AAHOA Rebrands and Repositions Its Leading Event Series as Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows

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ATLANTA, Ga., April 25 – In a landmark move, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is proud to announce the rebranding and repositioning of its leading event series, Regional Conferences & Trade Shows, to resonate more with member needs and the association’s ongoing evolution. 

These nationwide conferences, now known as Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows, mark a historic moment in AAHOA’s journey toward redefining the standard for hospitality events and underscoring AAHOA’s role in the industry as the only organization representing and exclusively dedicated to serving the needs of hotel owners. 

The redefined event series will focus on connecting America’s hotel owners with the products and services they need to run their businesses, encourage more networking and idea-sharing, and create opportunities to engage with elected officials to gain insights and build relationships that enact positive change in the industry.  

“Over the years, AAHOA has realized great success in its regional conference series, and our strategic rebrand of these pivotal events reinforces AAHOA’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and new ways of thinking,” said AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel. “As a leadership team, we’re looking at everything we do at AAHOA, asking ourselves, ‘How can we make this better, and how can we better serve the needs of the AAHOA Community?’ This repositioning is just one example of how we’re looking to drive our industry’s innovation and progress. This event series is crucial to our members’ success, and we’re excited to bring them an elevated experience this year.” 

Last year, AAHOA welcomed nearly 5,000 hoteliers to 25 Regional Conferences & Trade Shows. These industry gatherings served as vibrant hubs of learning, networking, and inspiration, featuring over 30 distinguished guest speakers, elected officials, members of Congress, and leaders from state association partners.

As part of the rebrand, Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows will now include a focus on women and young professionals. Through initiatives such as HerOwnership and HYPE (Helping Young Professionals Evolve) roundtables, AAHOA aims to provide a platform for industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and inspire positive change, moving the needle forward for women and our next generation of leaders.

“As the foremost voice of hotel owners in the nation, AAHOA’s strategic rebrand reinforces our unique position as the leading voice of hotel owners and decision-makers in the industry,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “By realigning our regional conferences as Hotel Owners Conferences & Trade Shows, we are reaffirming our commitment to serving as a primary industry connector for entrepreneurs, vendors, and industry stakeholders. This strategic repositioning is just one way that we are elevating our membership offerings to drive more value and to continue AAHOA’s unmatched leadership in bringing the industry together.”

In 2024, 20 Hotel Owner Conferences & Trade Shows will take place across the country. Click here for the full schedule.

About AAHOA

AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.4% of the nation’s GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA Member-owned hotels, earning more than $51 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.1 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.

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Choice Hotels International Unveils Year of Sustainability Milestones in Newly Published 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report

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Highlights Include Committing to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Incorporating Sustainability into Property Improvement Plans, and a Refreshed Approach to Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., April 25, 2024 – Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world’s largest lodging franchisors, today published its 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report. The report details Choice’s latest initiatives to drive sustainability across its portfolio of hotels. This includes new and expanded requirements to help reduce utility usage and identify savings through its revamped Room to be Green verification program. As part of this initiative, the report highlights the growing adoption of Choice’s automated utility tracking dashboard, with over 2,600 properties participating and counting.

“At Choice, we’re committed to building a better tomorrow, today. By championing sustainable practices, we’re helping hotel owners save time and money and appeal to guests and corporate clients,” said Megan Brumagim, Vice President of Sustainability at Choice. “Embracing and committing to sustainability is not just the right thing to do, it’s also good for business. We are proud of the progress we’ve made and are energized to continue our sustainability journey.”

Guests browsing ChoiceHotels.com can now identify properties committed to sustainability through a search filter and a designated sustainability practices icon. This feature empowers guests to filter hotels based on sustainability practices. Guests can also filter for hotels that offer electric vehicle charging.

