AAHOA Treasurer Hitesh (HP) Patel and Female Director at Large (Western Division) Dina Patel will address the crowd at the Red Roof Forum on Leadership for Women in New Orleans on Nov. 1–2. Stay tuned for details! 

Two months ahead of schedule, AAHOA membership has reached and passed 16,000 hotel owners! Our influence grows with every single member, enabling AAHOA to work even harder and more effectively on your behalf. Thank you for your support!

Over 200 hoteliers and dozens of vendors joined AAHOA in Atlantic City on Tuesday for the annual Independent Hoteliers Conference. They enjoyed a packed trade show, raffle prizes, a fascinating panel discussion and entertainment from comedian Samson "Mahatma Moses" Koletkar. (Pictured: IH committee chair Komal-Tina Patel and IHC keynote speaker Chris Malone.)

It was a long but incredibly rewarding day at Hilton Worldwide this past Monday! Fifty of AAHOA’s young professional members gathered at the megabrand’s headquarters in McLean, Virginia, for the opportunity to learn directly from and network with Hilton executives. Thanks to Hilton leadership for hosting us – it was an amazing day!

A federal judge in Alabama heard a case yesterday challenging a state law that nullified Birmingham's minimum wage increase. Last year the Birmingham City Council passed an ordinance to raise its hourly minimum to $10.10 by July 2017, up from the federally mandated $7.25. The Alabama state legislature nullified the ordinance before it took effect by passing a bill that said localities could not set their own minimum wage.

Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill that will heavily fine people who advertise on Airbnb in the state. The fines vary from $1,000 and $7,500, depending on the number of violations.

The 2016 Presidential Election is just two weeks away! Are you planning on voting early or sending an absentee ballot? Click here for all the information you need to ensure that your voice is heard on election day. 

Did you miss the Central Midwest Regional Meeting? Still need to do a little "shopping" for your property? Then join us in Kansas City on Nov. 7 for this special AAHOA event designed just for you! We’ll have a 90-minute trade show followed by a business meeting and reception. At just five and a half hours in total, it’s the perfect one-stop shop for all your end-of-the-year needs!

We are so proud of our newest region! The first AAHOA Alabama Panhandle Regional Meeting was a huge success by all accounts and had fantastic attendance! Congratulations to ALPAN Regional Director Ashok "Alan" Patel and to the first-ever Alabama Panhandle Premier Ambassador, Nitin Patel!

We couldn’t be prouder of the hard work our Southwest members put in to making sure their regional and golf tournament were both a success! Congratulations to Southwest Regional Director Imesh Vaidya and the Southwest Region Ambassadors for pulling off a fantastic regional – and a big "Thank you!" to Dinesh "Dan" Rama, your 2016-2017 Southwest Region Premier Ambassador! 

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, 2–2:20 p.m. EDT: Have you ever thought, "I am certain there is more my hotel management team can do to increase our profits’? You would not be the only one. 

Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, 3–3:20 p.m. EDT: Gain a better understanding of how this criminal enterprise intersects your place of business and why it is imperative to be equipped to recognize and respond in the best possible way when you see a suspected incident of sex trafficking.

Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, 3:30–3:50 p.m. EDT: Join us for an overview on the bed bug biology, and why your hotel is always at risk. We will discuss best treatment, and inspection practices to help you spot and deal with an infestation before your guests do.

● $10,000 award to charity of your choice 

● Call 1-800-332-7787

Hilton Worldwide had a fairly strong third quarter in terms of financial targets, but the overall tone of the company’s earnings call on Oct. 26 was, as CEO Christopher Nassetta said, "cautiously optimistic."

Airbnb on Friday filed a lawsuit against New York state's attorney general, New York City and its mayor Bill de Blasio after the state enacted a law that steps up enforcement against those who violate short-term rental laws.

Today’s Hotelier has an exclusive story with Best Western Hotels & Resorts President and CEO David Kong on the company's brand-new endeavor into the economy segment. This one's going to be a game changer.

Sometimes the best way to plot a course for the future is to look at the past. The hotel industry is filled with successful leaders who have brazed new trails, set new enterprises in motion and , in some cases, changed the way we think about the industry.