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THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association is set to host the inaugural General Manager Summit at "The Hospitality Show" on June 28 at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The first-of-its kind event will be held annually and bring together hotel GMs from across the country to hear from expert speakers, share best practices and network. The event will also celebrate the industry's best GMs via an awards ceremony, AHLA said in a statement. "General Managers are the backbone of any hotel, and that's precisely why AHLA offers this important group of professionals a host of top-notch professional development, networking and event opportunities," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. "AHLA's General Manager Summit at The Hospitality Show is the can't-miss event of the year for GMs, and we're excited to see you there this June." AHLA said the event is free for all GMs attending The Hospitality Show, which takes place June 27-29 at The Venetian Las Vegas, but GM summit attendees must register for the event here.

While we don't know what will happen next, the past several months has shown us that the need to get out and travel is stronger than ever. However, as the labor and staffing crisis continues, some hoteliers struggle to accommodate the uptick in travel. Corporate travel and industry events and the need to meet face-to-face will continue to grow, so now is the time to focus on getting staff ready to welcome back corporate travelers who haven't traveled in 18 months. Taking notes from the entertainment industry One interesting tactic that the hospitality industry should take note of is the way the entertainment industry has handled the return of movies in theaters. If you went to the movies over the summer, you may have seen how the industry pulled together to thank movie-goers for coming back to the theater. Galaxy Theaters CEO came onto the big screen to thank the audience and welcome them back. Regal did something similar. Even more compelling were the messages from directors such as John Krasinski ahead of Quiet Place II and Lin-Manuel Miranda ahead of In the Heights. These two films led the charge in releasing their content to the big screen. In doing so, they took the time to record a message to thank the audience for coming back and for supporting the industry. This strategy works because the theater has a captive audience. After all, unless you are late to the film, or getting popcorn, you are sitting there in anticipation of seeing a movie on the big screen after nearly 18 months of Netflix and microwaved popcorn.

KEN GREENE IS leaving his position as president and CEO of AAHOA to begin a new job with Dallas-based IBF Hospitality. AAHOA already has begun searching for his replacement. Greene will leave on Feb. 11, according to a statement. He was brought on last year in June to replace Cecil Staton, AAHOA's former president and CEO when he left the association unexpectedly. "Ken has been instrumental in carrying AAHOA through the past several months, which brought on a lot of change both at AAHOA and in our industry," said AAHOA Chair Vinay Patel. "We're grateful for the time he's spent at AAHOA and wish him nothing but continued success as he transitions to another opportunity." While at AAHOA, Greene oversaw the association's return to in-person events, including the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas in August. He also helped in write AAHOA's strategic plan and helped restaff the organization after the departure of Staton, the association's executive vice president and COO Rachel Humphrey and others.

Aly-khan S. Merali is now president and managing partner of Stonebridge Cos. in Denver. Founder Navin C. Dimond will remain CEO and will assume chairman duties for the company. Previously, Merali was president and chief financial officer of Turnberry Associates since 2013, according to Stonebridge. Prior to that, he was executive vice president and head of acquisitions for a U.S.-based investment firm with properties in North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Merali also held leadership and ownership positions in real estate companies in the United Kingdom, Canada and East Africa with assets in hospitality, industrial, manufacturing, office and senior living. "I have known Aly-khan for many years and have the utmost respect for him and his ability to lead Stonebridge Companies as we move forward and continue to grow and prosper," said Dimond. "His background and extensive experience in the hospitality industry is impressive and makes him a perfect fit for this role."

Tracy Prigmore is the new member of the board of directors for the Castell Project, a not-for-profit that promotes women in the hospitality industry. She is the founder of real estate and development firm TLTsolutions. In 2019, Prigmore began "She Has A Deal," a competition designed to increase hotel ownership and development by women by providing education, networking and investing opportunities. The competition's pitch challenge creates a network of women hotel owners and developers. Vinay Patel, AAHOA vice chairman and president of Fairbrook Hotels in Chantilly, Virginia, is on the advisory board for "She Has a Deal." Prigmore expanded TLTsolutions in 2014 to invest in residential, multifamily and hospitality projects that allowed individuals, families and entities to obtain passive income through investing. The firm has assets in four states. Previously, Prigmore held executive positions in the healthcare industry.