Initiatives detailed in the report include:

  • •  Property Improvement Plans: Thirty-five hotels were selected for a pilot program to participate in sustainability audits conducted by third-party experts and receive recommendations and solutions to drive more sustainable operations and investments. The recommendations included building envelope enhancements, rainwater reuse, water mitigation solutions, energy-saving smart thermostats in guest rooms, and the replacement of natural gas water heaters with electric heat pump high-efficiency units. Choice plans to embed the insights obtained from this initiative into existing property improvement plan processes.
  • •  Reducing carbon emissions: Choice signed a formal commitment with the Science Based Targets initiative to set science-based targets for reducing its carbon footprint.
  • •  Electric vehicle charging: Choice has signed agreements with providers that offer EV charging options for guests across its hotel system. Choice is well-positioned to address the growing consumer demand for EV charging, with guests who drove to hotels accounting for 82% of all Choice room nights in 2022. To find a hotel with a charging station, travelers can use the EV charging filter on ChoiceHotels.com and the Choice Hotels mobile app.
  • •  Opening doors to hotel ownership: Choice continues to be a leader in creating hotel ownership opportunities for underrepresented minority entrepreneurs. Our Emerging Markets Program was developed 20 years ago to establish relationships with underrepresented communities including African American, Hispanic, Native American, veteran and women entrepreneurs.  In connection with that program, Choice has awarded and financially supported more than 370 franchise agreements with diverse participants since 2004.
  • •  Fighting human trafficking: The company refreshed its corporate and franchisee-facing human trafficking prevention training and joined the inaugural American Hotel & Lodging Association No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council, which unites leaders across the industry in the fight against human trafficking.

In late 2023, Choice opened its new global headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland. Designed with sustainability and associates’ wellbeing in mind, features include energy-efficient systems, EV charging stations, proximity to public transit, and a partial green rooftop. The Pike & Rose development, where the building is located, is LEED ND certified, which recognizes its green and community impact. The building is also aiming for LEED Gold certification.

For more information, the 2023 ESG report is available online here.

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Travel Industry: Dangerous FAA Amendment Would Undermine Aviation Security, Delay Millions of Flyers, Set TSA Screening Back Decades

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Merkley/Kennedy Attempting to Spike Checkpoint Wait Times, Waste Taxpayer Dollars, Increase Prevalence of Fake Identification

Congress Risks Provoking the Ire of Millions of Air Travelers with Blanket Limitations on Facial Technology

WASHINGTON (April 25, 2024)—Passenger screening technology that travelers have the option to use and that flyers widely support is targeted by an amendment from Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The amendment would immediately prevent the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from using most automated facial matching technology at airport checkpoints, which is in use at many of the largest and busiest airports in the U.S.

“Biometric technology is the future of air traveler screening and it is supported by the traveling public,” said Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Misguided efforts to place blanket restrictions on facial technology only succeed in harming security, wasting travelers’ time and costing millions in taxpayer dollars invested in developing state-of-the-art screening technology. Congress will provoke the ire of millions of travelers if it chooses to hinder innovation, slow the travel process and reduce security.”

The Merkley/Kennedy amendment comes as the Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, joined by leaders of the TSA, Delta Air Lines and U.S. Travel Association, toured innovations, such as TSA PreCheck Touchless ID with Delta, CAT-2 screening technology and Delta’s curb-to-gate digital identity experience, in a Wednesday visit to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that represents the future of efficient and secure biometric screening.

“Atlanta’s airport is the busiest in the country and thousands of travelers each day choose to use automated identity verification technology for a safer and faster security experience,” Freeman said. “It’s an example of how—if given the choice—travelers will choose safety and efficiency almost every time.”

The Merkley/Kennedy amendment would ban or severely restrict TSA from using biometric technology, resulting in longer wait times in security screening checkpoint lines and reducing the layers of security afforded by advanced biometric facial matching programs—such as the CAT-2 machines and TSA PreCheck’s Touchless ID partnerships with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Further, millions of dollars would go to waste in U.S. taxpayer-funded programs used to develop and produce biometric screening technology in use at airports today.

Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel members noted the importance of biometrics to TSA’s mission.

