In our ongoing celebration of Women's History Month, AAHOA was pleased to host "A Celebration of Women in Hotel Ownership" on Tuesday. The live virtual event featured top women hoteliers from around the nation who shared proven insights and strategies for success to help other women continue to shine in what was once an overwhelmingly male-dominated industry. Often called “the industry’s most profitable asset,” more women than ever before are making a name for themselves in the hospitality industry, and AAHOA is thrilled to help advance their cause. Watch the full video.

AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton was a guest speaker Tuesday during the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s virtual 2021 Legislative Action Summit. Staton addressed specific hotelier benefits in the American Rescue Plan, whether COVID-19 will produce the next wave of "drive-by" lawsuits, how the reimplementation of suspended brand standards and fees will be conducted, and the challenges of competing for people returning to the workforce. The forum also included updates about CHLA priorities and information about the general sentiment of government officials and agencies, and it provided opportunities for attendees to connect with their elected officials to advocate for the issues that matter most to them.

Jack P. DeBoer, who designed and built the first Residence Inn in 1975, has passed away. He was 90. Speaking on the last day of the 2011 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, the industry legend made it clear that while we’re all in business to make money, it’s the personal relationships which matter. “If you can invest in your personal relationships, you can never lose,” DeBoer said. With the founding of Residence Inn, followed by Summerfield Suites and Candlewood Suites, DeBoer is recognized as the pioneer of the extended-stay and all-suite hotel concepts. He designed and built that first Residence Inn, an all-suite hotel, in downtown Wichita, KS, and built or franchised 103 more properties before selling The Residence Inn Company to Marriott Corporation in 1987. “To say that Jack is a legend in hospitality is a massive understatement.” said Jeffrey H. Fisher, President & CEO of Chatham Lodging Trust, where DeBoer served as a board member since its initial public offering in 2010. “He certainly belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of hospitality alongside J. Willard Marriott and Conrad Hilton.” Read the full article.

Three Sharks make offers on Judy Cannella Schott and Nita Friloux Gassen's bedding accessory company, The Better Bedder. Ultimately, another contestant got the deal, but Daymond John had an interesting idea for Schott and Gassen's product: Take it to members of AAHOA, who own half of the hotels in the United States. Watch the video from season 12, episode 15 of "Shark Tank."

We all know these past 12 months have been unlike anything we've ever seen. But this is just one of the many reasons AAHOA exists – to unite behind a common cause and weather any storm together. And the more hoteliers we can help – and the more hoteliers we represent – the more we can help hotels across America thrive. Help us build a stronger AAHOA by renewing your hotelier annual membership. If you do so by June 30, you will be eligible to win roundtrip coach airfare to Dallas and three nights’ accommodations at the Omni for AAHOACON21.* The drawing to determine the winner is July 1, and there is no requirement to register for convention to enter the sweepstakes.

AAHOA is bringing you a series of COVID-19-related webcasts that will keep you informed and help determine next steps for your business. We have educated more than 50,000 hoteliers to date and feature more than 240 webcasts separated by category in our library. AAHOA makes these webcasts available to the industry, so share with those in your network, whether they're an AAHOA Member or not. 

In a recent Morning Consult survey, a whopping 72 percent of respondents said concerns about cleanliness and sanitization affect their decision on whether to stay in a hotel. AAHOA has partnered with P&G Professional to create the AAHOA/P&G Professional’s Training in Hotel Sanitization and Cleanliness. This all-digital program covers what hoteliers need to know as it relates to the effective sanitization of your property. This program is completely FREE and is available to the entire hospitality industry. Download our infographic to learn more and sign up for this valuable training today!

Truist Securities (formerly SunTrust Robinson Humphrey) reports, “Last week’s result was up against a -32.5% comp in the comparable week in 2020 vs. an -11.6% in the prior week’s results. On a 2-year run-rate, RevPAR was down 43.4% vs. down 45.3% in the prior week’s 2-year run-rate. Upscale was -21.5% and -48.6% over 2 years and underperformed the industry average; Upper Midscale was -12.5% and -36.1% over 2 years and outperformed. Midscale was -7.1% and -28.0% over 2 years. Economy (+0.2%) and -17.1% over 2 years was the relatively strongest chain scale for branded hotels. Last week’s STR data presented improvement in 2-year week-over-week results, but we view the trend driven solely from transient demand (we suspect leisure, in no small part from lapping Spring Break – clearly evident in weekend RevPAR growth) as group trends were sequentially worse.”

Independent public adjusters are invaluable members of your insurance claim settlement team for help in dealing with commercial or residential catastrophic loss. Negotiating a claim after a devastating event such as a fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, or any natural disaster is a monumental task. The insurance company will use their team to attempt to minimize your loss. That’s where we come in. WorldClaim Global Claims Management is a 33-year-old international firm of public insurance adjusters advocating on behalf of commercial, institutional and individual policyholders. We provide the highest level of claims management services to clients around the globe. For more information, visit our website, then contact Russell Heath today.

MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners. MassMutual offers a wide range of financial products and services, including life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, annuities, retirement plans and other employee benefits. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com, then contact Ana Lucia Divins to get started.

AAHOA Members get a 25% discount on the STAR report (during the 1st year of enrollment), 15% discount on Pipeline reports, and a 10% discount on the School Break Report. Click here to view additional benefits, then contact STR at (615) 824-8664, ext. 3504 or info@str.com to get started.

Approximately 12 full months since the pandemic closed businesses and forced its way into countless aspects of day-to-day life, hoteliers and travel industry experts are seeing indicators that growth may finally be returning. 

As properties continue to explore new amenities and services, some hotels are offering in-room COVID-19 tests, but the tests aren't free. Hotels are including the cost of the tests in their room rates.

In honor of Women's History Month, here's a pulse-check on the opportunities earned and the obstacles still faced by women in the industry who continue to carry the torch.