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| March 23, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AAHOA News
Attention, AAHOA Members! The credentialing and identity-verification process for the 2023 AAHOA Elections is now open! This process runs from March 22 through Friday, April 7.
What is credentialing, and what do I need to know?
Check out these AAHOA Elections Resource Center to guide you through the process:
Lifetime Members, we have some great news! Take a look here at the education sessions being offered at this year's convention - including four brand-new AAHOA Masterclasses. Don't delay; register today!
AAHOA is wrapping up the first quarter with another educational webinar. Point 11 of the 12-part webinar series is now available and addresses transferability.
Transferability is a situation in which a Franchisee seeks to transfer its property to an unrelated third party. Point 11 recommends that the Franchisor should not delay it, withhold its consent, and impose conditions on the transfer in an unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious manner.
In the Point 11 webinar, AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake, Central Midwest Regional Director Arti Patel, and Vice President of Education Ralph Thiergart take a closer look at the concept of transferability and the specific provisions of Point 11.
"When it comes to transferability, we want to make sure that liquidated damages are not outrageous,” AAHOA Central Midwest Regional Director Arti Patel shared. “We want to make sure that the Franchisor and the Franchisee are able to speak with one another and come up with a mutual understanding to move forward.”
AAHOA strongly encourages you to go back and watch the webinars for Points 1-10. The 12 Points Educational Webinar Series is designed to help you understand the 12 Points of Fair Franchising and ask specific questions to better understand what is in your franchise agreements.
On Wednesday, March 15, AAHOA Members and local hoteliers visited the Arkansas State Capitol to lobby against Senate Bill 197, which would take away the ability of local governments to regulate short-term rental properties like Airbnb and VRBO houses.
In his testimony in front of the Arkansas House City, County, Local Affairs Committee, Danny Patel, Arkansas Regional Director, explained how the bill is unfair to the hotel industry. He explained that hotels are subject to thousands of dollars a year in property taxes, A&P taxes, and tourism taxes, while STRs avoid them.
“STRs don’t play by the same rules. They’re hurting hospitality big time. The hospitality industry pays its bills, pays its dues, and employs thousands of employees,” Danny said. “For example, to build one of our hotels and get the permit, it was labeled a commercial building. The impact fee for that building was $76,000, property taxes were $38,000, and county taxes, state taxes, and tourism taxes all added up to be $150,000. We paid all of that for just one property.”
AAHOA Members spent up to 10 hours at the Capitol to show their opposition to the bill, including Shash Goyal and Andy Patel, who also stepped up to the mic to share how SB 197 would create an unfair advantage for companies like Airbnb.
Due to the pandemic, hoteliers’ budgets are tight and labor continues to be one of the top issues. What new technologies can we implement today that will help drive our ROI, streamline operations, and help with the labor shortage? Come hear from select companies who will pitch to five seasoned professionals with expertise in technology and hospitality. See why they think they can make a difference in our business today. Identify and support companies making a difference for hoteliers as we continue to navigate the post-pandemic landscape.
You don't want to miss the AAHOACON23 Tech Pitch Competition Co-Powered by HFTP, taking place from 3:30 - 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 13! Mark your calendars, and download the agenda today for AAHOACON23 today.
Make sure you're following AAHOA on social media so you don't miss updates on the Tech Pitch Competition.
Members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association testified in support of New Jersey Assembly Bill 1958, which advances several key components of AAHOA’s 12 Points of Fair Franchising to sustain a mutually beneficial relationship between Franchisors and Franchisees.
The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee reported the bill out of Committee with amendments. Six members voted yes, zero members voted no, and three members abstained. About 30 AAHOA Members attended the hearing and several offered testimony. AAHOA has been at the forefront of advocating for fair franchising standards that protect hotel owners’ investments, safeguard a mutually beneficial relationship with hotel brands, and promote the hospitality industry and top-notch guest experiences.
AAHOA Members own 45.4% of New Jersey hotels, representing 46,124 rooms. “As the largest hotel owners association, representing the exclusive interests of America's hotel owners, AAHOA showed up in New Jersey to testify in support of amendments to the legislation to improve the franchise model,” said AAHOA Chairman Nishant (Neal) Patel. “I’m heartened by the strong show of support by AAHOA Members who came to Trenton to speak on behalf of our industry.”
Last May, a contingent of AAHOA Members testified in favor of the bill in front of the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee.
