Attention, Lifetime Members! February 10 is the deadline for AAHOA Lifetime Members to register for AAHOACON23 to qualify for reimbursement of the registration fee.

 

 

Don't delay; register today, and take advantage of this incredible member benefit! We're so excited to have you join us in the City of Angels for AAHOACON23, April 11-14.

 

Register here.

Serving on the AAHOA Board of Directors provides a rewarding opportunity to help drive the strategic direction of a national association dedicated to advancing and protecting the interests of hotel owners. Open positions and eligibility requirements are available at 2023 AAHOA Board Elections.

 

 

Answer the call to volunteer and serve! To apply, visit the 2023-2024 Director Nomination Form.

The February Issue of Today's Hotelier has officially been released!

 

In this issue, we talk all things technology, including how updating technology at your hotels can improve the guest experience and mitigate the labor shortage problem.

 

Some of the featured articles include "Letter from the President & CEO: Embracing Technology to Move Our Industry Forward," and "The C-Suite: Get Yourself Connected," written by Nupen Patel, who is on the cover of this month's issue.

 

To read and discover more, click here and dive in to the February Issue of Today's Hotelier!

Every year, AAHOA recognizes leaders for their contributions to the industry. Winners are chosen by an independent awards review committee, and recipients are acknowledged and celebrated on stage during the AAHOA Convention & Trade Show.
 
Do you know a hotelier who has gone above and beyond in their efforts? Are YOU that hotelier? Now is the time to nominate him or her for one of seven awards to be bestowed at AAHOACON23, April 11-14, in Los Angeles, CA. The deadline to submit nominations is February 10, 2023, and you do not need to be an AAHOA Member to submit a nomination, but you must be an AAHOA Member to receive an award.
 
See the list of awards below:

1. AAHOA Award of Excellence
2. Cecil B. Day Community Service Award
3. Outreach Award for Philanthropy
4. IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year Award
5. Outstanding Women Hotelier of the Year Award
6. Outstanding Young Professional Hotelier of the Year Award
7. Political Forum Award for Advocacy

 

**Please note that we're calling on all of our Independent Hoteliers to submit their nominations for the IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year Award. Don't delay! Now is the time to nominate the independent hotel in your network that sets a high standard of excellence in quality, service, and guest satisfaction.

AAHOA continues its 12 Points Educational Webinar Series in the new year. The Point 7 webinar is now available and covers the importance of Franchisors to maintain and build relationships with Franchisees. The latest webinar features President & CEO Laura Lee Blake, Vice Chairman Bharat Patel, and Lifetime Member Akshat Patel discussing the importance of Point 7 and concerns that arise from the renewal process, amenity creep, marketing and advertising fees, and more!

 

"Transparency is a word that has been overused, but I think it has been underutilized," AAHOA Vice Chairman Bharat Patel explained. "You should know going in what it is going to cost. Right now, there's a situation where there are new fees that could be compounded on a quarterly or annual basis, and you're paying it monthly, but these new fees are being introduced. As you're entering the relationship, you know what is expected of you and what is expected of them, and that's what makes a great relationship."

 

If you haven't already done so, download AAHOA's Educational Primer and the 12 Points Questionnaire. These tools provide extensive details on the 12 Points of Fair Franchising and questions to help guide your conversation with Franchisors.

 

Review the webinars for Points 1-6 and join us as we continue to highlight important aspects of franchise agreements, ensuring, ultimately, more fairness in the franchise system.

While the 2023 edition of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), held at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. Live was a site of mostly optimistic observations for the upcoming year, the issue of labor, which was troublesome before the pandemic, continues to be problematic.

 

During "Boardroom Outlook: People--Cultivating the Most Valuable Asset," moderator Bill Grice, president, CBRE Hotels, and panelists Laura Lee Blake, president/CEO, AAHOA; Greg Friedman, managing principal/CEO, Peachtree Hotel Group; Ken Patel, chairman, The EV Hotel; and Christopher Ropko, CEO, McNeill Investment Group, discussed the labor issue and the importance of diversity in the industry.

 

The panelists said that companies are looking for different ways to keep workers.

 

...AAHOA's Blake cited statistics that unemployment is 3.5% - the lowest since 1969 - with 11 million job openings and only 6 million unemployed workers. "That means that there's clearly a problem there and in the hospitality industry, I think we're at 1.4 million that are needed," she said.

 

She pointed out the stunning number of women and minorities who have left the workforce after COVID. "Men on the one hand are up by 400,000 workers, but women in the workforce are down by 1 million," she said. "That was quite surprising to me... So, what do we do to attract and retain the ones that we have and maybe invite the ones that stepped away from work during the pandemic - often to care for children, people with COVID or elderly parents. How do you start bringing them back? I think that is the key question, especially after seeing these numbers."

 

Read the full article here.

The Tri-State Regional Conference & Trade Show will kick off the Regional Conference & Trade Shows of 2023 and will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at the Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center Olive Branch - Memphis in Olive Branch, MS.
 
The first Regional event of the year will provide a unique place for three regions to come together to showcase the best of the industry and hear from political leaders who support America’s hotel owners. Arkansas Regional Director Danny (Chintu) Patel, Gulf Regional Director Vimal Patel, and Mid South Regional Director Harikrishna (HK) Patel have been working hard behind the scenes to make this event possible, and AAHOA is looking forward to bringing hoteliers together at the first Regional of 2023 for a full day of education, networking, and exploring what our amazing vendors have to offer.
 
Don’t delay! Register for this event today! You can also watch this video and see why AAHOA Members, vendor partners, industry leaders, and elected officials join AAHOA at one or more Regional events.

Truist Securities reports, “Last week had a very easy y/y comp due to Omicron, and this easy comp likely will continue through March. The +13.0% result vs. 2019 was the strongest weekly performance we have seen this year, following three weeks of relatively soft results likely due to weakness in higher-end individual corporate travel. Upscale RevPAR: +36.4% y/y and +8.0% versus 2019; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +22.2% y/y and +15.6% versus 2019.”

For more, read the full report here and read the China/Europe report here.

With the best technology in the industry, DISH Business delivers a premium entertainment experience for properties of all sizes. EVOLVE by DISH lets your guests cast personal content, watch live TV and access the apps they love – all on your in-room TV. Get DISH to give your guests the entertainment they want at prices you’ll love. Visit the website, then contact Tyler Floyd (Tyler.floyd@dish.com) to start saving today!

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Although the industry continues to see positive activity, concerns such as inflation and shortened booking windows remain top-of-mind among hoteliers.

Hoteliers in search of a diverse revenue stream are fninding success by incorporating wellness spaces into their properties.

WIth increasing numbers of consumers adopting voice-controlled technology at home, it was only a matter of time until hotels began to follow suit.