AAHOA has partnered with P&G Professional, a worldwide leader and trusted name in professional-grade cleaning products, to create the AAHOA/P&G Professional’s Training in Hotel Sanitization and Cleanliness. This all-new, all-digital program, which is being offered through the AAHOA Hotel Owners Academy^TM, covers what hoteliers need to know as it relates to the effective sanitization of their property, including infection prevention and control, high-touch points, sanitizing soft surfaces, communications, elevating the guest experience, and more! This program is completely FREE and is available not only to AAHOA Members but to the entire hospitality industry. It also features a downloadable Resource Guide with more helpful information and resources from P&G Professional. Sign up for this valuable training today!

AAHOA Vice Chair Vinay Patel was among the featured guests on HotelREBOOT's “Podference” session yesterday. Vinay shared his insights on the new rules of hotel investment for buying, selling, and building and what hoteliers must know to get the best deal possible during Panel 3: Refinance & Reinvest. Chairman Biran Patel offered his expertise on Panel 2: Reinvent: Hotel Ownership & Management during the July 8 session. Attendees learned best practices regarding how hoteliers are rethinking what it means to run a hotel, as well as changes that increase efficiencies, save money, and exceed customer expectations. The “Podference” sessions are designed to help hoteliers meet the challenges of the pandemic-ravaged marketplace.

AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel, Vice Chair Vinay Patel, Treasurer Nishant (Neal) Patel, and President & CEO Cecil P. Staton will be among the featured speakers Sept. 21-24 when the 26th annual Lodging Conference kicks off at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ. The event brings together the hotel industry's most influential owners, operators, presidents, CEOs, and dealmakers to strategize about development, finance, franchising, management, construction, design, and operations. The gathering is not just a conference, it's a Think Tank where everybody in attendance has the opportunity to join in the conversation, discuss issues, and solve problems. This year's conference is expected to sell out as it has the past six years in a row, so register today!

AAHOA continues to host virtual events around the country. The virtual event series is designed to help hotel owners remain connected with AAHOA Officers, board members, staff, and each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make plans to join us for this and other upcoming virtual events. You also can visit the virtual events archive to view past recordings in their entirety.

In the wake of the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, AAHOA is bringing you a series of webcasts that will keep you informed and help determine next steps for your business. We have educated more than 25,000 hoteliers to date and feature more than 140 webcasts separated by category in our library. AAHOA is making these webcasts available to the industry, so be sure to share with those in your network, whether they're an AAHOA Member or not. 

 

Register Now for These Upcoming Webcasts: 

• Getting Back to Business: Success Strategies, Part 2 – Increase Productivity with Cross Functionality, 3-3:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 23
• Getting Back to Business: Coronavirus Legislation That May Increase Your Tax Deductions – Part I, 3-3:30 p.m. EDT Monday, July 27
• Getting Back to Business: Navigating Insurance Claims in a Post-COVID World, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 28
• Getting Back to Business: Essential Tips for Appropriate CARES Act Funds Usage, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, July 29
• Getting Back to Business: 5 Key Ways to Grow Your Hotel’s Reputation Fast, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 30
• Getting Back to Business: Contactless Solutions for Healthy Guest Journeys, 3-3:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 30
• Getting Back to Business: Maximize the Opportunity to Reinvent Travel, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT Friday, July 31
• Getting Back to Business: 4 Pillars of Online Reputation Management, 3-3:30 p.m. EDT Monday, August 3
• Getting Back to Business: Coronavirus Legislation on NOL Carrybacks & Other Provisions – Part II, 11-11:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, August 4
• Getting Back to Business: Antimicrobial and Other Technology for the Ultimate Clean Guest Room, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, August 5
• Getting Back to Business: Success Strategies, Part 3 – Building and Revising Budgets in an Evolving Market, 3-3:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, August 6

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey wrote, “Economy (-27.5%) was the relatively strongest chain scale for branded hotels; Luxury was the weakest at -77.6%. Upscale (-62.3%) underperformed the industry average; Upper Midscale (-49.9%) outperformed. Now that we have passed the positive benefit from the Independence Day holiday (pent-up demand in some markets), the most recent STR results reflect what we find is likely a plateau of performance. Last week's RevPAR results were sequentially worse than the running 28-day average (industry and all chain scales). The sequential declines are both occupancy and rate driven although rate loss remains somewhat more modest/"less worse" in Luxury, Midscale, and Economy. The loss of higher-rated corporate demand (both the independent business traveler and group/convention) has impacted the mix of business especially for Upper Upscale and Upscale hotels, where rate loss is most material and the negative impact to margins likely most evident. The impact from rising COVID-19 cases is clearly evident in last week's trends and unfortunately a reflection that most corporate demand is unlikely to return to most hotels anytime soon. Among the few positive outliers: drive-to and generally price accommodating leisure destinations.”

As North America’s leading hospitality procurement services provider, Avendra offers AAHOA Members competitive pricing from its 800+ supplier contracts. Earn huge savings on engineering, rooms operations, administrative, replacement FF&E, and more! Visit www.avendra.com or call 866-AVENDRA and start saving today!

From the beginning, every Amana® brand product has been made with the same core philosophy: to provide our customers with high-quality products that are reliable, meet their needs, and last longer than the rest. And we keep that philosophy firmly in mind as we build our industry-leading Amana brand Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTACs) and other heating and cooling products. Amana brand PTACs are designed to simplify your business with plain-and-simple product durability and advanced energy management features, while helping you to create the best environmental experience possible for your customer. For more information, contact Byron Cortez or check out the website.

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. Visit the website, then contact Rushi Shah for a no-obligation pre-approval.

COVID-19 affected every industry, but how the outlook will improve is still uncertain. Hotel construction has continued, but what happens when leisure drops at the end of the summer? The small resurgence in leisure travel has been encouraging as drive-to markets see upticks in demand, panelists said. But there is plenty of uncertainty about corporate group demand once the summer ends.

Hotels continue down the road to recovery and are anticipating future needs to be based on what we have learned from COVID-19. Cleanliness conversations are directed toward hospital-grade sanitization. Travelers are more likely to drive than they are to fly, among other slight changes. Hotel owners are taking these points and more into consideration when planning for the future of their properties.

The hotel industry has entered another period of financial distress after seeing record profit levels. While aftershockls of the COVID-19 pandemic are still affecting the industry, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Pricing will continue to decline, but bookings are expected to increase in late 2020.