AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers will give remarks on the main stage at the 2017 Best Western Annual Conference taking place in Nashville Nov. 7-10. AAHOA officers will also be on hand to participate in the Brand Alliance Meeting taking place on Nov. 9. Additionally, AAHOA will also host its Certified Hotel Owners (CHO) program during the event from noon until 5 p.m. Only those attending the conference are eligible to participate. A CHO satisfies the eight required continuing education credits needed by Best Western every three years. 

Last year, AAHOA partnered with the University of Houston Conrad Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management to create the AAHOA Student Assistantship & Scholarship Endowment. Hotel icon Conrad Hilton founded Hilton College in 1969; it has been consistently ranked among the top hospitality programs in the world. More than 80 percent of students have jobs lined up upon graduation. The endowment awarded six students $50,000, the maximum available each academic year. Get more details about scholarship eligibility. 

Hotel News Now

A nation-wide shift in law enforcement priorities is uncovering a dark world of human trafficking and exposing hotel owners to new risks. These changes are building momentum toward a perfect storm for hotel owners. Many hotel owners—from independent properties to luxury brands—have already found themselves hit with expensive lawsuits and unexpected property seizures.

What portion of your total occupancy is derived from group sales? For most operators, groups form the cornerstone in the development of the annual business plan as well as the foundation upon which other segments are added. They require fewer resources per guest to complete the booking, they are often easier to manage from a service standpoint and they can contribute more per average guest to ancillary revenue streams.

Usually the first question a hotel owner will ask is, "What size loan can I expect?" Non-recourse, non-traditional loans through firms such as Wall Street CMBS shops and life companies allow you to hedge your future market and rate risk, keep your personal balance sheet uncluttered and take cash out for any purpose. In order to offer up these attractive benefits, a lender will examine key metrics to determine the optimal combination of rate, term, proceeds, reserve requirements and cash out that will ensure your hotel’s cash flow can sufficiently cover the debt service throughout the life of the loan. Knowing your numbers upfront, or working with an experienced intermediary who knows how to leverage them in negotiations with the lender, can improve your results.