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AAHOA RECENTLY CHOSE Bookit N Go, a travel tech startup, as its strategic booking partner. The company, led by Aman Mohindra as CEO, will use its advanced online travel platform to drive bookings for AAHOA member hotels, offering the lowest flat commissions, AAHOA and Bookit N Go said in a joint statement. "We look forward to collaborating with Bookit N Go as a strategic booking partner," said Miraj Patel, AAHOA's chairman. "This partnership represents a paradigm shift in how hotel bookings are handled with a focus on putting money back in the pockets of AAHOA Members. This partnership provides a booking engine partner invested in our members' success as we continue to focus on how we can help AAHOA Members save on their bottom lines." The partnership shows Bookit N Go's focus on improving the travel and hospitality sectors, the statement added. By providing AAHOA member hotels with a strategic booking solution, the company aims to drive value and growth for all stakeholders.

AAHOA AND THE American Hotel & Lodging Association welcomed the passage of the No Hidden FEES Act on June 11. The legislation aims to establish a uniform standard for transparent and mandatory fee displays across the lodging industry. The bill, introduced by Reps. Young Kim (R-California) and Kathy Castor (D-Florida), had unanimous approval from the House Energy & Commerce Committee in December and passed with bipartisan support on the House floor. AAHOA said that the legislation would empower its hotelier members and guests to make informed decisions and safeguard their financial interests.

HOSPITALITY SOFTWARE PROVIDER Canary Technologies recently closed a $50 million Series C funding round to research AI guest technology in the hospitality sector, bringing its total fundraising to nearly $100 million. The company's software includes mobile check-in and checkout, tablet registration, upsells, guest messaging, Canary AI and digital tipping. The recent investment round was led by global software investor Insight Partners, who also led the company's Series B, with participation from existing investors F-Prime Capital, Thayer Ventures, Y-Combinator and Commerce Ventures, Canary said in a statement. California-based Canary is led by CEO Harman Singh Narula and President SJ Sawhney. "AI is transforming the way we live, work and travel," said Narula. "Canary is at the forefront of delivering enterprise-grade hospitality AI solutions that empower hoteliers to streamline operations, boost efficiency and elevate the guest experience, This funding milestone is a reflection of the team's hard work and the immense impact that Canary is making for hoteliers, including many of the world's largest enterprise hotel brands. We continue to see significant demand in the market for our products and are excited to extend our partnership with existing investors."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE improved in the third week of May compared to the previous week, with positive year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar. Key metrics, including occupancy, RevPAR, and ADR, all saw week-over-week increases. Occupancy increased to 67.4 percent for the week ending May 18, up from 66.1 percent the previous week, marking a 0.2 percent year-over-year rise. ADR rose to $163.11 from $162.14, reflecting a 2.6 percent jump compared to last year. RevPAR reached $109.93, up from $107.24 the prior week, showing a 2.8 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. Among the top 25 markets, Houston experienced the only double-digit occupancy increase, rising 10.5 percent to 67.9 percent. Atlanta reported the highest year-over-year increases in ADR, rising by 10 percent to $137.30, while RevPAR increased by 18 percent to $98.86.

U.S. HOTEL INVESTOR sentiment remains robust, with investors indicating an increase in hotel acquisitions in 2024, according to a recent survey by CBRE Hotels Research. About 35 percent of survey respondents expect acquisition activity to remain the same as in 2023, while less than 16 percent anticipate a decrease. Despite high interest rates, more than 70 percent are targeting value-added and opportunistic hotel investments. CBRE's Global Hotel Investor Intentions Survey, which included more than 130 respondents responsible for U.S. investments, found that value-added acquisitions offer opportunities to reposition assets by adding rooms, redesigning interiors, or adding amenities to increase returns and long-term value.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE improved in the fourth week of June compared to the previous week, showing positive year-over-year results, according to CoStar. Occupancy, RevPAR and ADR all increased over the prior week. Occupancy increased to 71.9 percent for the week ending June 29, up from 69.5 percent the previous week, showing a 3.2 percent year-over-year increase. ADR rose to $162.81 from $159.88, marking a 3.6 percent increase compared to last year. RevPAR climbed to $117.13 from $111.17 the previous week, reflecting a 6.9 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Among the top 25 markets, Minneapolis recorded the highest year-over-year increases: occupancy rose by 20.1 percent to 74.8 percent, ADR increased by 15.7 percent to $150.42 and RevPAR grew by 39 percent to $112.46. The market's performance was boosted by events such as the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials and the Twin Cities Pride Parade.

HOTEL EQUITIES HAS partnered with Grazzy and Visa Direct to launch a digital tipping platform for their associates and guests. This initiative aims to provide a secure and cashless way for guests to tip hotel staff, HE said in a statement. According to a recent study, 83 percent of hotel guests want to tip staff digitally but face limitations. HE and Grazzy's program enables guests to tip housekeeping, front desk and other staff from their mobile devices, the company said. By scanning a hotel branded QR code in their room or on hotel signage, guests can access Grazzy, choose the staff member and enter the desired tip amount. No cash or extra apps are required, the statement added.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE declined in the third week of June compared to the previous week, with mixed year-over-year results, according to CoStar. Key metrics such as occupancy, RevPAR, and ADR all decreased from the prior week. Occupancy declined to 69.5 percent for the week ending June 22, down from 70.3 percent the previous week, with a 2.5 percent year-over-year decrease. ADR fell to $159.88 from $161.70, despite a 0.1 percent rise compared to last year. RevPAR decreased to $111.17 from $113.62 the previous week, marking a 2.3 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Among the top 25 markets, Seattle recorded the highest year-over-year increases, with occupancy rising by 11.1 percent to 84.9 percent and RevPAR growing 16.8 percent to $179.47. Meanwhile, Philadelphia saw the largest increase in ADR, rising 6.5 percent to $170.10.