HOTEL INVESTMENT AND management company Banyan Investment Group announced the initial closing of $20 million Banyan Lodging Enhanced Value Fund, also known as BLEV or "Believe." The fund gives investors an opportunity to purchase hotels that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a statement said. The group said that the first Closing delivered more than half of capital sought to acquire pandemic-impacted hotels. According to prospective investors, BLEV will reach its $35 million hard cap early next year, well before the formal end of its offering period. "The hospitality industry continues to reel from the COVID pandemic and its uneven recovery, and many markets continue to suffer from a sustained, record decline in hotel performance, a lack of liquidity in the capital markets and value dislocation," said Andy Chopra, managing partner and CIO at Banyan Investment Group. "We believe the impact caused by the pandemic has created a number of investment opportunities, ranging from newer assets selling at below replacement costs to discounts resulting from owners facing liquidity crises. BLEV will take advantage of these prevailing headwinds as we move further into a post-pandemic world." The fund will be used to form joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and/or syndicates of retail investors, with a total investible equity in the range of $350,000,000. The BLEV will focus on high-barrier-to-entry hotel locations, targeting properties with significant discounts and expects to deliver superior, risk-adjusted returns for investors when the hospitality industry re-stabilizes.

MORE THAN 260 travel industry and business organizations, such as the U.S. Travel Association, urged a repeal of the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated international air travelers. The requirement no longer makes sense in the current environment and discourages international travel at a time when a recent survey In a letter to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, USTA and its cosigners noted that the economic costs associated with maintaining the measure are significant, with international travel spending 78 percent below 2019 levels. The letter stated that many foreign governments with similar infection, vaccination and hospitalization rates-including the UK, Germany and Canada-have already eliminated pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated travelers.

VERAKIN CAPITAL, A real estate investment group, exceeded its $350 million investment milestone in the first quarter of this year. The company has made collective investments in three hotel properties that are currently in various stages of development; the Moxy in downtown Atlanta, Georgia; Hampton Inn/Home 2 in downtown Nashville, Tennessee; and Courtyard by Marriott in Pittsburg, California, the company said in a statement. Verakin, led by partners Rupesh and Bimal Patel and Hiten Suraj, is the lead developer of the Courtyard by Marriott, while the company is co-investing in the other two projects alongside RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, according to the statement. RevPar Development is a privately-owned hotel development and management company on the East Coast, while Emerge Hospitality Group is a family-owned and -operated hotel ownership, development and management company. "We are developing both on our own behalf and in joint ventures with like-minded investment groups," Rupesh Patel said. "We are seeing that newer hotels and brands are faring better than their older counterparts as travel rebounds in many markets and segments. To help satiate our investment growth appetite, we will continue to seek best-in-class partners, such as RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, who have proven track records as credible institutional investors, developers and operators." The Moxy hotel in downtown Atlanta, will feature 181 rooms spread across 13 floors and is scheduled to open mid-2026 before the FIFA World Cup. The centrally located hotel will cater to both business and leisure travelers and will offer three food and beverage options, including a roof top bar and lounge with views of the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

PEACHTREE GROUP RECENTLY introduced new branding, logo and tagline, "Guided by Intuition, Grounded by Expertise." The branding update aims to project the company's integrated investment strategies and service platforms. This change consolidates the company's varied brand portfolio, renaming Stonehill as Peachtree Group Credit and Peachtree Hospitality Management as Peachtree Group Hospitality Management, the company said in a statement. "The new branding has given us a competitive edge in attracting top-tier talent, ensuring a consistent influx of the best minds and skills to navigate an ever-changing business landscape," said Greg Friedman, CEO and managing principal of Peachtree Group. "Moreover, our strategic branding approach, aimed at consolidating our diverse range of businesses, is poised to unleash even greater untapped potential within our investment platform. This platform, already proven in its value in the hospitality sector, has played a pivotal role in our expansion and diversification into other real estate sectors and ventures."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association has announced the dates, cities, and registration information for its "On the Road" State Hotel Conferences for 17 states in 2023. The conferences will provide hoteliers, suppliers, and service providers opportunities to connect with their peers as well as hospitality and policy leaders to learn about the latest news and information affecting the hotel and lodging industry, AHLA said in a statement. Anyone who works in the hotel industry can attend these half-day, free events, it added. "AHLA's 'On The Road' State Hotel Conferences are designed to help local hoteliers connect with their peers, gain insights on national and local market business performance trends and learn from top hospitality leaders, service providers and policy experts," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "The events are also a vital tool to help AHLA build coalitions, grow our grassroots network and rally hoteliers around the industry's goals and initiatives. We are excited to bring AHLA's successful On The Road State Hotel Conference series to a record number of cities in 2023." AHLA will host these conferences in partnership with its state or city lodging association partners. Since starting with four events in 2021, AHLA's On The Road State Hotel Conferences have brought together thousands of hoteliers in cities across the nation. Last year, 11 events were held.

