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Cherai is a small town tucked away in the quaint island of Vypin, a suburb attached to the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala. To know more about Cherai, its history and present state of affairs, click here.

Kensington Palace in Kensington Gardens has been the home to the British royal family for years. Currently it is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Some parts of Kensington Palace are also open to the public. Visitors can stroll through the King's State Apartments, the Queen's State Apartments and the Gardens.

Meghalaya, meaning the abode of clouds, is the north-east state offering eye-catching scenery and plenty of activities to the tourist. The state is rich with picturesque valleys, caves, lakes and waterfalls. The sky is sometimes covered by clouds by clouds softening the views and sometimes after a light drizzle the sun peeps out from between the clouds revealing a gorgeous rainbow which is a mesmerizing sight. Shillong the capital of Meghalaya was developed by British is the most urbanised state in the entire states. The city is surrounded by magnificent hills and lakes which always big attraction to the travellers.

Medical care in the United States is expensive. Sometimes even with a good health insurance you can find yourself paying a pretty penny for medical procedures. What if you can get good medical care while enjoying travel abroad. Yes, medical tourism is a thing now and getting popular day by day. You won't believe to experience great medical facilities and luxurious stay sometimes better than the US. On the top of that getting medical care out of the States is much less expensive, it gives you opportunity to travel beautiful places, or just relax far away from your city. Check out all the other benefits of medical tourism, passport and visa requirements, top medical procedures to pick an international destination and other things you should know before you leave.

This is the Major Flag Carrier of the United States. If you are thinking to book flight for domestic or International travel from the United States then the booking from Allegiant Airlines Reservations is the best thing for you. The airline was founded in 1997 January or 23 Years Ago and the AOC Code of the Airline is WX0A156I

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT may have expanded an immigrant visa program that can bring more workers to the U.S. to ease the labor shortage but processing those visas may still be delayed due to a pandemic-related backlog. A group of lawmakers recently wrote a letter to the Department of State urging the agency to bring that processing back to pre-COVID levels. The letter, sent by Reps. Darren Soto, a Florida Democrat, and Peter Meijer, a Michigan Republican, along with 86 other Congress members says visa processing has been slowed by procedures put in place at the beginning of the pandemic but which are no longer needed because testing and vaccines are so readily available. "[Pandemic restrictions] disrupt the reopening of American businesses. According to the U.S. Travel Association, international visitor spending in the U.S. dropped by 76 percent in 2020, leading to the loss of $141 billion and 1.1 million American jobs," the letter said. the letter said. "As international and domestic travel begin to recover, many travel businesses rely on H-2B and J1 visas to meet short-term and seasonal workforce demands that cannot otherwise be filled. With such a significant portion of U.S. visa processing sites fully or partially closed, travel businesses will not have the international visitors or the temporary workers they need to generate a speedy and robust recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic."

VIRAL "VICTOR" PATEL and Mahmood "Mike" Merchant are new members of Best Western Hotels & Resorts board of directors. Patel will represent several Midwest states and Ontario, Canada, and Merchant will represent California, Nevada and Hawaii. Patel has been a member of Best Western for more than 20 years, according to the company. He has served as a governor and as the chair of the Best Western Kentucky marketing co-op, liaising between the brand and hoteliers. He is currently the owner and operator of the Best Western Corbin Inn in Corbin, Kentucky, and will represent that state as well as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. "I've witnessed tremendous growth within our brand over the years and am excited to join my fellow Board members as we move forward under Larry's leadership," said Patel. "Service is extremely important to me, and I feel grateful to have served my colleagues and community in a variety of roles over the years. I look forward to this new set of responsibilities and am fully committed to serving our hoteliers across the Midwest and parts of Canada and our hoteliers at large."

WITH THE HOSPITALITY industry facing numerous issues even as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, two major associations have formed a new partnership to address that need. AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association have created the American Hospitality Alliance advocate for hotels on state and national levels. AAHOA and AHLA announced the formation of AHA during the summer meeting of the International Society of Hotel Associations in Boston on Tuesday. The purpose of the alliance is to pool resources and streamline efforts, the associations said, and it also will work with state hotel associations. "The majority of hotels are small businesses. That is why the owners and operators are particularly well-suited to inform lawmakers about policies and regulations that will accelerate the industry's resurgence. This coalition could not have come at a more important time as the hotel industry prepares to welcome back guests," said Ken Greene, AAHOA's interim president and CEO. Greene was appointed to the interim position in early June following the resignation of Cecil Staton, former AAHOA president and CEO. Rachel Humphrey, the association's executive vice president and COO, also will be resigning on Aug. 7, the day after AAHOA's 2021 Convention and Trade show in Dallas finishes.

THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY needs to re-focus its efforts to meet future staffing requirements if it is to increase interest by job seekers, according to consulting firm HVS. At the moment, the hospitality industry is a jobseeker's market and likely to stay that way for the next year or two. Hence, industry leaders should adapt to survive, said Court Williams, CEO of HVS Executive Search in New York in an article titled 'How to Resolve the Current State of Emergency in Hospitality Employment'. Williams stated that "successful recovery from the pandemic will depend on revising every aspect of sourcing, attracting, compensating, incentivizing, and retaining workers." "The hospitality industry has seen a decrease in staff as many people have found alternate career paths as a result of the impacts of COVID-19. Historical talent shortages are being exacerbated by staff quitting in droves as the world returns to work," Williams said in the article. "Now, the onus is on companies to show employees why they should apply for jobs or stay in their current positions."

The Best Western Shackleford is open in Little Rock, Arkansas, following a $1 million renovation. The 60-key hotel on Shackleford Road is owned by Rahul Patel. "We are excited to welcome guests at our newly renovated property while they discover Arkansas' capital city," Patel said. "The updates ensure our guests find a comfortable place to relax after days exploring our lively downtown, known for its thriving arts and music scene and a range of attractions suitable for all ages." Several rooms in the hotel are designed in a suite-style with king-sized beds and hot tubs. Amenities include a renovated 24-hour fitness center, indoor swimming pool and a 700 square-foot meeting space. The vicinity offers a range of attractions including Little Rock Zoo, Wildwood Park for the Arts, Arkansas State Capitol, Big Dam Bridge, Museum of Discovery, Heifer Village and Urban Farm, Pinnacle Mountain State Park and various dining options, shopping centers, educational facilities, recreational centers and transportation hubs.

DALLAS-BASED NEWCRESTIMAGE recently acquired of 45 hotels with around 3,300 rooms in 11 states in the U.S., a statement said. The properties include 35 Marriott, seven Hilton, and three Choice-branded hotels in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas, according to the company. NewcrestImage retained the management companies Aimbridge Hospitality and HHM Hospitality to operate the properties. It announced the deal in September. "Each of these hotels represents a strong opportunity for generating revenue in the short-term, as well as for building long-term asset value," said Mehul Patel, NewcrestImage's managing partner and CEO.

STAFF MEMBERS OF two hotel industry associations donned blue in January to recognize National Human Trafficking Prevention month. AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association also sought to encourage hotel owners to take advantage of their educational programs on detecting and preventing trafficking in their properties. Like his predecessors since 2010, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation officially designating January as the month to focus awareness on trafficking prevention, according to the U.S. Department of State. The month recognizes the work done by foreign governments, international organizations, anti-trafficking entities, law enforcement officials, survivor advocates, communities of faith, businesses and private citizens to raise awareness about human trafficking, the State Department said. "Since human trafficking disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, vulnerable migrants, and other historically marginalized and underserved communities, our mission to combat human trafficking must always be connected to our broader efforts to advance equity and justice across our society," Biden said in his proclamation.

FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL Ashley Moody is targeting fake postings offering vacation rental properties. The state's campaign against these specific scams plays into AAHOA's call for more short-term rental regulation, the association said. The scams involve fake postings offering vacation rental properties with requests for application fees or security deposits, according to Moody's office. Victims of the scam pay the deposit, only to find the listing has disappeared and so has the deposit money. The would-be vacationers often show up at the property and find that the actual owners have no record or intention of renting. "Florida is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the nation," Moody said. "Scammers will take advantage of this by creating fake vacation rental listings in hopes of stealing personal information and money. Whether you are traveling within the state or from out of state, make sure to take extra precautions when renting a vacation home to avoid being burned this summer vacation season."

