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ATTORNEY LAURA LEE Blake is the president and CEO of AAHOA, succeeding Ken Greene. Previously she was a partner with Connor, Fletcher, and Hedenkamp LLP in Irvine, California. Blake previously worked for AAHOA for nearly 10 years, from 2005 to 2014, according to AAHOA. That was one of the highlights of her career, she said. "I was frequently inspired by the work ethic and business acumen of AAHOA members, and I was surrounded by numerous dedicated board members, executive staff, and team members - many of whom are still my friends today," Blake said. "AAHOA members embody the American dream. They exhibit how success is possible with hard work and an opportunity to grow and expand their businesses under our free enterprise system. There is simply no place like AAHOA to make a real difference for our members, hotel owners, and the industry at large."

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THE CITY OF Los Angeles is not doing enough to regulate short-term rental properties, according to AAHOA and a report from local advocacy group Better Neighbors LA. Both groups say the city should do more to enforce its existing 2019 ordinance on home sharing apps such as Airbnb and Vrbo. Los Angeles' ordinance requires short-term rentals to register and sets other regulations on home sharing apps. However, the Better Neighbors report found that the city's enforcement of the ordinance has been dropping since 2022, evidenced by a 54 percent decrease in warning letters, an 85 percent decrease in fines and a 25 percent increase in non-compliant listings. "Every year we put out an annual report that gives a snapshot of how enforcement is going in the city of Los Angeles, how many short-term rentals exist, and how that's changed from the prior year. This year, we've found that non-compliance is up," Allison Kriste, a representative of Better Neighbors Los Angeles, said in an interview with the Santa Monica Mirror newspaper. "We found a high rate of non-compliance across the boards in the city of Los Angeles. In addition, we've also found that enforcement activity is down. We're identifying more non-compliant listings, as compared to last year. The city is issuing fewer warning letters, they're issuing fewer fines. They're not doing a whole lot."

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DOROTHY DOWLING HAS joined her old boss, David Kong, as a principal for Kong's DEI Advisors, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to achieve their career goals. Previously, Dowling was chief marketing officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts for 18 years while Kong was Best Western's CEO for 20 years. Kong, along with principals Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliott, formed DEI Advisors last year. Humphrey is the former executive vice president and COO for AAHOA, and Elliott is co-founder of Acacia Hospitality LLC. Dowling also held senior leadership positions with other hospitality companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Travelodge Canada, Royal Host REIT and ARAMARK. She serves as a board member and advisor for several organizations, including Cubesmart, HSMAI, and WINiT by GBTA. Dowling recently received the lifetime achievement awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for her business performance, and GBTA WINiT for her leadership advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry, according to DEI Advisors.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL has completed its acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas for $675 million. The transaction includes Radisson's franchise business, operations and intellectual property. The merger, which was announced in June, will add Radisson's nine brands to Choice, bringing it to 624 hotels. "With the close of this transaction, Choice Hotels International has added approximately 67,000 rooms, expanding its presence in the higher revenue upper upscale and upscale full-service segments, and bolstering its core upper-midscale hospitality segment, particularly in the West Coast and Midwest of the U.S.," the company said in a statement. As part of the transaction, which covers properties in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the U.S., Choice will independently own and control the brands in the Americas and will work with Radisson to drive the growth, continuity and success of the brands, according to a joint press release from the companies. Choice's board of directors unanimously approved the transaction, and it was expected to close in the second half of 2022. It was funded by cash on hand and revolver borrowings and includes 10 Radisson Blu hotels, 130 Radisson hotels, 9 Radisson Individuals, 1 Park Plaza hotel, 4 Radisson RED hotels, 453 Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and 17 Park Inn by Radisson hotels, as well as the recently launched Radisson Inn & Suites and Radisson Collection brands.

NEARLY 80 PERCENT of travelers said that the latest COVID-19 variant, BA5, is unlikely to make them cancel or postpone international travel this year, according to a survey from travel risk assessment firm Global Rescue. At the same time, Global Rescue said relaxed COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could encourage travelers' confidence. The floodgates are opening The Summer 2022 Global Rescue Traveler Safety and Sentiment Survey found that 68 percent of respondents have already traveled internationally since the pandemic. Another 16 percent expects to travel abroad by the end of the year and 9 percent plan to do so in the first quarter of 2023. "Whether it's revenge travel or responsible travel following vaccination, or a combination of both, 7-out-of-10 travelers are much less concerned about travel compared to the beginning of the pandemic," said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. "They feel safe enough to plan trips and vacations because they're vaccinated, borders are open, and they have confidence they'll be able to get home if the worst happens." The U.S. ending its requirement for a negative COVID test to enter the country in June also went far in increasing confidence and encouraging visits from international travelers, Richards said. Nearly half of travelers, 49 percent, said that they are more likely to travel internationally in the next 12 months as COVID related restrictions are relaxed.

