Hotelier Weekly
September 14, 2023
Visual Matrix
AAHOA News
  
Join us for a transformative journey at the AAHOA 2023 HerOwnership Conference & Retreat, November 2-3, at the Beeman Hotel in Dallas, TX!
 
The second annual HerOwnership Conference & Retreat is a celebration of the incredible achievements of women in the hospitality industry. It's a gathering of trailblazers, innovators, and leaders who have paved the way for success and want to share their valuable insights with YOU.
 
This is the perfect opportunity to forge new connections while gaining insights and strategies from top industry visionaries. Hear from women who understand exactly what it's like to be a woman in the hospitality industry, and discover the power of collaboration and solidarity as you build relationships with like-minded professionals. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting your journey, you'll find inspiration and guidance to propel you forward.
 
The conference will also feature bonus wellness content designed to enrich your mind, body, and soul with expert-led wellness activities designed to rejuvenate and energize you.
 
Don't miss your chance to be part of this transformative experience. Register now and secure your spot at the HerOwnership Conference & Retreat. Your journey to success in hotel ownership begins here!
Register Now!
  
Recently, AAHOA hosted Rep. Dr. Rich McCormick of the Georgia Sixth District for a Back-of-the-House Tour in Duluth, GA. Back-of-the-House Tours offer opportunities for elected officials to step into the shoes of hotel employees and gain a profound appreciation for the daily tasks and responsibilites that go into providing exceptional guest service. From the meticulous housekeeping routines that ensure pristine rooms to the well-oiled machinery of the hotel's logistics, elected officials come away with a newfound understanding of the dedication and hard work that hoteliers invest in making each guest's stay memorable.
 
These types of events exemplify the close collaboration between AAHOA and government representatives in fostering an understanding of the vital role played by the hotel industry in each and every community so they may better represent us when they are working in Washington. Dr. McCormick recently led a delegation to India, where he met with Prime Minister Modi to further strengthen the relationship between India and the United States.
 
AAHOA Members own 68% of hotels in Georgia and employ nearly 80,000 workers, and pay more than $3 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.
Watch Now
  
During International Housekeeping Week, the industry is taking time to acknowledge the vital role played by its housekeeping teams. These dedicated professionals are the backbone of hospitality, turning each hotel stay into a memorable experience. Check out how some industry leaders have stepped up to showcase their appreciation:
 
“We couldn't be more grateful for our incredible housekeepers,” AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake shared. “To the dedicated team that turns our hotel rooms into havens of comfort and cleanliness, THANK YOU! You work tirelessly to ensure guests have the best experience, and your attention to detail doesn't go unnoticed. This week, let's make an extra effort to express our gratitude. Here's to the hardworking housekeepers who make every stay unforgettable!”
 
“Housekeepers, you are the heart and soul of our hotel properties,” AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel shared. “You create the first impression and set the tone for our guests' experience. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and the difference you make.”
Learn More
  
AAHOA recently commended the New York City government for launching new regulations this week that enable oversight of short-term rentals.
 
The new regulations require hosts to register with the city to rent their homes on a short-term basis of fewer than 30 days. Platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and more must verify that a host's registration application has been approved to be able to collect fees. These platforms can face fines of up to $1,500 per transaction if a rental listing is not registered, while hosts risk up to $5,000 in fines.
 
AAHOA has long advocated for stronger oversight of short-term rentals in localities across the nation, including in Arkansas earlier this year where legislation that would have prevented local governments from enacting reasonable regulations was defeated in the state legislature following advocacy by AAHOA Members.
Learn More
Amerifab International, Inc.
Ajmera Law Group
AAHOA Advocacy in Action
AAHOA, in coordination with a diverse coalition of business and trade associations, attended a Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. After introducing themselves and thanking the Board, AAHOA and coalition members testified how the "Tourism Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance" would have adversely impacted their business (e.g., hotel rate increases, employee layoffs);  many hotels are limited-service, owned by small families, who are also persons of color. AAHOA and the coalition also shared cost of living concerns in the Greater Los Angeles Area. They communicated the desire to work with the county to find solutions for everyone. AAHOA and the coalition also asked the county to consider including a total economic impact study in future tourism worker minimum wage ordinances.  
 
This proactive in-person advocacy demonstrates AAHOA's strong presence in Los Angeles, California. In addition to expressing his gratitude and concerns, AAHOA Greater Los Angeles Area Regional Director Naresh Bhakta testified that "AAHOA members own 1,185 of Los Angeles hotels, directly impacts over 165,000 Los Angeles jobs, and contributes $17 billion to the Los Angeles local GDP." AAHOA looks forward to building relationships with local government officials to find equitable solutions for businesses and workers.
Learn More
HerOwnership
  
Red Roof® announced its first fully woman-owned franchise since launching its new RIDE with Red Roof initiative. The property is a Red Roof Inn & Suites conversion located in Richland, MS, and is the second hotel in owner and woman AAHOA Member Kalpana Patel’s portfolio. It brings the number of Red Roof properties owned or partially owned by women to more than 35%.
 
RIDE (Road to Inclusivity and Diversity in Entrepreneurship) will expand and further diversify hotel ownership and entrepreneurial opportunities for underrepresented groups by focusing on the business needs of entrepreneurs, providing access to capital, educational resources, and the connections needed to build a strong network of industry partners. Coupled with its sister program SHE, inspired by Red Roof, an all-encompassing program to Support, Help, and Elevate women, Red Roof is propelling towards its goal of 40% of properties owned or partially owned by women.
 
