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THE LONGTIME HEAD of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, William "Chip" Rogers, is stepping down from the position "to pursue other professional interests," according to AHLA. The AHLA board of directors appointed Kevin Carey, AHLA's senior executive vice president and COO, as interim president and CEO and is forming a committee to identify potential replacements for Rogers and will be retaining an executive search firm. AHLA said in a statement that more information on its search for Rogers' replacement will be available on its website in the coming weeks. It did not release any more information about why Rogers is stepping down. "We have been able to build one of America's most effective associations over the last five years," said Rogers in the statement. "As I move on to my next chapter, I am truly thankful for the opportunity I had to lead this incredible team and work alongside the industry's best leaders."

A STABLE ECONOMIC backdrop is expected to fuel a 10.7 percent year-over-year increase in the U.S. short-term rental industry in 2024, surpassing the 6.7 percent rise seen in 2023, according to AirDNA's 2024 outlook report. Moreover, AirDNA foresees balanced growth for the industry in 2024, marked by a projected 10.9 percent increase in supply expansion guided by rising demand for more sustainable market practices. "Approaching 2024, the industry anticipates balanced growth with a projected 10.9 percent increase in supply expansion," said Jamie Lane, senior vice president of Analytics at AirDNA. "Contrary to exaggerated reports of an STR 'collapse,' heightened market competition emphasizes the need for hosts and property managers to meticulously monitor data trends. This strategic approach is crucial for surpassing competitors and sustaining revenue, taking advantage of a strong economy and the growing preference of travelers for STR lodging."

PEACHTREE GROUP SECURED a $73 million construction loan and C-PACE financing to fund the development of a 263-key dual-brand Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton Hotel in San Diego, California, on behalf of the locally based Baxter Hotel Group. Baxter is set to commence construction on its 16-story, dual-branded hotel this month, with a projected 22-month construction timeline, Peachtree said in a statement. Peachtree facilitated a $50.4-million floating-rate construction loan with a three-year term and secured $22.6 million in fixed-rate C-PACE financing, amortized over 25 years. Collectively, these funds covered 64 percent of the total development cost, the statement said. "We were able to execute an innovative capital stack with the addition of C-PACE in an otherwise challenging financing market, providing ample capital for the construction to begin while saving the sponsor 200 basis points in interest rate spread," said Jared Schlosser, Peachtree's senior vice president, head of hotel origination and C-PACE.

PEACHTREE GROUP SECURED $150 million in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing in December, bringing its total to nearly $750 million since its establishment in 2019. In 2023 alone, Peachtree completed 23 CPACE financing deals in the U.S., totaling $250 million in directly originated and balance-sheet-funded transactions. Commercial real estate is set for a challenging 2024, with trillions of dollars in debt coming due, making refinancing more difficult, Peachtree said in a statement. This challenge is compounded by banks tightening lending standards. "In this challenging lending market, CPACE financing has emerged as a crucial source of liquidity," said Jared Schlosser, senior vice president of origination and head of PACE at Peachtree Group. "This financing option is becoming increasingly essential as owners grapple with looming debt maturities and limited refinancing opportunities."

Peachtree Group recently acquired the 180-room Hilton Garden Inn Denver Tech Center in Denver, marking its second hotel in Denver after the Element Denver Park Meadows. The company's hospitality management team will oversee the seven-story hotel located in the city's employment hub, Peachtree said in a statement. However, the financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed. "We are excited to acquire this premium-branded hotel in a growing submarket with a variety of diverse and stable demand generators," said Michael Bernath, Peachtree's senior vice president for acquisitions. "The Denver economy is well diversified, with the city gaining recognition as a burgeoning tech hub. We believe the expansion of the R-Line, increased connectivity of the area and the completion of the transformative Bellview Station development will continue to make the Denver Tech Center an attractive destination for consumers and corporations alike." Peachtree aims to further invest in the property, which was previously renovated in 2014, the statement said. The hotel is near the under-development Bellview Station, a transit-oriented mixed-use development spanning more than 50 acres. There are companies including Comcast, Oracle, Microsoft, Zoom, Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments, Newmont Mining, and Western Union in the vicinity.

APPROXIMATELY 43.8 MILLION Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, surpassing pre-pandemic figures, according to a forecast by AAA. This represents a 4 percent increase from last year and approaches the 2005 record of 44 million Memorial Day weekend travelers. A record 38.4 million are expected to drive, marking the highest number since AAA began tracking in 2000. "We haven't seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years," said Paula Twidale, AAA Travel's senior vice president. "We're projecting an additional one million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we're exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead." The number of drivers this year is up 4 percent compared to last year and 1.9 percent higher than in 2019, the auto club said. Traveling by car is appealing for many people because of the convenience and flexibility it provides.

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS recently named Amit Sripathi as chief development officer, taking over from Chip Ohlsson, who exits the company in June. Sripathi, who previously was Wyndham's senior vice president of strategic and corporate development, will head the company's North American franchise sales team. Before his tenure at Wyndham, he served as vice president of finance and capital markets at RLJ Lodging Trust, and as vice president of global investment banking at Deutsche Bank, Wyndham said in a statement. "Amit's deep experience in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets focused on the real estate and hospitality sectors at Deutsche Bank and RLJ Lodging are instrumental as we increase our focus on growing our midscale-and-above portfolio while reinforcing our leading position in the resilient select-service segments," said Geoff Ballotti, Wyndham's president and CEO. "Since joining Wyndham, Amit has demonstrated a strategic approach to growth. He's helped divest our owned and managed segments leading to a pure-play U.S. franchise business and worked with our sales teams across the country and around the world deploying over $250 million in development support for our owners. He hits the ground running, knowing what our franchise sales teams need to continue outperforming expectations."