HOSPITAITY FIRM OYO Rooms has filed fresh documents with India's stock market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India, for an Initial Public Offering in early next year, media reports said. The company filed fresh financial documents on Sept. 19 and is now targeting an IPO in January 2023, according to CoStar. OYO filed preliminary IPO documents in 2021, only to shelve the listing plan earlier this year after the prolonged pandemic hurt its growth and forced the company to cut thousands of jobs. The latest financial documents showed narrower losses and a rebound in sales for the year through March 2022 and in the three months to June 2022.

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Embark on a three-hour journey filled with music, dancing, delectable cuisine, and exhilarating entertainment aboard a luxurious dinner cruise. As you step on board, you'll be greeted by the vibrant beats of a Live DJ, setting the tone for an evening of non-stop revelry. The DJ will curate a sensational playlist of hits, ensuring there's something for everyone to groove to.

REFORMS TO THE distribution of Small Business Administration loans, a new H2-C visa program and expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit to benefit hotels were the main topics discussed at AAHOA's recent Fall National Advocacy Conference with legislators in Washington. Days later, AAHOA leadership met with Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya to discuss fair franchising concerns. A day of advocacy AAHOA board members and representatives met with more than 100 agency heads and 40 U.S. senators and representatives in Washington to advocate for these and other causes for the hospitality industry.

MONTHS OF RUMOR were confirmed true when Choice Hotels International on Wednesday announced it has proposed to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in an approximately $9.8 billion transaction. The proposal to Wyndham stockholders came after months of negotiations broke down and Wyndham's board of directors voted to decline Choice's offer, calling it "underwhelming" and risky. AAHOA also issued a statement saying it has "high concern" that a Choice/Wyndham merger would give one franchiser too much dominance over the economy/limited service hotel segment. The proposal In its announcement of the proposal, Choice said it sought to acquire all the outstanding shares of Wyndham at a price of $90 per share, payable in a mix of cash and stock. Shareholders would receive $49.50 in cash and 0.324 shares of Choice common stock for each Wyndham share they own. Choice claims that is a 26 percent premium to Wyndham's 30-day volume-weighted average closing price ending on Oct. 16, an 11 percent premium to Wyndham's 52-week high, and a 30 percent premium to Wyndham's latest closing price.

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.

ALL FORMS OF travel are experiencing a post-pandemic resurgence, including cruises, according to a survey from risk and crisis response provider Global Rescue. Some have concerns about their destination, but most are ready to hit the seven seas. According to the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, 30 percent of respondents were experiencing some hesitancy about where to go, or when to get back to travel after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions. Meanwhile, 70 percent of respondents are not experiencing any re-entry to travel anxiety in general or on cruise ships, according to the survey. "Nineteen percent of survey takers say they feel safer or much safer about taking a cruise compared to last year," said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the franchise business, operations and intellectual property of Radisson Hotel Group Americas for approximately $675 million. The addition of Radisson's nine brands to Choice will bring with it 624 hotels with more than 68,000 rooms. As part of the transaction, which covers properties in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the U.S., Choice will independently own and control the brands in the Americas and will work with Radisson to drive the growth, continuity and success of the brands, according to a joint press release from the companies. It will be funded by cash on hand and revolver borrowings and includes 10 Radisson Blu hotels, 130 Radisson hotels, 9 Radisson Individuals, 1 Park Plaza hotel, 4 Radisson RED hotels, 453 Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and 17 Park Inn by Radisson hotels, as well as the recently launched Radisson Inn & Suites and Radisson Collection brands. Choice's board of directors unanimously approved the transaction and is expected to close in the second half of 2022, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing requirements. The transaction is not anticipated to change Choice's current capital allocation strategy related to dividend payment policy and planned share repurchases.

BANYAN INVESTMENT GROUP recently sold its Kimpton Goodland Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, to DiamondRock Hospitality Co. for $35.3 million. The sale is expected to bring a substantial return for investors in the Atlanta-based company, led by Andy Chopra as managing partner. The 96-room hotel is near Las Olas and Sebastian Street beach parks, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Sea Turtle OP Headquarters and multiple shops and eateries. Hotel amenities include an outdoor, heated pool, fitness center, loaner beach cruisers and beach items including boogie boards to folding chairs. F&B options include food and tiki-themed cocktails at Botanic at the Goodland or poolside drinks and snacks at the Good Bar. Originally the company was planning to hold the deal for a longer period, Chopra said. However, conditions changed to allow a deal that could generate a 49.4 percent internal rate of return for Banyan's investors.

