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WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS franchisees now have access to a package of new guest engagement platforms at no cost, the company announced at its 2023 Global Conference in Anaheim, California. Wyndham executives also discussed the company's continued growth, including international developments and investments in India. Wyndham Community, the company's new owner engagement platform, was developed with feedback from the company's franchise advisory and brand councils. The software packages cover guest messaging, mobile check-in and check-out and upselling, all rolling out over the next few weeks. "Our focus is really, first and foremost, creating programs that franchisees aren't mandated to participate in, but have the opportunity to opt into," said Geoff Ballotti Wyndham's president and CEO. "Opting into a program like our most opted into program, Signature Reservation Service, allows them to not just drive $22,000 on average of incremental revenue at $1,000 cost, which is why 4,500 of our 6,000 us franchisees have opted into that. They haven't been mandated to sign up for the service, but they know it just makes a whole lot of sense."

THE AHLA FOUNDATION recently expanded its travel scholarship program with historically Black colleges and universities supported by a 2023 grant from the Nareit Foundation's Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Giving Campaign. The foundation also announced its 2024 officers and board of trustees, further diversifying the board's representation of industry segments, AHLA Foundation said in a statement. "HBCUs are an incredible, yet underestimated, resource for talent" said AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue. "Travel scholarships are an important tool for fostering inclusion at the earliest stages and help to increase exposure to the different parts of industry, including hotel and lodging REITs." The $85,000 grant from the Nareit Foundation, Nareit's philanthropic arm, will facilitate HBCU students' attendance at REIT- and investment-focused events, including the Hunter: Hotel Investment Conference in March and the NYU International Hospitality Industry Conference in June, the statement said.

THE 3RD EDITION of the Vadilal International Gujarati Film Festival brought the red carpet to the Atlanta area on May 20 to 22. Hundreds of members of the local Gujarati community turned out for the event, which featured appearances from major stars and filmmakers straight from India. IGFF, previously held in Los Angeles and New Jersey, set up this time at the Venture Cinema in Duluth. It's mission, apart from entertainment, is to spread awareness one of India's alternatives to Bollywood. This year's festival includes 14 feature films, such as "21st Tiffin," "Divaswapna," "Dhummas," "Gandhi & Co.," "Dear Father" and "Gujarat nu Gaurav"; two documentary feature films, "Sur Shabdnu Sarnamu" and "Shrimad Rajchandra"; five documentary film, such as "Okhamandal - Ek Anokhu Andolan" and "Gandhi"; a short film, "Roha Fort - Ek Visaraati Viraasat"; and six web series, such as "Benaqaab," "Ghaat" and "Yamraj Calling."

PEOPLE ARE SHOWING a desire to get back to travel, but within certain limits, according to a Reuters Events Travel webinar. The webinar featured information on the current state of the industry from IHG Hotels & Resorts, Visit California and digital consultancy Appnovation. Whether planning, booking or experiencing a vacation, today's travelers are more cautious than ever and are taking more time to research plans and are using digital tools for it, according to the webinar titled "Destination Experience: Driven by Data, Inspired by Travelers." As many as 41 percent of respondents to a survey from Appnovation cited a readiness to travel out of state or province, while only 19 percent were ready for international trips. Almost half of Americans, 49 percent, are likely to travel out of state and 24 percent are likely to travel internationally. "With data, brands are much better equipped to understand these shifts, and use their marketing tools more effectively. In short, you can't innovate properly until you innovate on your internal processes," said Anton Morrison, vice president of user experience and design, Appnovation.

A LETTER APPEARING to be from Marriott International stating that the company was "re-evaluating" its official relationship with AAHOA over the association's new stance on franchise relations is causing some disruption on social media. Marriott and AAHOA have not responded to repeated requests for comment on the letter, but in an email to members AAHOA Chairman Neal Patel said the letter is a draft and the company and association are still in negotiations. The letter specifically cites AAHOA's request that the company reassess its franchising policies in light of AAHOA's recently released "12 Points of Fair Franchising." Also, it mentions AAHOA's support for New Jersey's proposed Assembly Bill 1958 that would make changes to the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act similar to the guidelines laid out in the 12 Points. "Ultimately, Marriott cannot support, either by endorsement and/or financially, any organization that is in direct opposition to our business model and interests," Marriott said in the letter. "We believe quite strongly that the longstanding relationship between Marriott and AAHOA has proven to be mutually beneficial, and we are deeply saddened that AAHOA has chosen to pivot its stance on these key issues in a way that is decidedly anti-franchising and anti-Marriott (especially since, as the AAHOA leadership shared with us in a recent meeting, neither AAHOA's leaders nor its members have any material issues with Marriott's approach to franchising or to our franchisees)."

