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ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING points are becoming a standard amenity at hotels, akin to the rise of Wi-Fi in the early 2000s. Benefits for the hotel owners and franchisers can include additional revenue, carbon credits as well as attracting guests from the growing number of electric vehicle drivers. A 2022 Green Lodging survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association revealed a surge in the deployment of EV chargers within the hospitality sector, with 26.6 percent of all U.S. hotels equipped with charging stations. The EV charging facilities are more commonly found at luxury hotels (nearly 90 percent offer them), while only about one in five limited-service hotels provides charging, representing significant growth opportunities. Hotel brands such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, BWH Hotel Group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotel Corp. and G6 Hospitality have prioritized deploying EV charging based on customer preferences. Their franchisees have begun incorporating EV charging infrastructures into their properties. "We've heard from our owners that offering EV charging solutions is increasingly influential for guests when choosing hotels," said Brian McGuiness, IHG's senior vice president of global guest experience. "This is backed by our observation of guests using EVC filters on the IHG One Rewards mobile app and website. Our integrated EV-charger search filter within the IHG One Rewards mobile app allows travelers to easily find properties with EV charging capabilities, empowering them to plan their journeys conveniently and confidently."

The Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is a hotel chain based in Hong Kong. It is the largest Asian-based deluxe-hotel group in the region. The Hotel chain happens in 1971, with its first hotel in Singapore and now has 55 deluxe hotels and resorts located in key Asian, Australian and Mid Eastern cities with a hotel-room inventory of over 27,000.

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ATLANTA-BASED EV Hotels, a new technology-centric hotel brand founded by Ken Patel, has partnered with Spanish firm CLERHP to construct a luxury resort in the new Larimar City & Resort project in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic. The 400-room hotel will be built on an area of nearly eight acres, the company said in a statement. Larimar City & Resort will be on the Promenade on the Farrallón de Verón, which has a view of Punta Cana, said Leonardo Padron Hermes, CEO of Blacklions International Group, a company associated with CLERHP in the development of real estate projects in the Dominican Republic. The area includes restaurants, clubs, shops and an 18-hole golf course. "After many years of working behind the scenes to develop a hotel brand that both innovates and revolutionized the industry, it is truly rewarding to now see EV make an impact across the globe. And believe me, we are just getting started," Patel said. "Larimar City & Resort will be one of the best tourist attractions around the globe and our team at EV is excited to be part of this Smart-City. Growth doesn't come with a single action. It is the consequence of persistence, courage, and hard work. What we are accomplishing here is to create an experience that brings hospitality back and gives it life again. Innovation is a team sport."

IN MARCH, THE U.S. celebrated the achievements and history of women as part of Women's History Month. In recognition of the month, some hotel companies introduced or continued programs aimed at increasing women's role in the industry. In line with the Women's History Month theme this year "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," Choice Hotels International kicked off its "HERtels at Choice Development Seminar" with nearly 40 franchise owners, general managers, and hotel associates in attendance. At the same time, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' "Women Own the Room" initiative has signed over 30 hotels across the U.S. and Canada in the first year of its launch. Also, California hotelier and philanthropist Sunil "Sunny" Tolani issued a special message for the month. HERtels by Choice Choice Hotels took the recently held Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta as a launch pad for its inaugural HERtels seminar. The event was held next door to the Marriott Marquis Atlanta, Hunter's venue, and is an enhancement of Choice's HERtels program that was launched in 2021. "While industry-wide parity is improving, with more female investors, directors, and leaders in hospitality than ever before, women entrepreneurs still face significant economic and societal barriers when it comes to hotel ownership and development. As an industry, we owe it to the next generation of hoteliers to change this statistic," said John Lancaster, vice president for emerging markets, franchise development and owner relationships, Choice Hotels International. "This initiative and the invaluable resources it provides is a natural extension of our industry-leading emerging markets program and our enduring commitment to helping growth-minded entrepreneurs further their unique ownership journey."

Rebecca Trumbo and William Gullion recently joined Greenville-based Auro Hotels as procurement director and vice president of design and construction, respectively. Trumbo previously held procurement roles at Best Western Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels. Gullion's past positions include president of architecture, design and construction at Virage Creative and vice president of global shared technical services at Hilton Worldwide, Auro said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome Rebecca and William to the Auro Hotels family," said DJ Rama, Auro Hotels' president and CEO. "Their extensive experience and proven track records in the hospitality industry will be invaluable as we continue to drive growth and innovation. We look forward to the significant contributions they will make to our team and the positive impact they will have on our operations and guest experiences."

MAJOR U.S. HOTELS firms Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced that they are ceasing operations in Russia due to its ongoing invasion in Ukraine. Also, AAHOA issued a statement condemning the war. The hotel companies also emphasized their efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees and guests in both Ukraine and neighboring countries who face these 'unconscionable challenges'. "We have made the decision, effective immediately, to close our corporate office in Moscow, and pause the opening of upcoming hotels and all future hotel development and investment in Russia," Marriott said in a statement. "We have been closely monitoring the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Russia and neighboring countries, and remain in regular contact with our teams on the ground, as we work to comply with sanctions and applicable laws. Our hotels in Russia are owned by third parties and we continue to evaluate the ability for these hotels to remain open."

