Virginia hotelier Vinay Patel became Chair of the AAHOA Board of Directors at the conclusion of the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show last week. “Serving America’s hotel owners as the AAHOA Chair is an honor, and I look forward to working with AAHOA’s nearly 20,000 members on the road to recovery,” Patel said. Patel plans to focus on elevating the association’s advocacy and engagement at the state and local levels, including coordinating political education efforts with the American Hospitality Alliance. Read the full press release here.

Miraj S. Patel, MBA, CHO, CHIA, is the new AAHOA Secretary. “Congratulations to our new AAHOA Secretary and all of our newly elected Board members," AAHOA Interim President & CEO Ken Greene said. "It is encouraging to see so many members volunteering to serve America’s hotel owners. I look forward to working with new AAHOA Chair Vinay Patel, the Board Officers, our Board of Directors, and the entire AAHOA team as we assist the hospitality industry on the road to recovery.” Read full press release here.

AAHOA recently recognized achievement and excellence in the hospitality industry with its annual awards. Winners received their awards on the main stage during the General Session. “Each year, AAHOA recognizes and honors hoteliers who go above and beyond in service to the hospitality industry,” Immediate Past Chair Biran Patel said. “During such a challenging year, these individuals made significant contributions to the industry and to AAHOA. We are all honored to highlight their service and commitment to excellence.” Read the full release.

AAHOA held its inaugural Tech Pitch Competition: Innovations, Ideas, and Products to Propel Us Forward, designed to explore the latest and greatest tech innovations, last week at AAHOACON21, and xquic emerged as the winner. xquic, whose services are completely FREE, helps businesses in two ways. First, xquic provides tools to help businesses operate, which are focused on areas where small businesses struggle most. Second, xquic provides an easy way for businesses to learn and share with other like-minded businesses in the community. Congratulations, xquic!

 

Our 2021 Regional Conference & Trade Show schedule begins this month! It gets underway with the 2021 AAHOA Northwest Regional Conference & Trade Show in Vancouver, WA, on August 24, followed by the 2021 AAHOA Arkansas Regional Conference & Trade Show in Little Rock on August 26. Our regionals give attendees access to top vendors, incredible networking opportunities, and region-specific industry updates. These events are open to all hotel owners, even if you're not yet an AAHOA Member. Check the events calendar to find the one in your region.

It's not too late to register for the AAHOA Northwest Region Charity Golf Tournament, set for August 23 at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, OR. This is a great opportunity for you to get out in the fresh air and network in person while enjoying a fun day of golf in support of local charities. This year, the Northwest Region event is supporting Make-A-Wish, BEST, and the Autism Society of Oregon. Participants’ health and safety are our No. 1 priority, so we are taking all necessary precautions to keep you safe. Register today as a player or sponsor and come on out and join us!

Truist Securities (formerly SunTrust Robinson Humphrey) reports, “Last week’s RevPAR was up against a -49.4% comparable result in 2020 vs. -51.1% in the prior week’s 2-year run-rate. On a 2-year run-rate, RevPAR was -3.6% vs.+0.1% in the prior week’s 2-year run-rate. Upscale RevPAR: +93.1% y/y and -12.6% over 2 years; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +74.6% y/y and +1.7% over 2 years. The 2020 comp included impact from Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaias (Eastern Seaboard). While we see slight sequential occupancy declines vs. mid-July (see running 28 data below with 100-300 bps sequentially lower results across the chain scales), we are hard-pressed at this time to say there is a definitive Delta variant impact. Weekend occupancy was still in the mid-to-upper 70s% and we do not see any major ADR downturns in the weekly data. That said, with music concerts and consumer trade shows starting to cancel across the U.S., we think a demand impact is forthcoming.”

 

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AAHOA Members get a 25% discount on the STAR report (during the first 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.

Work culture and respect for employees haven't historically been viewed as the pillars of profitability for the hotel industry, but hotel CEOs now see those aspects as vital for protecting the bottom line as the costs of recruiting and retaining labor grow.

While hoteliers certainly don't need a degree or formal training to be successful in this industry, it can be helpful to look at how those education programs are pivoting to address current and future needs. Here, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality Dean Stowe Shoemaker offers several insights on how his program is adjusting its training to better prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

As recent cyberattacks have shown, corporate security should be a top priority for any business. But according to recent research, hotel security especially can be exceptionally vulnerable to an outside attack that could be avoided by implementing a few simple steps.

(Source: Hotel Business Photo credit)