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THERE WAS A family in need, and California hotelier Sunil "Sunny" Tolani could not stand by and idly watch. So, he took action, even though the family was thousands of miles away in Afghanistan. A young girl's life was literally at stake. And now, Tolani is joining an effort to help other refugees from the war-torn country. It began when Tolani saw the story in the Wall Street Journal of Najiba, a 3-year-old girl who was facing being sold to a man to cover her family's $550 debt to the man. Najiba's mother, Saleha, is a housecleaner in western Afghanistan earning only 70 cents a day cleaning homes and her elderly husband does not work at all,according to the non-profit Afghan Assist. Saleha has six children altogether and also raises the children of her sister who died in childbirth. Najiba would not marry the man to whom the family owes money,the charity said.

ALL THE PERFORMANCE metrics of U.S. hotels improved in the first week of November, according to STR. However, it remains below the performance reported two years ago. Occupancy was 59.8 percent for the week ending Nov. 6, up from 58.9 percent the week before and a 13 percent drop from the same period in 2019. ADR for the first week of the month was $128.14, up from $127.70 the week before and down 3.2 percent for the same period in 2019. RevPAR increased to $76.61 from $75.28 the week before. It was reduced by 15.8 percent when compared to the same period two years ago. During the week under review, none of STR's top 25 markets recorded an occupancy increase over 2019. Norfolk/Virginia Beach came closest to its 2019 comparable, down only 5.2 percent to 59.9 percent. The largest ADR increase was reported in Miami, up 13.6 percent to $205.56, when compared to two years ago.

THE OMICRON VARIANT of COVID-19 has come and, for now, gone, and U.S. hotels are recovering quickly according to STR. The recovery does come after a slight dip in GOPPAR. That dip was a $20 decline in January, but GOPPAR rose to $58.88 in February, the highest since October, according to STR's P&L report for the month. TRevPAR for the month was $169.77, EBITDA PAR was $39.29 and labor costs were $56.63. All also were increases over January. In 2021, U.S. hotel profits reached 52 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to STR. "Following trends in top-line performance, U.S. profitability levels are recovering more quickly from Omicron than with previous variants," said Raquel Ortiz, STR's director of financial performance. "February GOPPAR was roughly 77 percent of the 2019 comparable, but independents (108 percent), luxury (94 percent) and midscale (88 percent) chains were far above the national average. The upper upscale (67 percent) and upscale (70 percent) segments are where the largest deficits persisted.

Badkhal Lake History - It was built soon after the country got Independence in 1947 to facilitate water supply to the nearby farms. In 1972, the Haryana government built a Badkhal resort off the lake It was a natural lake situated in Badkhal village near Faridabad, Which was a major tourist attraction during the '70s through to the '90sin the Indian state of Haryana, about 32 kilometers from the national capital of Delhi. Surrounded by the hills of the Aravalli Range, this was a man-made embankment. Owing to unchecked mining in neighboring areas, the lake began drying up two decades back and is now totally dried up.There are functional Haryana tourism corporation restaurants in the vicinity.A flower show is held every spring here. Its name is most probably derived from the Persian word beydakhal, which means free from interference. A close to this Lake is Peacock Lake. It is a biodiversity area within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi. Historical places around the lake include the 10th-century ancient Surajkund reservoir (15 km north) And Anangpur Dam (16 km north), the similarly dried up Damdama Lake,Tughlaqabad fort, Adiland ruins and the Temple. There are several dozen lakes formed in the abandoned open-pit mines in and around the sanctuary. It is contiguous to the seasonal waterfalls in pali- Dauj- Kot - Villages of Faridabad, The sacred Manager Bani hill forest and the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. Baba Farid's tomb, Camp Dauj Lake, Sri Shirdi Sai Baba temple, Raja Nagar Singh fort, Surajkund If I say there is no water in the lake then why would you go? This Lake Faridabad is completely dry. We are talking about Badkhal Lake at Badkhal village near Faridabad. But I sat you should visit because it's totally dried up. You won't found anyone here except locals, before exploring this place you should not forget to carry enough water and food for the trip. Hotels nearby - Badkhal lake