TOCK, A RESERVATIONS and events platform for the hospitality industry, recently partnered with Curator Hotel & Resort Collection to enhance food and beverage operations and provide additional amenities to guests. The partnership will enable Curator member hotels and resorts to streamline operations, drive revenue and improve guests' experiences on a single system. "Tock provides a holistic solution that empowers our customers and we're thrilled to bring that to Curator's elite network of independent hotels and resorts," said Patrick Venn, Tock's head of hotels and enterprise. "This partnership aligns with our mission to empower hotels of all sizes with forward-thinking technology focused on revenue management. Together, we aim to help these properties not only in navigating today's competitive landscape, but also setting new standards in delivering extraordinary guest experiences." Tock's platform offers capabilities tailored for hotel operators, Tock said in a statement.

More and more top luxury hotels now accept cryptos for rooms and hotel services. Other travel-related sites were already accepting cryptocurrencies before luxury hotels jumped on the bandwagon. The primary reason that travelers use cryptos is because of the favorable conversion rates that save hundreds of dollars over using credit cards. The cards are just as convenient to use because they're totally digital-based. FIVE OF THE TOP LUXURY HOTELS THAT ACCEPT CRYPTOS Among the benefits, using cryptos tends to be less expensive than other methods of payment. Five of the top luxury hotels that accept cryptos include the following properties. 1. CHEDI ANDERMATT, SWITZERLAND 2. SRI PANWA PHUKET 3. SANDMAN HOTELS OF CANADA AND THE U.K. 4. CASUAL HOTELES OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL 5. PAVILIONS HOTELS & RESORT GLOBAL TRAVEL WITH UTMOST CONVENIENCE Bitcoin ranks as the most popular digital currency. The innovative payment method uses decentralized currency for efficiency, transparency and security.

TO USHER IN 2022, Best Western Hotels & Resorts is offering a new program to allow guests Best Western Rewards to use points to cover the cost of booking a hotel room. The company said its "Pay with Points" will benefit hoteliers as well. Under the new program, BWR members do not have to reach a free room night threshold, but can redeem points for discounted room rates at hotels in North America immediately. During a beta test of the program in which a few Best Western hotels allowed BWR with at least 5,000 points to apply points to their hotel stays, one third used a combination of BWR points and cash to book stays of two nights or more. That ultimately boosted the bottom line for the participating hotels, the company said. Also, 35 percent of Pay with Points redemptions were for hotels where members had not previously stayed. "Pay with Points is designed to help both BWR members and our hoteliers. Our hotel owners will benefit because BWR members are being introduced to new properties within our portfolio," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western's senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "We're always looking to provide our rewards members with new promotions and benefits, and we're excited to introduce Pay with Points to Best Western-branded hotels across North America."

PEACHSTATE HOSPITALITY RECENTLY selected TPG Hotels & Resorts to manage 10 properties. The contract includes eight Marriott select service hotels and two IHG Hotels & Resorts select service hotels in Georgia. Both the firms have entered into an exclusive strategic agreement for the management of additional hotels in the current and future pipeline to be developed by PeachState Hospitality which is headed by Danny Patel as president and CEO, the statement added. "PeachState Hospitality is a leading owner and developer in our industry, and we are pleased to welcome them as a new partner and these exceptional properties into our portfolio," said Tim Muir, chief development officer, TPG Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to growing our partnership as they accelerate their development platform over the next few years."

HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS retained its title as the world's most valuable hotel brand for the ninth consecutive year, while Hyatt Hotels Corp. secured the second spot again, according to the latest data from Brand Finance. Meanwhile, India's Taj Hotels is the world's second-fastest-growing brand, primarily due to revenue growth and improved brand strength. Hilton's brand value is estimated at $11.6 billion in the Brand Finance Global 500 2024 ranking. Hyatt holds a value of $6 billion, and Taj increased its brand value by 45 percent to $545 million, Brand Finance said in a statement. "Many top hotel brands have struggled to grow their brand value as robustly as in the years leading up to 2020, and the Brand Finance Hotels 2024 ranking shows that these challenges are ongoing as the industry recovers," said Henry Farr, Brand Finance's associate director. "Despite an uptick in travel and hotel demand, the actual growth hasn't matched expectations, resulting in slight declines or minimal brand value growth for the world's leading hotel brands."

The Aman Resorts is a hotel chain group which develops hotels and resorts at unique locations around the world. In India, this group is present in the district of Alwar and operates the Aman Bagh resort, one of the few luxury hotels in Alwar. Each of its property around the world is unique in its own respect. However, these resorts are developed with some common guiding principles of construction and architecture.