With 64% of the Red Roof Development Team belonging to a minority group and women such as AAHOA Past Women Hoteliers Director Eastern Division Lina Patel and Jennifer Burcham at the forefront of Kalpana Patel’s new franchise agreement, RIDE is positioned to further expand Red Roof’s population of diverse and underrepresented owners.
 
"I am thrilled to join the Red Roof family, and after working with Jennifer Burcham and Lina Patel, I am excited for the future of our agreement. The educational resources and networking provided by Red Roof and RIDE were crucial to the success of the hotel's conversion. Jennifer and Lina worked with me at each step of the process, from understanding the requirements of changing brands to preparing the hotel for a product improvement plan and were always available to answer any of my questions throughout the transition."
Learn More
Red Roof Inn
dormakaba USA Inc.
Member Testimonial
  
"As a newcomer to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Upper Midwest Regional Conference & Trade Show, I felt deeply honored and exhilarated by the warm reception extended to me by its leadership Bharat Patel. AAHOA stands as the world's largest association for hotel owners, with its members boasting ownership of more than half of all hotels in the United States. Given my current pursuit in the realm of hotel ownership, I find immense value in having an association like AAHOA that provides guidance and support along this intricate journey. #AAHOA"
 
-Moses Hall, New 2023 AAHOA Member
Learn More
AAHOA Education
  
Are you getting enough job candidates to fill your open positions? Can candidates apply for your jobs using their smartphones? Can they easily see why it would be better to work for you than someone else? If you answered, "No" to any of these, you may be missing out. There's a better way to find talent and streamline your hiring practices.
 
Hcareers is an online marketplace for recruiting hospitality talent and has served the industry for over 20 years. In this webinar you'll learn about AAHOA's partnership with Hcareers in offering an enhanced digital ecosystem that seamlessly integrates across multiple HR platforms while offering additional benefits to employers and job seekers.
 
They include:
1) Engaging candidates via automated text messages
2) Advanced candidate screening
3) Candidate response timeliness reporting
 
You'll also learn:
1) How to communicate with candidates more efficiently 
2) How to increase the distribution of your job ads
3) How to leverage data in tracking candidate experience and fill rates
 
If you need people, you need to attend this webinar.  Learn how AAHOA is working for you to build industry partnerships in ways that matter the most to your the success of your hotels.
Watch Now
Ecolab
DIRECTV Hospitality
Featured Club Blue Member
  
AAHOA Members, get 5 percent off all your everyday purchases when you use the Lowe’s LAR business credit card. There’s no annual fee, and you can make purchases by phone, fax, or at LowesForPros.com. You’ll also be able to take advantage of exclusive cardholder promotions and receive discounted delivery on your purchases! Click here for more details, then contact Anthony Ruiz (Anthony.ruiz@lowes.com) to get started.
Learn More
Hotel Equities
Karcher North America
Featured Platinum/Silver Partner
  
INFINITI HR is a Master Aggregator, The Professional Employer Organization for Hospitality Management© throughout all 50 states. INFINITI HR is recognized for the exceptional ability to support employer standards, mitigate employer risk and liability, while providing superior economies of scale and purchasing power for world-class, mid-range, and economy hotel properties of all sizes. For more information, visit our website, then contact Daniel Mormino (daniel.mormino@infinitihr.com) today to get started.
Learn More
Red Lion Hotel Corp - Sonesta
Alliance Laundry Systems-UniMac
Featured Member Benefit
  
All Insurance Underwriters (AIU) is a National Managing General Agency giving AAHOA Members the option to retain current Insurance Agents. We also offer all Commercial General Lines of insurance, together packaged with Worker’s compensation (where applicable) extra savings can be found. Check out the website for more information on AAHOA Member benefits, and fill out a form to contact one of our dedicated team members.
Learn More
Industry News
With the ongoing industry labor shortage, much of the attention has been focused on operations staff, but many properties are finding it a bigger challenge to hire staffers with sales or management experience.
(Source: CoStar)
Learn More
According to a recent report, the hospitality industry is rife with opportunities for data breaches, bad-actor hacking, and digital fraud.
(Source: PhocusWire)
Learn More
WIth those born between 1981 and 1996 representing the largest group of consumers with purchasing power, hotels are working harder to understand and caputure this demographic.
(Source: HospitalityNet)
Learn More
Hilco Real Estate
Intellihot
Today's Hotelier - In Case You Missed It

SEPTEMBER ISSUE

The September 2023 issue of Today's Hotelier magazine is out now! This month, we're taking a look at marketing, promotion, and sales best practices, including clever marketing strategies for reaching core customers and finding new ones, using marketing to convince lenders a financing transaction is worth their time and money, and much more.

Featured Content

Join thousands of AAHOA Members, brand CEOs, and industry professionals by subscribing to our magazine. Receive every digital issue of Today’s Hotelier as soon as it’s released to the public. Click here to subscribe.

In the Market
  
Truist Securities reports, “Overall U.S. RevPAR was -0.1% y/y for the week ending 9/9/2023, per STR, below the prior week's result of +2.0%, and below the trailing 10-week average of +1.4%. Versus 2019, due to the comparable timing of Labor Day, RevPAR was -2.0%, below the prior week’s result of +26.8% and below the trailing 10-week average of +11.1%. Despite a tough y/y holiday weekend leisure comp, we found results last week relatively decent, all things considered, though marginally softer for the Economy/Midscale chain scales. September MTD results at +5% for the U.S. and +5-6% for corporate-focused Upper Upscale/Upscale is a promising start to the month before business group travel heats up post-holiday. Upscale RevPAR: +1.9% y/y and -11.7% vs. 2019; Upper Midscale RevPAR: +0.3% y/y and -2.3% vs. 2019.”
For more, read the full report here, and read the China/Europe report here.
Learn More