Studio 6 Katy, Texas, a new-build extended-stay hotel, is now open in the Houston suburb. It is owned by Sharin Patel and Ripan Modi. The 63-suite hotel was built under the new design parent company G6 Hospitality introduced last year. Nearby attractions include Rhodes Stadium and Legacy Stadium, Nelson Water Gardens and Nursery and Typhoon Texas Waterpark. The hotel also is pet friendly, and G6's recently implemented "Clean@6" cleaning and safety protocols are in effect at the new property. "Katy is a vibrant town and popular destination for business and tourism, and we are excited to partner with G6 Hospitality to bring more affordable lodging options to the area," said Modi, who also is the hotel's general manager. "We chose to open a Studio 6 because of the brand's longstanding commitment to leaving the light on for guests, which has been of even greater need for those required to continue travel during these times. Whether guests are looking to stay for an extended period or just a night or two, our goal is to make traveling affordable and accessible for all."

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT management firm Noble Investment Group partnered with Host Hotels & Resorts to tap and expand travel, leisure and hospitality opportunities, a statement said. As part of the initiative, Host will invest $150 million as a limited partner in an existing Noble investment vehicle and provide Noble with first-look at select-service and extended-stay hotel opportunities sourced through Host's channels. Host also will become a minority investment partner in Noble's fee-based asset management business, according to Noble's press release. "As we continue to expand our institutional investment management platform, this strategic partnership further augments Noble's ability to develop, source, and execute innovative growth strategies in travel, leisure, and hospitality," said Mit Shah, Noble's CEO. According to the statement, the partnership will combine Noble's operational expertise and development acumen with Host's scale, market insights, data analytics, and breadth of resources. They aim to source differentiated investment strategies including property technology solutions, development, and alternative lodging.

AS THE FAMILY of Jayanti P. "J.P." Rama, former AAHOA chairman and co-founder of co-founder of JHM Hotels, gathered for his funeral, tributes to him continued. The praise came from all levels of the industry as well as from personal associates and friends. J.K. Patel, founder of North Point Hospitality and AAHOA chairman for 1996 to 1997 "J.P. was one of my dearest and closest friends, who I have known for over 30 years. We traveled together from coast to coast in the mid - 1990's during our chairmanship years at AAHOA. JP was always interested in working with individual owners and helping them advance and succeed in their business. He made sure everyone's voice was heard, putting their needs above all else. He was also veryinterested in making sure the younger generation of hoteliers would have a strong platform from which they can succeed. Geeta and I also had the privilege of traveling together socially with JP and Ilaben across the world. It was during those trips that JP's true kindness and gentle heart was in full force and effect. He always took the time to engage with everyone we came across during our trips and would always leave everyone with a smile on their face. We spent many evenings together discussing what was most important to JP - his faith, his family and his friends.

TWO BOUTIQUE HOTELS owned by Vision Hospitality Group, The Grady Louisville Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Kinley Cincinnati Downtown in Cincinnati, have won different categories of this year's StayBoutique Awards by the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association. Mitch Patel, the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company's president and CEO, was a runner up for BLLA's Iconic Boutique Hotelier. The Grady, which opened in June 2021 and recently reopened after a renovation, took first place for two categories in the BLLA awards, Boutique Hotel Design Project and Boutique Hotel Under 100 Rooms. The Kinley, opened in October 2020, took second place for Boutique Hotel Design Project "We are honored to be recognized in this year's awards program, and we couldn't have done it without our interior design partners," Patel said. "For each of these hotels, we take pride in the historic renovations and thoughtful design work that has gone into making them what they are today."