“Multiple major hotel franchises are helping to pave the way for fair franchising that is both fair and free – free from arbitrary and undisclosed fees, free from one-sided terms and conditions, and free from anti-competitive procurement rules,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “As a state that is home to thousands of hard-working entrepreneurs, including immigrants from around the world, New Jersey can be an example to the rest of the country in supporting franchising practices that allow hotel owners to achieve the American Dream.”
AAHOA Advocacy in Action
HerOwnership
AAHOA continues to celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing the incredible women who make up nearly 45% of the association’s membership. AAHOA Member Sapana Patel, a second-generation hotelier who owns multiple hotel properties, recently gave us insight into her hotel ownership journey.
What does AAHOA's HerOwnership initiative mean to you?
“This is a positive move forward for women in our industry. Having a chance to collaborate, share insights, and provide resources to guide and set the path is essential to any woman trying to find her way toward ownership.”
What advice would you give the next generation of women hoteliers?
“Never take no for an answer and have perseverance! There will be good and not-so-good days, but every day is a new beginning. Learn from your experiences and never allow your past to keep you a prisoner.”
What does it mean to you to be a woman hotelier?
“It means a lot, especially having my voice heard in decision-making and knowing what I want my future to look like.”
What is the biggest challenge you face in our industry today as a woman?
“The biggest challenge I face and continue to face is the bias within our community that women don’t know anything or shouldn’t speak up. This type of bias has created men versus women conflicts, which isn’t a society I believe our children can grow in. It’s a cycle that needs to be eliminated once and for all!”
You can continue to recognize Women’s History Month when you:
AAHOA Education
Most hoteliers know that housekeeping is paramount to a satisfying guest experience. Numerous studies have found that a clean room and a comfortable bed are the two most important features guests look for during their stay at your property. Join us for a lively discussion about five trends in housekeeping technology that can help you improve operations efficiency and boost your bottom line.
Featured Club Blue Member
New Orleans-based Gauthier, Murphy & Houghtaling Law has had a leading role in litigation that has shaped the civil landscape in the U.S. for more than 50 years. Their attorneys have extensive experience representing clients in many areas, including business litigation, natural disaster litigation, class actions, insurance disputes, and more and have secured hundreds of billions of dollars (yes, with a "B") in verdicts and settlements for their clients. Check out their website to see how they can help with your legal needs.
Featured Platinum/Silver Partner
Atlanta-based Focus Brands® is a leading developer of global, multi-channel food service brands. Focus Brands, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 6,300 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shoppes and bakeries in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and more than 60 foreign countries. This curated collection of iconic brands is united under one powerhouse company that’s leading the industry through product innovation, cutting-edge business practices, and an expansive media presence. Check out the website to learn more.
Featured Member Benefit
AAHOA is proud to collaborate with Kennesaw State University to establish the Michael Leven and Lee Dushoff AAHOA Scholarship for Compassionate Leadership. This annual scholarship will support students seeking an undergraduate degree in hospitality management. For more on the qualifications and how to apply, please call 470-578-2206. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the scholarship endowment, please click here.
Industry News
Keeping up wth new and emerging technology can feel like a full-time job for any business owner, especially when it comes to blockchain, but being well-versed in this relatively recent offering can help hoteliers, especially, get ahead of the curve as more businesses adapt and evolve to a changing marketplace.
(Source: HospitalityNet)
As new technologies and methods of doing business reshape work as we know it, a variety of industries are working hard to keep pace and avoid irrelevance, which is causing business owners to more closely examine their legacy technologies with an eye toward continuous improvements and evolution.
(Source: Hotel News Resource) Though many hoteliers remain keenly aware of their shared responsibility to help combat human trafficking at their properties, there remains much progress to be made in eliminating this scourge, and many accusers are taking hotels to court for alleged lapses in protections.
(Source: The New York Times)
Today's Hotelier - In Case You Missed It
In the Market
Truist Securities reports, “Overall U.S. RevPAR was +10.4% y/y for the week ending 3/18/2023, per STR, down from the prior week's result of +11.1%, and below the trailing 10-week average of +19.6%. Vs. 2019, RevPAR was +20.8%, up from the prior week’s result of +7.8%, and above the trailing 10-week average of +10.5%. The very large triennial trade show CONEXPO-CON/AGG occurred in Las Vegas last Tuesday to Saturday which made for easy local comps vs. 2019 and 2022. At the headline, easy y/y Omicron comps continue to fade. Upscale RevPAR: +13.2% y/y and +10.6% vs. 2019; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +8.1% y/y and +17.3% vs. 2019.”
Upcoming Events
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AAHOA Gulf Town Hall - Baton Rouge, LA