Kevin McAleenan, former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated: “Biometrics are critical to TSA’s mission, bolstering its commitment to security and the customer experience. By leveraging facial recognition and other biometric technologies, TSA has increased security at the checkpoint, enhanced the traveler experience, and improved efficiency thereby focusing more resources on new and emerging threats.”

“I spent a significant portion of my time in Congress on the House Homeland Security Committee focused on strengthening aviation security at airports nationwide,” said former House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko. “A vital piece of that effort is the increased use of biometric technology at security checkpoints. Our nation has made vital investments to ensure the safe and efficient screening of passengers using advanced identity verification technology. To abandon biometric technology and the progress we have made would make airports less safe. I strongly oppose this proposal.”

“Senators Merkley and Kennedy should come to Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta and let TSA give them a tour. They should see—firsthand—how TSA’s new systems work, and how the traveling public is responding. Spoiler alert: It’s popular. No one is forced to use the new system, but people are volunteering in droves to use it, just like people clamored to sign up for TSA PreCheck,” said Seth Stodder, former Assistant Secretary for Borders, Immigration and Trade Policy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Wednesday’s visit to ATL was attended by TSA Deputy Administrator Holly Canevari; TSA Chief of Staff (Acting) Myung Kim; TSA Chief Innovation Officer Steven Parker; Melissa Conley, Executive Director, Capability Management and Innovation, TSA; Alexa Lopez, Assistant Administrator for Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, TSA; John Laughter, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations for Delta Air Lines; Jason Hausner, Managing Director for Passenger Facilitation for Delta Air Lines; Greg Forbes, Managing Director – Airport Experience for Delta Air Lines; Ray Provencio, Acting Executive Director of Admissibility and Passenger Programs, CBP; multiple Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel members led by co-chair Kevin McAleenan; and U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman and Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes, among others.

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation’s economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for more information.

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4.24 The Legacy of Holiday Inn to Hotel Business

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Webb Wilson, CEO and Chief Investment Officer at KWC Management, talks about what it’s like to be running a company that holds the legacy of one of the most famous hoteliers there is. How does the history of Kemmons Wilson drive his strategy for future success?

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Peachtree Group Awarded Developer of the Year by Hilton

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ATLANTA (April 24, 2024) – Peachtree Group today announced that it has been recognized by Hilton as the 2023 Developer of the Year in the Focused Service category. The Hilton Americas Development Awards recognize the achievements of owners, development partners and hotel teams in the Americas across several categories.

“We are immensely honored to have been named Developer of the Year by Hilton, a distinction that underscores our desire to build outstanding hotels,” said Mitul Patel, principal, Peachtree Group. “This recognition highlights our unwavering commitment to creating exceptional hotels and further strengthens our partnership with Hilton. This award is a testament to our strategic approach to hotel development, which combines identifying great locations, assembling a top-tier team and maintaining a steadfast focus on quality.”

In 2022, Peachtree Group received the Multi-Brand Developer of the Year from Hilton.

These annual awards celebrate the resiliency and commitment of Hilton’s owners and team members who spread the light and warmth of hospitality. For more information about Hilton, visit the company’s newsroom at stories.hilton.com.

About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is a vertically integrated investment management firm specializing in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities in dislocated markets, anchored by commercial real estate. Today, the company manages billions in capital across acquisitions, development and lending, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its investments. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com.

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AHLA: DOL overtime rule will hurt hotels and limit employee opportunities

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WASHINGTON (April 23, 2024) – American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey issued the following statement today after the Department of Labor (DOL) released its final overtime rule to raise the minimum salary threshold under which all employees must be paid overtime for any hours worked over 40 in a week.

“This rule is part of a growing list of aggressive federal regulatory efforts that are making it even harder for hoteliers to operate their businesses in this challenging environment. The impacts of this regulation will risk the elimination of jobs and make it more difficult for employees to pursue the existing pathways to success and career growth that the industry offers,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “We fear many hoteliers will have no option other than to eliminate managerial jobs that are long-established paths to advancement. AHLA is reviewing all available options, including litigation, for defeating this ill-advised regulation.”

