas, Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala used her personal success story to inspire other hoteliers, and she also urged attendees to take advantage of the complimentary AAHOA membership offered to RLH owners. During the Women in Leadership & Learning session, RLH's initiative to get more women hoteliers involved in leadership roles, AAHOA COO & VP of Franchise Relations Rachel Humphrey, Female Director Eastern Division Lina Patel, and Female Director Western Division Nimisha Patel shared their experiences – and successes – as women leaders in hospitality to encourage other women to seek positions on the leadership level as well as the property level. And congrats to Arkansas Regional Director Girish (Gary) Patel for being honored with the RLH Humanitarian Award for his charitable works.

Have you registered for the 2020 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, set for April 13-16 in Orlando, FL, yet? If not, what are you waiting for? The networking opportunities with hoteliers, industry leaders, and vendors alone are worth the price of admission. The deadline to be automatically entered to win four FREE nights of hotel accommodations at one of AAHOA’s host hotels is Sunday.* Lifetime Members, register by Feb. 13, 2020, to receive complimentary registration.** If you are not yet an AAHOA Lifetime Member, upgrade today!

AAHOA membership offers a wealth of unparalleled education and networking opportunities to help hoteliers grow their businesses. Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, Annual Member dues will increase to $199, but you can secure yours at the current rate of $159 by joining or renewing no later than Dec. 31, 2019. Don't delay. Get in under the wire and lock in your AAHOA membership today. 

'Tis the season of giving, so what better time than now to contribute to the Kennesaw State University Michael Leven and Lee Dushoff AAHOA Scholarship for Compassionate Leadership? The scholarship, which honors the legacy of two leaders instrumental to AAHOA's founding, provides financial assistance to exceptional students in the hospitality program. Your donation is fully tax-deductible, so give today. Visit community.kennesaw.edu/aahoa, or contact Seth Walker to make your contribution.

Head over to Facebook regularly to see our members doing great things around the nation!

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. 

An accurate 2020 Census is vital to hoteliers, as the once-a-decade head count of everyone living in the U.S. provides important data on communities, including trends in the population, growth projections, and demographic information. This information helps hotels and other businesses make better-informed decisions regarding expansions, closures, hiring strategies, and other business practices. Watch the webinar, The 2020 Census and Your Hotel Business, to learn more about the importance of the 2020 Census.

AAHOA's exclusive members-only webinars provide insights on the latest topics and ideas in hotel ownership. Accessible via MyAAHOA.com, sign in today to browse topics, track your professional development goals, and review all of AAHOA's educational offerings. 

 

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey reports, “Luxury (+6.8%) was the strongest chain scale for branded hotels; Upscale was the weakest at -2.0%. Upper Midscale (-1.2%) also underperformed the industry average. Last week's data reflected the impact of the Chanukah calendar shift (the holiday started Sunday night, Dec. 2, 2018, vs. Sunday, Dec. 22 this year) and some wintery weather toward the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Group results were generally strong in the Top 25 markets. Chicago and Orlando had particularly strong RevPAR results, which we assume is related to strong citywides: Chicago Group RevPAR was +140.2% y/y and Orlando was +64.4%. Given the size of these markets (amongst the largest hotel markets in the country), we assume the strong results in Chicago and Orlando materially contributed to the headline RevPAR results.”

 

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.

Available in more than 50 countries, Rheem’s water heating product line innovates advanced technology and all-new ways to deliver just the right temperature while saving energy and water, and supporting a more sustainable future. This year, Rheem launched an initiative called "A Greater Degree of Good," which includes aggressive goals to re-imagine its products and global manufacturing operations to reduce its environmental footprint. For more info on Rheem’s sustainability initiative and cutting-edge water heating solutions, visit www.rheem.com.

Better Buildings provides hotel owners with free technology solutions, market expertise, and a network of peers to identify cost-saving efficiency measures. Contact Holly Carr for more information on the Department of Energy's drive to make the nation’s homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants more energy efficient.

When looking at global trends, it’s not a surprise that a women-only hotel would be well-received. A study by British Airways revealed that more than 50 percent of women from the UK, U.S., India, Brazil, China, Italy, Germany, and France between the ages of 18 and 64 have traveled on their own already and 75 percent are planning to do so in the coming years. So, safety is a priority. The Som Dona Hotel in Mallorca is a women-only hotel that is also comprised of mostly women on staff. 

Millennials are top news stories across all industries, especially when it comes to disrupting or "killing" what was once a top seller. Millennials are also a huge percentage of today's travelers, so identifying and understanding their needs can boost bottom lines. Hoteliers can tap into this resource by implementing mobile-friendly technology and focusing on the economy segment, among other methods. 

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