ABOUT 78 PERCENT of global travelers place high quality service above all else when booking a hotel, according to a global survey by IHG Hotels & Resorts' voco hotels. Cleanliness and other basic needs also rank highly, but the way hotel staff approach guests during their stay is very important, and travelers want to feel comfortable, both physically and in themselves. "Just like travel has changed, consumers expectations have too," said Will Yell, VP luxury and upscale conversion and affiliate brands at IHG. "With nearly half of travelers stating they want to be valued as an individual, a one-size-fits-all approach to hotel service no longer resonates with travelers." Travelers also are ready to reconnect post-pandemic, with six out of 10 craving connection, interaction and/or conversation more during their travels, compared to pre-pandemic, the survey said. That leads them to want more connection with hotel staff. "As many as 65 percent of travelers think hotel staff should act in a friendly manner towards guests and half said they want to be able to talk to staff and vice versa in a friendly, conversational manner, rather than overly formal or personal. Nearly half (48 percent) of travelers agree that a friendly, approachable, and personalized experience is more important than ever following the pandemic," the survey said.

ARIZONA-BASED BWH Hotels, known for brands like Best Western Hotels & Resorts, plans to expand into South Asia by introducing WorldHotels to markets including India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. BWH Hotels, the company that acquired WorldHotels in 2019, is now established in South Asia through Sorrel Hospitality, the master franchisee based in New Delhi. According to Indian media reports, Sorrel Hospitality will extend its presence into Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The company expects to have around 51 hotels by the end of 2024, including 3,000 rooms once the pipeline becomes operational. All these hotels are signed in these three markets, with an additional six hotels in the India market, the report in the Economic Times said. Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotels, expressed the company's commitment to strengthening its presence in India and raising standards in accommodation and guest satisfaction.

THE 2020 COVID-influenced lodging industry recession resulted in some noticeable changes to the way hotels provide F&B service. Social distancing regulations forced operators to be creative in the way they served food and beverages to guests. Rising wage rates and sharp increases in the cost of food and beverage products compelled hotel managers to find ways to control costs. The inability of hotels to attract employees to fill the positions eliminated during the recession required creative solutions to improve productivity and offer more with less. These factors resulted in the following hotel food and beverage trends during the subsequent recovery period: The increased offering of kiosks and grab-and-go venues The closing of traditional three-meal-a-day restaurants A reduction in the menus, number of seats, and hours of remaining F&B venues Reductions in in-room dining and mini-bar service The conversion of food and beverage space to other revenue generating purposes To learn how these recent changes in hotel food and beverage operations have impacted revenues and expenses, we have analyzed the operating statements of 2,500 U.S. full-service, resort, and convention hotels that participated in CBRE's annual Trends in the Hotel Industry in 2021 and 2022. In 2022, these 2,500 properties averaged 285 rooms in size, and achieved an occupancy of 64.7 percent, along with an ADR of $225.60. To provide more current information, we also relied on the monthly operating statements of 1,200 properties during the period January through June of 2023.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Questex recently updated the lineup of speakers and events for The Hospitality Show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, Texas. The Show will offer networking opportunities and showcase new products from more than 400 technology and operations vendors, AHLA and Questex said in a joint statement. Confirmed speakers include Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Liam Brown, group president for the U.S. and Canada at Marriott International; Kevin Jacobs, CFO and president of Global Development at Hilton Hotels & Resorts; Brian Kirkland, chief information officer of Choice Hotels International; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of KSL Resorts; Kevin Korab, president of Guest Worldwide; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Greg Land, global segment leader for travel and hospitality at Amazon Web Services.

Online hotel reservations are a popular method for booking hotel rooms. Travelers can book rooms on a computer by using online security to protect their privacy and financial information and by using several online travel agents to compare prices and facilities at different hotels.

THE UPCOMING SHOW "Grand Indian Hotel," premiering on BBC Player, a BBC Studios streaming service available on Prime Video Channel, on June 14, will depict the 90-year history of Oberoi Hotel & Resorts. The three-part series offers insights into The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, The Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and The Oberoi, New Delhi. The show provides a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes efforts of Oberoi's 90-year history of hospitality, according to BBC Studios. The show is developed by UK-based Voltage TV and distributed by BBC Studios. "Grand Indian Hotel is a first-hand account depicting India's Vibrant culture of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' through the lens of legendary Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, and reflects the great story-telling that is synonymous with BBC Studios," said Stanley Fernandes, BBC Studios' vice president of distribution, South Asia.

ANOTHER ASIAN AMERICAN developer has signed on to build two properties under Choice Hotels International's upscale Cambria brand. VRL Hotels, led by Victor Patel as president, has signed on to build a Cambria in Gatlinburg and another in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Gatlinburg hotel is expected to open in 2022. It will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the tourist town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Local attractions include Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, the Gatlinburg SkyLift, which carries passengers 1,800 feet up to the top of Crockett Mountain, and the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Also nearby are Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Haunted Adventure, the Rocky Top Sports complex, several bourbon distilleries, breweries and wineries and the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Pigeon Forge is expected to open in 2024. Nearby attractions include Dollywood amusement park, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum, the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, Titanic Museum Attraction, NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains and seasonal outdoor events throughout the year, such as Winterfest. Both hotels will have multi-function meeting and event spaces and fitness centers among other amenities.