Background

DOL’s overtime rule would increase the salary threshold for employees to qualify as salaried executive, administrative, and professional employees who are exempt from overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The rule is part of a wave of recent federal efforts making it harder for hoteliers to do business that also includes regulations to determine joint-employment and workers’ independent-contractor status.

Under the new overtime rule, the salary threshold will be increased from the current $35,568 to $43,888 on July 1, 2024, and then to $58,656 on January 1, 2025. The first increase is based on the department’s current methodology for setting the threshold, while the second increase uses the department’s new methodology of setting the threshold to the 35th percentile of weekly earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage Census region.

This rule comes after DOL increased the minimum salary threshold by more than 50% to $35,568 just four years ago.

AHLA is leading coalition efforts with the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity, a business coalition that opposes the DOL rule, and in March AHLA led an industry letter to Congress in support of legislation that would overturn the rule.

 

About AHLA

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.

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U.S. Hotel Development Kicks off Q1 2024 with Growth and Record-Highs

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April 24, 2024 – PORTSMOUTH, NH

As seen in the Q1 2024 U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), at the end of the first quarter, there are 6,065 projects with 702,990 rooms in the pipeline. This new all-time high represents a 9% year-over-year (YOY) increase in projects and a 7% YOY increase in rooms compared to last year.

The details can be seen directly within the stages of the pipeline, which all saw YOY growth in Q1. Presently, there are 1,144 projects comprising 141,336 rooms under construction, marking a 9% increase in projects and a 1% increase in rooms YOY. Projects slated to start construction in the next 12 months total 2,259 projects with 260,968 rooms, reflecting a 10% rise in projects and an 8% increase in rooms YOY. Notably, both projects and room counts in the early planning stage increased by 9% YOY, reaching record-high figures of 2,662 projects and 300,686 rooms, respectively. Of all the projects in the pipeline, a little over half of them are concentrated within the upscale, upper-midscale, and midscale chain scales. In Q1, the upper midscale and midscale segments hit record-high project and room counts. The luxury chain scale also reached a record-high project total in Q1.

The latest data from LE also highlights the dominance of extended-stay brands in the pipeline at Q1, a segment that developers have increasingly favored in recent years. These brands now account for 37% of the total projects under construction, 41% of projects scheduled to begin within the next 12 months, and 39% of projects in the early planning stage. Sixty-three percent of the extended stay projects in the pipeline are branded with brands within the middle tier extended stay segment.

Renovation and brand conversion activities in the U.S. have also seen significant growth, reaching record-high combined totals of 2,041 projects and 266,405 rooms. Brand conversions, in particular, have hit a new record-high of 1,235 projects with 114,680 rooms, growing 14% by projects YOY, while announced renovations at Q1 stand at 806 projects and 151,725 rooms. LE analysts anticipate this robust conversion and renovation activity to continue throughout 2024.

In terms of new hotel openings, the first quarter saw the opening of 114 new hotels with 15,506 rooms in the U.S. Over half of these opens, 72 hotels/8,269 rooms, were in suburban locations, and 60 hotels/10,036 rooms (or 53%/65%) of newly opened hotels were located within the top 50 markets. With a record number of projects in early planning and an increasing number of projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months, LE analysts project modest growth in new hotel openings through 2024. The LE forecast for the remainder of 2024 includes the opening of another 547 projects with 60,483 rooms, totaling 661 new hotels with 75,989 rooms and representing a 1.3% increase in new hotel supply by year-end. Looking ahead to 2025, LE analysts anticipate an additional 790 new hotels with 85,561 rooms to open in the U.S., resulting in a 1.5% supply increase.

To view other recent media releases from LE, visit our Global Insights page.