Katherine Minnock is now director of investments for Noble Investment Group in Atlanta. Owen Berry is the company's new development manager. Both new hires will support the expansion of Noble's investment platform, according to the company, which is led by Mit Shah as CEO. Prior to joining Noble, Minnock was director of development for the U.S. and Asia Pacific at Starwood Capital affiliate SH Hotels & Resorts. Prior to that she held leadership roles at BRE Hotels & Resorts, a Blackstone company, and Hilton. Minnock has a bachelor's degree in hotel administration from Cornell University, where she serves as a board member of the Cornell Hotel Society. In her new role, she will oversee acquisition and development strategies across Noble's investment platforms. "Katie's addition to our team supports Noble's commitment to recruiting top talent as we continue to expand the depth and breadth of our hospitality investment strategies," said Dustin Fisher, Noble's senior vice president.

THE BAIRD/STR HOTEL Stock Index jumped 16.4 percent in the first month of 2023, according to STR. A drop in recession fears and other factors gave investor confidence a boost, the research firms said. In January, the Baird/STR Index surpassed both the S&P 500, up 6.2 percent and the MSCI US REIT Index, increased 10.5 percent, STR said in a report. The index dropped 10 percent in December, and it was down 15 percent for 2022. According to STR, the Hotel Brand sub-index increased 16.2 percent from December to 10,342, while the Hotel REIT sub-index rose 17.1 percent to 1,216. "Hotel stocks rebounded sharply in January and were significant outperformers as the back-and-forth recessionary concerns once again subsided to start the year," said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. "Industry-wide RevPAR trends finished the year on a strong note despite tougher calendar comparisons and weather-related travel disruptions in December. Several Hotel REITs provided fourth-quarter operational updates, and performance generally was in line with prior expectations. More broadly, investor sentiment has improved, which boosted stock prices across the board in January, but the macroeconomic indicators have remained mixed."

Recently, Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotel Group, sat down with Asian Hospitality to share his insights into the status of the Best Western Hotel brand and the industry as a whole. A video of the entire interview, the first in Asian Hospitality's "Leadership Series," is now available on the magazine's website. Subjects included the labor crisis, attracting new franchisees and the state of the economy. Below are excerpts from the interview along with additional information on the subjects discussed, including franchise relations, the labor crisis and changes the company has seen since his appointment to the top role. Franchise relations One of the biggest issues Cuculic discusses in the interview is maintaining positive relations with Best Western franchisees. He emphasized the need for openness and transparency. "We disclose all of our contract terms throughout the negotiation. I tell our people, I believe in karma," Cuculic said in the Leadership Series interview. "Karma doesn't forget a name or an address. If you treat someone who's thinking about coming into your brand reasonably fairly, and then when they sign a contract, you drive revenue to them, that's a win-win relationship. That's what we want. If you don't have that win-win relationship, they're going to leave and your reputation is that you don't support your hoteliers or believe in that relationship, which then hinders development." Cuculic said his training at West Point Military Academy and law school at Notre Dame University instilled in him an innate sense of fairness. Also, due to its structure, the company has to involve its members in every decision. "I'm the president, CEO of Best Western, I cannot design a governance change," Cuculic said. "The members vote on all those changes. Our board of directors approves our contracts."

DALLAS-BASED INVESTMENT firm NewcrestImage became the second largest shareholder in TiffinLabs, a Singapore-based food tech company which operates food delivery-focused virtual restaurant brands, a statement said. Founded in 2020, TiffinLabs introduced numerous virtual brands across Singapore and Malaysia. It started U.S. expansion in Dallas in 2021 and now operates in Chicago, Detroit, Knoxville, and Charlotte. By 2023, it expects to have 1,000 digital storefronts globally and to be operating in 30 U.S. cities. "TiffinLabs offers hotels and restaurants a low cost, turn-key source of incremental revenue for post-pandemic recovery, while for us as investors, TiffinLabs represents a strategic opportunity for long-term growth," said Mital Patel, managing partner of NewcrestImage. Because of the company's shareholder position, Patel now becomes a board member of TiffinLabs.

The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Albuquerque Old Town in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is scheduled to open on Aug. 6. It is owned by IPMI Hotel Group and managed by Sun Capital Hotels led by Deepesh Kholwadwala as chief executive. The 92-suite hotel is near the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque International Sunport and the city's downtown. Also nearby are Old Town Albuquerque, Sandia Peak Ski Area and the Sandia Peak Tramway. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool with an outdoor patio and a board room.