SAK DEVELOPERS RECENTLY acquired Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean in Tysons-McLean, Virginia for an undisclosed amount. SAK is led by founding partners Waheed Ashiq, Vipul Kapila, and Khurram Sindhu. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the sale of the 142-key, 5-story property. The hotel in downtown McLean is near Tysons Corner with numerous corporate demand generators and major government agencies, Hunter said in a statement. David Perrin, senior vice president of Hunter, represented the institutional seller.

PEACHTREE GROUP BAGGED multiple Marriott Select Brands Awards at this year's Marriott Select Brands Owner & Franchisee CONNECT Conference in Orlando, Florida. The awards recognize hotels for service, innovation and commitment to guest satisfaction. Peachtree is led by Greg Friedman as managing principal and CEO, Jatin Desai as managing principal and CFO and Mitul Patel as principal. "These awards are a testament to the exceptional work our hotel associates deliver every day," said Steve Mackenzie, Peachtree's senior vice president of operations, hospitality management. "These hotels have consistently excelled in guest and F&B satisfaction, setting a benchmark for unparalleled service, and we are proud to have them as part of the Peachtree family. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to our partners who entrust us with managing their properties. Their collaboration has been instrumental in achieving these accolades, showcasing our shared commitment to superior quality."

Bill Fanning is now the chief revenue officer at Stayntouch, a cloud-based hotel property management software developer. Previously, he was senior vice president of sales at Compeat, part of Restaurant365's enterprise suite, covering accounting, inventory, scheduling, payroll, and HR solutions. In his new role at Stayntouch, Fanning will oversee revenue strategy and expansion efforts, focusing on customer value, strategic partnerships and global commercial growth across North America, Europe and global markets. "We are pleased to welcome Bill Fanning to our team," said Jacob Messina, Stayntouch's CEO. "His exceptional track record and experience in the hospitality industry and enterprise sales make him the perfect fit to lead our commercial strategy. Bill shares our unwavering commitment to customer success and innovation. His expertise will be instrumental in strengthening our relationships with hotel partners and enterprise customers, ensuring we continue to deliver solutions that address the most pressing challenges faced by hotel owners and operators today."

PEACHTREE GROUP RECENTLY issued a $40-million retroactive Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy loan to BLG San Diego LLC for the newly opened 147-room AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter. The proceeds enabled BLG to reduce its senior loan with California-based Preferred Bank and E.Sun Commercial Bank to under $20 million, thereby mitigating the banks' exposure, Peachtree said in a statement. "This innovative capital structure significantly alleviated the immediate financial pressures, enabling the hotel to establish a solid cash flow foundation during its initial years of operation," said Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO, Peachtree Group. Peachtree is led by Friedman, with Jatin Desai as managing principal and chief financial officer, and Mitul Patel as principal.

APPROXIMATELY 70.9 MILLION U.S. travelers are expected to journey 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday, according to the latest AAA forecast. For the first time, AAA considered the entire week of July 4th, plus the Saturday before and the Sunday after the holiday. This year's projected number of travelers marks a 5 percent increase from 2023 and an 8 percent increase from 2019. "With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day," said Paula Twidale, AAA Travel's senior vice president. "We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019." AAA estimated a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week, an increase of 2.8 million from last year. This year's number also surpasses the 55.3 million who traveled by car over July 4th week in 2019.

HILTON INDIA RECENTLY received the "India's No. 1 Company to Work For" award from Great Place to Work, a global research and consulting firm, for the second consecutive year. The recognition is based on a comprehensive survey of more than 5 million employees from across 1,750 organizations in India. The award ceremony took place in Mumbai last month. "It's a great honour to be named India's #1 Best Company to Work for 2024 for the second consecutive year," said Zubin Saxena, Hilton India's senior vice president and country head. "It embodies our dedication to fostering a work environment that instills pride and fosters meaningful connections for our team members. We are deeply grateful to all members of the Hilton India team, who bring their passion each day to work and deliver outstanding hospitality experiences for our guests." Saxena joined Hilton India in November from Radisson Hotel Group and assumed responsibilities in January, overseeing Hilton's operational hotels in India and leading the company's expansion in South Asia.

India Tours -Giving a trade corridor to India will reduce the transportation time to Indian goods consignments bound for the Indian Punjab and reduce the traveling distance of almost 700 kms. A senior official familiar with the development disclosed on condition of anonymity that India Tours was seeking both land and rail routes.

If you're looking for a family hotel in Delhi, then rest assured you can have the best to choose from available right at your finger tips ; the family and senior citizen friendly ethos is fast becoming a salient feature of the Delhi hotel scenario. A family hotel in Delhi will meet all your requirements like convenience, security, luxury, privacy, economy, accessibility, mobility.

In the wake of a cyber attack which forced Tasmania's Hobart International Airport to shut down after an ISIS supporter group hacked into its servers and posted defacing images, Eva Grey spoke to Matt White, senior manager in KPMG's cyber security practice, about some of the virtual dangers faced by international airports

Egypte Tournée senior, voyage accessible parfait pour les personnes âgées, en fauteuil roulant et les voyageurs handicapés où ils peuvent passer une semaine en Egypte pour découvrir le Caire, Louxor, visiter les pyramides, la vallée des rois, le temple de Karnak, tour en train couchette avec un guide escorté.