About Lodging Econometrics (LE):
For over 25 years, Lodging Econometrics (LE) has been the industry-leading provider of global hotel intelligence and decision-maker contact information. LE custom-builds business development database programs for hotel franchise companies looking to accelerate their brand growth, hotel ownership and management companies seeking to expand their real estate portfolios, and lodging industry vendors wanting to increase their sales. To learn more about our business development programs contact us: +1 603.431.8740, ext 0025 or info@lodgingeconometrics.com.

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Red Roof Names Zack Gharib as President

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Promotes Red Roof Executive Fouad Malouf to the Newly Created Position of Chief Operating Officer

Zack Gharib, Red Roof President

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Red Roof®, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, has named hotel industry veteran Zack Gharib as President, effective immediately.

Gharib brings more than two decades of senior management experience in franchising, operations and brand management with companies such as Marriott, Vacasa, LaQuinta by Wyndham and Highgate Homes. He is widely regarded as a hospitality management innovator, having created and launched award-winning development, strategic planning and franchise operations programs over more than two decades of industry leadership.  He joins Red Roof as the company accelerates its growth towards 700 hotels across the U.S., and renews its focus on expanded and deepened franchise relationships.

Red Roof also announced the promotion of Fouad Malouf to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. In his new role, Malouf will support Gharib by overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations, as the company doubles down on the unique culture of service and execution that has made Red Roof the preferred franchise partner for hotel owners across the industry. Having joined the company in 1982, Malouf brings more than four decades of continuous and increasing management responsibility to his new role. He most recently served as Senior Vice President for Franchise Operations.

Mohamed Thowfeek, Member of the Red Roof Board of Directors and Red Roof Interim President, said, “We are happy to welcome Zack Gharib as Red Roof’s new President, an appointment that we are confident will take the brand and its franchise partners to new heights. Zack brings a laser focus on growth and operations excellence to his new role, and has demonstrated his ability to deliver transformative results for some of the most widely regarded brands in the hotel industry.” He concluded, “We look forward to Zack’s immediate positive impact on Red Roof and its franchisees, and also congratulate Fouad Malouf on his promotion to Chief Operating Officer. Fouad brings unmatched knowledge and experience with the Red Roof brand and franchise community, and will work closely with Zack to accelerate the company’s growth and franchising excellence in the months ahead.”

Zack Gharib said, “I am deeply honored and excited to be joining Red Roof as its President at this dynamic and promising moment in the company’s development.”  He continued, “I am passionate about helping owners, franchisees and team members achieve their fullest potential, deliver exceptional guest service, and achieve operational excellence – which I hope will be instrumental in driving Red Roof’s continued growth and success. I look forward to developing a program of focused action and results that will help drive this venerable brand’s growth and transformation for many years to come.”

Gharib is relocating to Columbus, Ohio and will operate out of Red Roof’s corporate headquarters there.

About Red Roof

Red Roof is an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, recognized for creating the innovative Upscale Economy® segment, serving millions of guests each year. Red Roof’s portfolio of brands includes Red Roof Inn® and Red Roof PLUS+®, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, The Red Collection®, and Red Roof’s dual-branded properties. Red Roof has over 60,000 rooms in nearly 700 properties in the U.S. and internationally in Japan. For more information, visit redroof.com or download Red Roof’s free app for iOS and Android devices. To learn about franchising opportunities, visit redrooffranchising.com.

Red Roof’s Vision: To provide the best experience and value in the lodging industry for our guests, owners, team members, partners, and communities.

SOURCE Red Roof

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4.23 Embassy Suites Turns 40!

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Embassy Suites will be celebrating its 40th anniversary, but it’s not relying on the past. Undergoing a dynamic transformation we have Bonnie Campagnuolo to talk about new design innovations, exciting renovations, and the future outlook.

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Designing Wynn Resorts Around The World! Las Vegas! Middle East! NYC?

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We’re at Wynn Studios in Las Vegas with Todd-Avery Lenahan, President and Chief Creative Officer with Wynn Resorts discussing the secrets of building the company’s different projects such as the $3.9 billion under construction Wynn Al Marjam in UAE and the potential $12 billion NYC property.

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