AT 1 A.M. SATURDAY, Paresh Desai and his family were safe in bed in their apartments at the Cardinal Motel in Mayfield, Kentucky, where they had lived for 22 years. One hour later, they were fighting for their lives as a historic system of tornadoes tore the roof off the entire building. The storm, now believed to have killed 88 people across five states according to media reports, came without warning, Desai said. He was with his wife, Mitali, who is seven months pregnant, their 16-year-old daughter and his mother and father, both in their 70s. It came out of the dark Around 1:30 a.m., Desai received an alert for the severe weather, so he woke up and began watching as the storm worsened. Then he went to wake the others, starting with his wife. "As soon as my wife stood up and we tried to get my daughter from the room, the roof was gone," he said. The hotel's windows also blew out as rain began pouring in. Desai's parents were calling from the other room where the roof remained partially intact.

The GLō Tulsa East Route 66 is now open in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first of Best Western Hotels & Resorts' new-build boutique brand to open in the state. It is owned by Champion Hotels Group, led by founder Champak "Champ" Patel, and Jain Hotels led by CEO Jayesh Jain. The 70-room hotel is near the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and Tulsa International Airport. Other nearby attractions include the Tulsa Zoo, Oklahoma Aquarium, ONEOK Field, BOK Center, The Gathering Place, LaFortune Park, Rogers Point park and the Catoosa Activity Center. Hotel amenities include a meeting area and workspaces as well as a fitness center. "This hotel is the perfect addition to the Catoosa and Tulsa area," Patel said. "We are thrilled to introduce the GLō brand to Oklahoma," Jain said. "This property provides the ideal boutique look and feel with the modern amenities and service offerings today's travelers expect."

THE WAR IN Ukraine and lingering concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic are making some travelers nervous, according to a survey from risk and crisis response provider Global Rescue. Still, Global Rescue found that fewer people are experiencing hesitancy about travel. About 71 percent of respondents to Global Rescue's Spring 2022 Traveler Safety and Sentiment Survey said they are somewhat concerned, concerned or much more concerned about international travel since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The remaining 29 percent said they are not concerned at all. The respondents' destinations also caused some anxiety as well as returning to travel after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions. At the same time, 89 percent of respondents said the war in Ukraine has not changed their travel plans and 70 percent are not experiencing any re-entry to travel anxiety. An even larger majority, 84 percent, of survey takers report they are less or much less concerned about travel today compared to the beginning of the pandemic.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT competition She Has a Deal 2022 SHaDPitch Today's Woman competitor Amina Gilyard James recently acquired the Quality Inn in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee. James said the competition prepared her company for the acquisition. The 70-room hotel is near downtown Memphis, Beale Street and AutoZone Park, home of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds and the Memphis International Airport, according to SHaD. Amenities in the property include a business center and indoor heated pool and hot tub. James' firm Duke Ventures plans to invest $500,000 to refresh the property with new paint, FF&E and additional cosmetic improvements. "The SHaDPitch competition and its curriculum provide an invaluable inside look at the hotel industry," James said. "It provided a roadmap and extensive network that gave me foundational knowledge of the hotel acquisition and ownership space. SHaD prepared my company, Duke Ventures LLC, to make the smartest investment possible. We're proud of the deal we made and optimistic about what the future holds for this property and our investors."

ANNUAL CHANGES IN U.S. hotel utility costs and in the Consumer Price Index, or inflation, have historically proven to be strongly correlated. As of August 2022, CBRE is forecasting CPI growth to be 7.7 percent in 2022, followed by another 3.6 percent in 2023. Since inflation has averaged just 2.2 percent since 2000, these inflation projections have hoteliers concerned about operating costs. Given that rising energy costs are a significant driver of the current rise in CPI, hotel managers are especially worried about utility department expenses. Over the past 50 years, utility department expenses have averaged between 3 and 4 percent of total revenue, indicating that hotel managers have been successfully controlling energy costs in the face of fluctuating business volumes. This is particularly commendable given the highly fixed nature of utility expenses. To provide some context to the current challenging environment, we studied recent trends in hotel utility department expenses. The data come from a sample of more than 2,800 U.S. hotels that reported utility department expenses each year from 2015 through 2021 for CBRE's annual "Trends in the Hotel Industry" survey. In 2021 the properties in the sample averaged 209 rooms in size, with an annual occupancy rate of 54.2 percent and an average daily rate of $152.70.

