Tomorrow, June 4, is the deadline for Lifetime Member complimentary registration and awards nominations leading up to AAHOACON21! Lifetime Members, though you can register anytime, this is your absolute last chance to enjoy for FREE all the perks and benefits of the convention: extensive networking opportunities, the Block Party at Texas Live!, unparalleled education sessions, and one of the largest Trade Show floors our industry has ever seen. Register today! Not a Lifetime Member? Upgrade now to take advantage of this exclusive membership benefit! Tomorrow also is the deadline to nominate yourself or a peer for being a shining light during what has been the most challenging period our industry has ever faced. You do not have to be an AAHOA Member to submit a nomination, so get yours in today.

The June 2021 issue of Today's Hotelier magazine is now available. In the cover story, AAHOA Member Rupesh Patel, hotel owner/investor and industry advocate, shares his insights and vast expertise on how to use technology to make your hotel relevant today in a post-pandemic America. AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel explores how hoteliers can embrace the promise of new technologies to attract guests and, more importantly, streamline the ways their hotels operate, while President & CEO Cecil P. Staton advises hoteliers to look to technological innovations to outlast the business travel drought.

Our family is growing! AAHOA is excited to announce the addition of yet another valued Silver Partner in Apollo Designs. Apollo Designs specializes in design, project management, and procurement services. The in-house design staff will create custom designs based on franchise and geographical location, then the dedicated project manager will hold your hand throughout the entire project from start to finish. With its vast experience in hospitality industry product development, design, and procurement, Apollo Designs assures AAHOA Members the best products and services at the best price.

AAHOA is looking for motivated members who are ready and willing to help us achieve the goals laid out in our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, "Three Years, One Vision: AAHOA's Strategic Vision for the Future.” 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. If you missed President & CEO Cecil P. Staton's Board Service Interest Meeting in December, you can watch the on-demand video to learn more about the strategic plan and what service on a national nonprofit board requires. But the nomination period runs only through June 7, so time is running out. For a list of the 12 open positions and eligibility requirements, check out AAHOA.com/2021candidates.

For many AAHOA Members, IRC Section 1031 (Like-Kind Exchange) provides an efficient and unique way to grow their businesses and bring jobs into their communities. These exchanges allow small-business owners to transition into investments that more efficiently meet their needs while also investing in their local communities and providing good paying jobs to people who need them. There is a proposal in the Biden administration’s American Families Plan that would put a $500,000 limit on 1031 transactions. If you have executed a 1031 Like-Kind Exchange, please take our survey and share your story, then send a letter to Congress urging them to preserve this vital tool.

The road to recovery runs through AAHOA, so we are bringing you a series of webcasts that will keep you informed and help determine next steps for your business as you bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have educated more than 50,000 attendees to date and feature more than 240 webcasts separated by category in our library. AAHOA makes these webcasts available to the industry, so share with those in your network, whether they're an AAHOA Member or not. 

In a Morning Consult survey, a whopping 72 percent of respondents said concerns about cleanliness and sanitization affect their decision on whether to stay in a hotel. AAHOA has partnered with P&G Professional to create the AAHOA/P&G Professional’s Training in Hotel Sanitization and Cleanliness. This all-digital program covers what hoteliers need to know as it relates to the effective sanitization of your property. This program is completely FREE and is available to the entire hospitality industry. Download our infographic to learn more and sign up for this valuable training today!

HBO, the oldest and most award-winning premium channel in the U.S., is offering AAHOA Members the chance to earn money back. Members get a rebate of $9 per room (5-year contract) or $7 per room (3-or 4-year contract) when they add or renew HBO at their properties. Click here today to complete the rebate form and get started. 

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The members of AHIA specialize in hospitality industry legal issues and have a minimum of five years' experience for in-house counsel and 10 years' experience for outside counsel. All AHIA members are committed to promoting professionalism, continuing education, and improved communication, which creates a network of competent experienced attorneys committed to improving legal services throughout the hospitality industry. Access their nationwide directory to find a hospitality industry lawyer near you.

After more than a year of working from home, many Americans have discovered a proficiency for out-of-the-office productivity, which could translate to more working vacations this summer.

An estimated 413 hotels, including nearly 80,000 rooms, are projected to open across the globe this month, with North America accounting for 141 of those properties, second only to Europe's 142 planned openings.

Although unemployment claims are decreasing, employers in the hospitality industry are finding it difficult to find workers to fill vacant positions. Here, several former hotel employees cite changes that hotels could make to attract a new workforce.