In advance of National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month, AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association invite you to join us for a No Room for Trafficking Regional Event on January 9 in Miami Beach, FL. The event builds on the industry’s long-standing commitment to ending this scourge by bringing the entire industry together with the goal of training every hotel employee in identifying and preventing sex and labor trafficking. It also will officially launch It’s a Penalty, the NFL's latest human trafficking prevention campaign, ahead of Super Bowl LIV. Register online or email NRFT@ahla.com.

This year, nearly 17,000 AAHOA Members took advantage of the AAHOA HOTEL OWNERS ACADEMY™, where they had 24/7/365 access to more than 350+ on-demand webinars and in-person workshops via MyAAHOA. ICE audits and how to comply with web accessibility standards were far and away the hottest topics of interest among hoteliers this year, with labor issues – how to lower costs and how to turn those expenses into an asset – following closely behind. How to avoid overpaying on property taxes and how to utilize your front-desk staff as an on-site, untapped sales team also were areas of heightened interest. Click here for to take advantage of the webinars that were top of mind for hoteliers in 2019.

Each year, AAHOA honors hoteliers for their contributions to the hospitality industry. Do you know a hotelier who you feel has gone above and beyond in their efforts? If so, now is the time to nominate him or her for one of eight awards to be bestowed at the 2020 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, April 13-16 in Orlando, FL. This year's categories are: AAHOA Award of Excellence, Cecil B. Day Community Service Award, IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year Award, Outreach Award for Philanthropy, Outstanding Woman Hotelier of the Year Award, Outstanding Young Professional Hotelier Award, Politician Forum Award for Advocacy, and RLH Corporation Bright Innovations Award. The deadline to submit nominations is February 3. You do not need to be an AAHOA Member to submit a nomination.

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 miss out on this great opportunity! Lock in your AAHOA membership at this low price today. 

As 2019 winds down and Christmas approaches, this is a great time to get into the holiday spirit by contributing to the Kennesaw State University Michael Leven and Lee Dushoff AAHOA Scholarship for Compassionate Leadership. The scholarship honors the legacy of two leaders instrumental to AAHOA's founding and provides financial assistance to exceptional students in the school's hospitality program. Your donation is fully tax-deductible and any amount supports the future of our industry, 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 (+19.6%) was the strongest chain scale for branded hotels; Economy was the weakest at +1.5%. Upscale (+8.8%) and Upper Midscale (+6.7%) also underperformed the industry average. We view the timing of Christmas and Chanukah this year pushing most of business travel to the first 2-3 weeks of December. Last week's data indicated that shift with very strong business travel. Group occupancy (a good proxy for business travel) was +28.6% y/y. Day-of-week demand was very strong all week with consistent RevPAR +9-13% all week.”

 

AAHOA Members, get 5 percent off all your everyday purchases when you use the Lowe’s LAR business credit card. There’s no annual fee, and you can make purchases by phone, fax, or at LowesForPros.com. You’ll also be able to take advantage of exclusive cardholder promotions and receive discounted delivery on your purchases! Click here for more details, then contact Anthony Ruiz to get started.

Northeast Bank is a nationwide SBA lender that specializes in owner-occupied commercial real estate, business acquisitions, and refinances. As one of the nation's top SBA hotel lenders, we have the expertise needed to effectively deliver government-backed loans to enhance your hotel - from PIPs to FFE to expansions and more. As an SBA Preferred Lender, our dedicated in-house team can process your loan application faster, helping you secure the capital needed to grow your business. Visit their website today!

AAHOA Members can receive monthly reports that track and compare the valuation levels, trading levels, and credit profile of each of the U.S. publicly traded Hotel C-Corps and Hotel Real Estate Investment Trusts. It includes pro forma adjustments for any announced acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and other corporate actions. All data is based on publicly available information, including equity research analyst estimates. Contact Jonathan Falik for more info.

Sustainability and technology are top of mind for hoteliers as more guests are leaning toward eco-conscious and mobile-friendly travel options. Hotels large and small can find technology to implement for all kinds of sustainability initiatives, from reducing emissions to moderation of resources, and more.

Technology brings up many concerns for hoteliers. What if the tech isn't easy to use? What if it simply doesn't work? Security is now a leading concern and can even affect your brand's reputation. The answer is to invest in stong cybersecurity to protect your guests' information and your brand's reputation.

AETHOS Consulting Group released its predictions for the industry's landscape in the coming year. Politics will be the main driving factor, but the use of programs to develop the next generation of leaders, sustainabilty to improve employee retention, and digital technologies designed to boost customer loyalty also will play a part.
^{(Source: Hotel Online, Photo Credit)}