THERE WAS A slight slip in U.S. hotel performance in the third week of October compared to the week before, according to STR. However, numbers improved during the week when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 69.9 percent for the week ending Oct. 22, down from 70.3 percent the week before and down 0.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $157.43 during the week, slightly dropped from $157.52 the week before and up 16.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $110.11 in the third week of Oct. 22, just dipped from $110.78 the week before and up 16.1 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Tampa reported the largest increase in occupancy during the week, up 7.4 percent to 75.9 percent and RevPAR, increased 39.2 percent to $117.28, over 2019. It has been one of the markets in Florida that have seen a performance lift associated with post-Hurricane Ian demand.

AS MANY AS 60 percent of Americans are likely to stay in hotels this year, more than last year, according to two surveys commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The survey findings apply to business and leisure travelers, with most saying they are travelling as much as or more than they did pre-pandemic. Hotels are the top lodging choice among travelers for business and leisure in the next three months, the new national Hotel Booking Index survey research commissioned by AHLA and conducted by Morning Consult has revealed. According to the surveys, conducted on Dec. 16 to 19 and Dec. 28 to Jan. 2, 52 percent of adults would choose to stay in hotels in the next three months, while 76 percent of potential business travelers would be most likely to stay in a hotel during the same period. Besides, business travelers indicate that nearly 70 percent of their employers have either returned to the pre-pandemic normal or increased amounts of business travel. The survey said that 51 percent of business travelers said that share of employees expected or encouraged to travel for work is now the same as before the pandemic, while another 20 percent said it's more than before. About 53 percent of business travelers said that the average length of business trips is now the same as before the pandemic, while another 20 percent said it's more than before.

PERFORMANCE OF U.S. hotels improved in the third week of September compared to the week before and also when compared to 2019, according to STR. Occupancy was 69.6 percent for the week ending Sept. 17, up from 61.7 percent the week before and decreased 2.4 percent from 2019. ADR was $155.58 for the week, increased from $146.80 the week before and increased 15.6 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $108.25 during the week, up from $90.50 the week before and improved 12.9 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Norfolk/Virginia Beach reported the highest occupancy increase during the week, up 6.6 percent to 70.9 percent, over 2019. Miami reported the largest ADR gain, increased 30.7 percent to $177.10, over 2019.

HURRICANE IAN PLOWED across Cuba and strengthened into a Category 4 storm Wednesday with its sites on central Florida, where it would kill more than 70 people before moving on to the Carolinas. Part of what made Ian so deadly was its unpredictability, as south Florida hotelier Jan Gautam witnessed. Gautam, president and CEO of IHRMC Hotels & Resorts in Orlando, said Ian hit with Category 1 force wind in the Kissimmee and Orlando area, damaging seven of his properties. That came as a surprise to many of his guests who had fled the Tampa area where Ian had been expected to hit. "This particular hurricane was supposed to hit Tampa Bay and we were not expecting it to come towards us in Orlando," Gautam said. "Suddenly, at the last moment the route was changed and most of the people from the Tampa area were staying in Orlando, so hotels in Orlando were completely full. These were the people who came from central Florida and we were actually beaten up badly."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE increased in the fourth week of September compared to the week before, according to STR. Performance also improved when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 70 percent for the week ending Sept. 24, increased slightly from 69.6 percent the week before and decreased just 1.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $157.99 for the week, up from $155.58 the week before and increased 15.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $110.60 during the week, increased from $108.25 the week before and up 13.9 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Orlando reported the highest occupancy increase for September's fourth week, up 7.9 percent to 72.2 percent, over 2019.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE dropped in the fifth week of September as expected with the Rosh Hashanah holiday, according to STR. ADR and RevPAR were up during the week when compared to 2019, but occupancy was down. Occupancy was 66.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 1, down from 70 percent the week before and decreased 2.4 percent from 2019. ADR was $149.71 for the week, dropped from $157.99 the week before and increased 15.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $99.36 during the week, down from $110.60 the week before and up 12.9 percent from 2019. According to STR, there was demand shifts in the southeast region due to Hurricane Ian besides the Rosh Hashanah impact on business travel and groups.