APPROXIMATELY THREE OUT of four travelers agree that Americans are prioritizing travel more in 2024 and prefer a digital, self-service experience for their hotel stays, according to a recent survey by Mews, a hospitality cloud provider. Nearly 80 percent of U.S. travelers favor hotels with fully automated front desks or self-service kiosks, and more than 40 percent prefer checking in via a hotel's website, app, or digital kiosk. "Trends in hospitality are ever-changing but we're seeing indicators that people are prioritizing travel again," said Richard Valtr, Mews's founder. "While we're seeing some softness in mid-market and select service hotels, the luxury sector seems resilient. Guests visiting luxury properties are spending more on bucket list trips and staying for longer." The poll of 2,000 people, evenly split between travelers and hotel workers, revealed that hotel workers anticipate an increase in guest use of technology during travel. A quarter of them expect guests to check in more frequently via hotel websites, apps, or digital kiosks compared to previous years.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation's third annual "No Room for Trafficking Summit" will take place on July 30, coinciding with the United Nations' World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The upcoming summit will evaluate the first-year impact of NRFT Survivor Fund grants on nearly 650 human trafficking survivors, AHLA Foundation said in a statement. "In 2022, we launched the NRFT Survivor Fund - a first for the hotel industry - to expand the hotel and lodging industry's efforts to support trafficking survivors," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation's president. "Since launching the Survivor Fund, we have grown our total raised to $7.5 million towards our goal of $10 million, and we look forward to awarding $1 million in grants to community-based organizations that support human trafficking survivors at our third annual summit." Last year's NRFT Summit announced the inaugural grantees of the NRFT Survivor Fund, including Safe House Project, BEST, Restore NYC, and the University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, the statement said. AHLA Foundation also shared data showing the impact of the $500,000 distributed to the four Survivor Grantees.

KNOWLAND RECENTLY LAUNCHED Knowland Select, a tool designed for hotels with limited meeting space. Knowland Select subscribers will receive a curated list of target accounts for upcoming need periods directly to the seller's inbox. The general market release of the product is scheduled for later this summer, Knowland said in a statement. "Knowland Select empowers limited service hotels, hardest hit by the recent travel slowdown, with automated prospecting," said Jeff Bzdawka, Knowland's CEO. "It streamlines prospecting for the segment's diverse hotel teams by directly delivering qualified accounts and contacts to the seller's inbox, boosting productivity and group business growth. Importantly, Knowland Select expands our suite of platform offerings to provide valuable sales intelligence solutions for all hotel sizes and chain scales in a portfolio. And with its accessible price point, it lowers the barrier to entry for automated prospecting at scale and helps hotels unlock a clear return on investment."

THE RECENTLY INTRODUCED "Human Trafficking Awareness Training Recognition Act" aims to expand the Department of Homeland Security's "Blue Campaign" by establishing an annual certificate program for employers to train employees in human trafficking awareness. The American Hotel and Lodging Association announced its support for this legislation that would increase awareness through education. "The Human Trafficking Awareness Training Recognition Act would complement our industry's anti-trafficking efforts by providing important third-party validation for hotels' training and prevention initiatives," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president & CEO. The legislation, sponsored by Congressmen David Valadao and Troy Carter, allows DHS to certify businesses that have trained their employees to combat human trafficking and display these annual certifications to the public, AHLA said in a statement. These optional certifications would be issued by the Blue Campaign at the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, which aims to raise public awareness.

MARRIOTT INTERNATION RECENTLY released its 2024 Serve 360 Report, detailing the company's global environmental, social and governance efforts and progress towards its 2025 sustainability and social impact goals. The report outlines data on sustainable operations, diversity and inclusion, volunteerism, and other ESG activities led by Marriott associates and hotels worldwide. Based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Marriott's sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, guides the company's ESG efforts through four focus areas: Nurture Our World, Sustain Responsible Operations, Empower Through Opportunity and Welcome All and Advance Human Rights. The report reflects data for the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2023, Marriott said in a statement.

LAS VEGAS LED meeting volume growth in June for the second consecutive month with a 22.2 percent year-over-year increase, according to Knowland. St. Louis ranked second with a 12 percent year-over-year growth and the U.S. top 25 and secondary markets saw increases in total square footage used and group sizes. The average space used for meetings in the top 25 markets was 4,127 square feet with 141 attendees, while secondary markets averaged 4,085 square feet with 132 attendees, Knowland said. Las Vegas also remained a popular meeting spot in June, with sports entertainment entering the top five industry segments due to NHL draft-related meetings, the report found. The city led the top 25 markets, averaging 8,297 square feet and 282 attendees.

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS recently launched the "Low Carbon Pioneers" program to unite energy-efficient hotels that do not use on-site fossil fuel combustion and supported by renewable energy. This first-of-its-kind community will help IHG test, learn and share sustainability findings, aiming to inspire other properties and promote carbon reduction practices across IHG's portfolio. The company seeks government support for renewable energy access, owner incentives and reduced technology costs to speed the industry's transition to a greener future, IHG said in a statement. "We are excited to launch our Low Carbon Pioneers program as another innovative way in which we're meeting evolving guest expectations, helping our hotel owners future-proof their businesses and reducing carbon across our [portfolio]," said Elie Maalouf, IHG Hotels & Resorts' CEO.