DALLAS-BASED NEWCRESTIMAGE formed a joint venture with Dabu Hotels, and Countrywide Hospitality to acquire the 130-room Best Western Plus at Lake Powell in Page, Arizona, operated by Terrapin Hospitality, a statement said. The company said that the Arizona property is located in a leisure destination area that is visited by more than 4.5 million visitors. Nearby attractions are the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend, the statement added. "This hotel is a key stop for travelers who are making the 'grand circle' tour of western national parks such as Zion Park and Bryce National Park," said Mehul Patel, managing partner and CEO of NewcrestImage. "We are always looking to acquire well-positioned properties such as this one, and we are excited to partner with strong investment partners like Dabu Hotels and Countrywide Hospitality."

IDEAS, A SAS company specializing in hospitality revenue management software, recently integrated nearly 2,000 properties with the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform. This connects their RMS solutions, including IDeaS G3 RMS, with Oracle's OPERA Cloud platform, accessible via OHIP and the Oracle Cloud Marketplace, the companies said in a joint statement. "The hospitality industry has long craved faster data exchanges and more capabilities to handle ever-increasing data volumes, and OHIP delivers precisely that," said Klaus Kohlmayr, IDeaS' chief evangelist and development officer. "By accelerating data exchange and efficiently transmitting the staggering 12 billion pricing decisions IDeaS processes daily, OHIP empowers us to innovate faster as partners with Oracle. This goes beyond pricing and forecasting. It unlocks the true potential of data-driven revenue management, allowing hoteliers to make smarter decisions and achieve optimal results." The two companies share nearly 10,000 clients, the statement said. IDeaS is connecting 50 to 100 hotels per week, allowing for faster implementation of future capabilities and additional solutions.

U.S. HOTELS FORECAST that their properties will exceed 2022 budgeting targets as the hospitality industry returns to normal, according to a survey by the Hospitality Asset Managers Association. The HAMA survey found a renewed sense of optimism among members. The Fall 2022 Industry Outlook survey revealed that around 60 percent of respondents believe most of their portfolios, more than 75 percent, will exceed 2022 budgeted RevPAR. Nearly half of participants expect 75-100 percent of their properties to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP, the survey said. Around 60 percent of full-service and above said that they expect to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP and just over 40 percent of select-service and below hotels forecasted to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP.

The My Place Hotel-Green Bay is now open in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is owned by Asharam, LLC led by Principal Atul Patel. The 64-room extended-stay hotel is the 61st My Place hotel in the U.S. and the second in Wisconsin. It is part of My Place's Trend Hotels & Suites brand launched earlier this year. It is near Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. "My Place is the perfect fit for this area. With a seamless building and opening process, we are excited to continue bringing family like hospitality to our guests," said Patel. Terry Kline, My Place executive vice president for franchise sales, said the My Place Hotel-Green Bay is suited to the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis. "As we continue to make sense of the new normal that continues to change around us, we look forward to the bright future ahead of us as we inspire future guests with our spirit of hospitality in Green Bay," said Kline.

NEARLY 500,000 HOTEL operations jobs lost during the pandemic will not returning to the industry before the end of the year, according to a report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In response, AHLA has launched the "Hotels are Hiring" ad campaign with the goal of filling more than 100,000 jobs in the industry. A surge in leisure travel has led to improved conditions for most U.S. hotels, but AHLA's economic analysis found the recovery is far from bringing the industry back to pre-pandemic levels. Urban markets in particular are lagging. Hotel occupancy is projected to drop 10 percentage points from 2019 levels, the report said, and room revenue is expected to drop $44 billion this year compared to 2019. State and local governments have lost more than $20 billion in unrealized tax revenues from hotels over the past two years. AHLA and AAHOA held the Virtual Action Summit on July 20 to 22 in which hoteliers from across the country met with members of Congress to ask for help.

THE REPRESENTATION OF Black and women members on hotel industry boards is on the rise, signaling progress in board diversity, according to recent research commissioned by AHLA Foundation and conducted by Penn State's School of Hospitality Management. The surge surpasses the 2022 averages for firms in the Russell 3000 Index, while indicating multiple gains for the industry. The 2022 data analysis involved 230 board members from 28 companies spanning the years 2016 to 2022, the AHLA Foundation said. Key findings from the report include: In 2022, women held 31.3 percent of independent board seats on hotel public company boards, a notable surgefrom 22.5 percent in 2021. This surpasses the 2022 Russell 3000 Index average of 28.4 percent for women representation.