A NEW SURVEY finds that U.S. travelers are getting the urge to explore and acting on that spur-of-the-moment travel bug as temperatures begin to rise. Around 67 percent of Americans with travel plans this year say that the best trips are spontaneous and decided on a whim, a study by Motel 6 and Studio 6 found. The study, which surveyed more than 2,000 Americans who plan to travel this year, also found that almost three-quarters, or 73 percent, would be willing to visit a surprise destination. "Taking a last-minute getaway is a great way to add some joy into your life," said Julie Arrowsmith, president/interim CEO, G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6. Traveling distances, with companions According to the survey, seven in 10 (70 percent) U.S. travelers say they are indulging in longer excursions by traveling more than three hours from their hometown. When asked about companions, more than three in four (78 percent) travelers prefer to journey with other people, while almost one in three (28 percent) are planning to explore with pets, it added. Off-season and longer trips With impromptu trips on the rise, more than two in five (44 percent) vacationers admit they are switching up their travel experiences this year. Most notably, the typical "travel season" may be a thing of the past, with almost half (47 percent) indicating that they are just as likely to get away during the off-season or weekdays as opposed to peak times like holidays and weekends. Another 32 percent are taking longer vacations than ever before, the study pointed out.

THE REVPAR OF U.S. hotels reached an all-time weekly high on a nominal and a pandemic-era high on an inflation-adjusted basis in the third week of June, according to STR. Boosted by the highest weekly demand of 28 million room nights sold since August 2019, occupancy was the highest of the pandemic-era during the week. Occupancy was 71.8 percent for the week ending June 18, up from 70.6 percent the week before and dropped 4.8 percent from 2019. ADR was $155.02 for the week, slightly down from $155.37 the week before and increased 14.9 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $111.29 during the week up from $109.76 the week before and up 9.4 percent from 2019. San Diego saw the only occupancy increase, up 0.5 percent to 86 percent, over 2019 among STR's top 25 markets. According to STR, New York City (86.6 percent), San Diego and Seattle (85 percent) led the major markets in absolute occupancy for the week.

U.S. HOTELS REPORTED record-high monthly room rates on a nominal basis in July, according to STR. RevPAR on a nominal basis hit an all-time high during the month and occupancy was the second highest since August 2019. However, performance dipped some in the third week of August on a weekly basis, but performance improved during the week over 2019. Occupancy was 69.6 percent in July, down from 70.1 percent in June and down 5.4 percent from three years ago. ADR was $159.08 during the month, up from 155.04 in June and up 17.5 percent over 2019. RevPAR reached $110.73 in July, up from $108.64 the month before and increased 11.2 percent three years ago. At the same time, occupancy dropped to 67.3 percent for the week ending August 20, down from 68.5 percent the week before and dropped 3.9 percent from 2019. ADR was $150.96 for the week, decreased from $152.34 the week before and increased 16.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $101.59 during the week, fell from $104.30 the week before and increased 12.2 percent from 2019.

FORMER AAHOA CHAIRWOMAN Jagruti Panwala testified recently before Congress on the Department of Labor's proposal to raise the overtime salary exemption threshold for executive, administrative, and professional employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Panwala, now a board member for American Hotel & Lodging Association, argued that the proposed change would actually limit hotel employees' opportunities and does not take into account economic differences between regions of the country. In August, DOL proposed raising the threshold from $35,568 to an estimated $60,209 in 2024 according to AHLA based on the department's projections. That equals a nearly 70 percent increase, and AHLA said that means all employees making under that amount must be paid overtime for any hours worked over 40 in one week. The DOL proposal also would automatically increase the threshold every three years thereafter based on the 35th percentile of earnings for full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage census region, currently the South.