ATLANTA-BASED BANYAN Investment Group has completed the sale of the 112-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bluffton at Hilton Head Area in South Carolina, to Trishul Hospitality, the company said. The transaction, for an undisclosed amount, generated a 24 percent internal rate of return and a 3.3x equity multiple for Banyan. "We purchased the Bluffton Holiday Inn Express & Suites back in 2014 with the idea that this South Carolina coastal submarket was poised for long term growth. We were confident Bluffton would evolve into a tourist destination, aided by its proximity to several year-round destinations such as Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina," said Samir Yajnik, principal and EVP of investments, Banyan Investment Group. "Our underwriting and research at that time proved to be correct given Beaufort has become the fastest growing town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, with its population having grown by more than 124 percent in the last decade.

The moment you step into Harasar Haveli you get a feel of ancient Rajasthani culture, prolonging throughout your stay. It caters to domestic as well as international travellers providing great hospitality as per Rajputana tradition.

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP has acquired the Homewood Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City | Downtown in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company, led by Mit Shah as CEO,said the city represents a fast-growing market. The 137-room hotel is in Salt Lake City's central business and entertainment district, according to Noble. The area contains more than 15 million square feet of office space and several corporate headquarters, including Zions Bancorporation, Questar Corporation, and Goldman Sachs. Also nearby are the Salt Palace Convention Center, Vivint Arena, Gallivan Center, Temple Square and the Utah State Capitol. More than 26 million passengers annually pass through the Salt Lake City International Airport, which is 4 miles west of downtown. "Salt Lake City has seen some of the highest in-migration trends leading up to and continuing through the global health crisis," Noble said in its statement. "The city boasts more than ten ski resorts within an hour's drive, as well as more than a dozen national parks and monuments. With its world-class outdoor lifestyle, Salt Lake City is one of the most dynamic leisure and corporate travel markets in the U.S."

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.

TRAVEL INDUSTRY LEADERS are continuing their press of federal officials and the Biden Administration to end pre-departure testing for COVID-19 by vaccinated international air travelers bound for the U.S. This time they went directly to the White House. On May 24, representatives from the U.S. Travel Association and Airlines for America met at the White House to make their case that pre-departure testing is no longer required at this stage in the pandemic. USTA and other organizations have been lobbying the White House persistently for the past few months to take the step, and in May they sent a letter to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha saying the requirement is discouraging international travelers. Roger Dow, USTA president and CEO, reiterated that point after last week's meeting.

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP has announced leadership promotions across its investment, capital markets, finance, and asset management teams - reflecting the firm's continued commitment to the professional development and advancement of its talented and long-tenured team. According to a company statement, Dan Konzelmann is promoted to vice president and will be responsible for executing strategies across Noble's investment platforms. Emily Feeney has been promoted to senior director and will look after financing new asset acquisitions, managing capital market relationships and asset sales. Jeff Pennington is elevated as senior director and will be in charge for internal and external reporting, fund modeling, and valuations. Bo Zhang has been promoted to senior associate, and will be responsible for information, data, and analytics for our asset management team and investment management strategies, the statement added. "We are extremely proud of these Noble leaders and their well-deserved promotions," said Mit Shah, Noble CEO. "We look forward to their continued growth and contributions to the success of our organization as we expand and execute the depth and breadth of our investment strategies."

Lisa Jordan, the senior director of digital marketing at Red Roof, has been named one of the top 25 extraordinary minds in sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and distribution for 2023 by The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. She will be recognized at a special reception in New York in February. This recognition is part of HSMAI's 21st annual compilation, acknowledging exceptional achievement and leadership in the field, Red Roof said in a statement. "We celebrate HSMAI's 2023 class of Top 25 honorees in hotel sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and distribution with great admiration," said Robert Gilbert, president and CEO of HSMAI. "Through their creativity, dedication, and impact, these professionals not only excel in their respective fields but have set benchmarks of excellence for the industry, inspiring us all."

OMICRON, THE LATEST COVID-19 variant of concern, led to new restrictions on some international travel over the Thanksgiving weekend. Members of the travel industry are urging federal officials to be cautious, but not to impose bans that they say will not stop the spread of the new variant. On Nov. 26, the World Health Organization issued new guidance on the Omicron variant, which emerged out of South Africa. Researchers are still investigating the variant's transmissibility, severity and the effectiveness of current vaccines against it. "Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (ie, people who have previously had COVID-19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron)," the WHO said in its statement. "WHO is working with technical partners to understand the potential impact of this variant on our existing countermeasures, including vaccines. Vaccines remain critical to reducing severe disease and death, including against the dominant circulating variant, Delta. Current vaccines remain effective against severe disease and death."