In our exclusive Leadership Series interview, Pat Pacious, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International, reflects on his organization's relationship with AAHOA, his opposition to the proposed New Jersey State legislation on fair franchising and why Asian hoteliers are still important to the company. In the end, he said, it's about keeping state governments out of a dialogue that should be held between franchisers and their franchisees regarding subjects such as selling loyalty points and revenue from preferred vender programs. Pacious also discussed other key topics in the conflict between AAHOA and several large hotel companies, including Choice as well as Marriott International. Also in the interview, held at Choice's recent 67th Owner & Franchisee Convention in Las Vegas, Pacious discusses topics addressed at the convention, such as Choice's recent acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas. He also comments on the company's offering to current and future franchisees and the importance of Asian American owners. 'This is not about fair franchising' In February, Choice announced it would "pause its partnership" with AAHOA, according to an alert to AAHOA members. AAHOA said Choice's decision came in response to AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising and its public support for New Jersey Assembly Bill A1958, which would make changes to the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act. Prior to Choice's action, Marriott had announced it was withdrawing its support for AAHOA for the same reason, and both companies chose not to attend the 2023 AAHOA Conference and Trade Show in Los Angeles in early April. Other companies, including Hilton and IHG Hotels & Resorts, also did not attend.

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP in Atlanta has acquired the Hilton Garden Inn Boise Downtown. The transaction caps more than $1 billion investment over the past year, according to a statement. The 132-room hotel is near the city's leisure and business centers, which includes the Idaho State Capitol, Boise State University, Jack's Urban Meeting Place, Idaho Central Arena, and the Boise Centre, according to Noble, which is led by Mit Shah as CEO. Hotel amenities include an indoor pool, 4,098 square feet of meeting space and it is pet friendly. "The Boise market demonstrates the key macro trends we are looking for in cities which we believe will outperform as we enter a new lodging cycle," said Dustin Fisher, Noble's senior vice president. "This acquisition aligns with our strategy to acquire high-quality, well-located assets in growth markets poised to benefit from the ongoing recovery in travel."

BWH HOTEL GROUP has announced the recipients of the first ever David and Louise Kong Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship grants financial assistance to individuals associated with Best Western Hotels & Resorts. The four winners are Alexis Heichman of Eagle, Ashley Hernandez, of Patterson, and Phoenix residents Katerina Rose Levendi and Kayla McMahon, the group said in a statement. They will receive $12,000 as part of funding. Heichman will begin her journalism studies at Arizona State University this fall. She wants to be a travel, cultural or sports correspondent. Hernandez will continue her bachelor's degree studies in hotel and hospitality management. She is currently the general manager of the Best Western Plus Villa Del Lago Inn. Levendi now studies business at Paradise Valley Community College and wants to become a human resources manager. McMahon will start studying business administration and management at Arizona State University this fall. Her career interests is in family law and business. The scholarship is given to member hoteliers or their children, hotel staff or their children, and corporate associates or their children, the statement added.

APPROXIMATELY 35 PERCENT of U.S. travelers have concerns about potential airport delays and flight cancellations for the upcoming 2023 holiday travel season, according to a recent survey by exchange services firm IPX103. Despite 23 percent experiencing flight disruptions this year, a substantial 62 percent of Americans are planning to travel this season. The IPX103 survey found that of the Americans intending to travel, 42 percent are opting for air travel and 54 percent are choosing to drive. Moreover, if gas prices decrease during the holiday season, two in three individuals express a higher likelihood of choosing to drive. Specifically, 44 percent plan to travel for Thanksgiving, while 84 percent have plans for December travel. Regarding holiday destinations, 38 percent are venturing to a neighboring state, 25 percent are embarking on cross-country journeys, 25 percent are remaining within their own state, and 12 percent are venturing abroad.

THE NEW JERSEY legislature is considering legislation that would strengthen protections for franchise businesses in the state, including hotels. AAHOA recently visited the state's capital to express its support for the bill. Assembly Bill 1958 would make changes to the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act that could benefit the hospitality industry, AAHOA said in a statement. Specifically, the changes include restricting non-competes for longer than six months; prohibiting requiring a relocation or capital investment greater than $25,000 more than once every five years unless hotel franchisers can establish a return on the investment; requiring a franchiser that receives "any rebate, commission, kickback, services, other consideration or anything of value" to fully disclose them to the franchisee and turn them over to the franchisee; putting restrictions on mandatory sourcing of goods or resources; and prohibiting suspending, restricting or preventing access to franchise services. Several AAHOA representatives attended a hearing at the New Jersey State Assembly on May 12 to support the bill. They included AAHOA's Mid Atlantic Regional Director Mahendra "MZ" Patel, Past Chair Bhavesh Patel and Laura Lee Blake, the association's recently appointed president and CEO.