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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.

AAHOA OPPOSED THE Los Angeles City Council's recent proposal to raise hotel worker wages to $30 per hour, plus $8 for healthcare, citing a flawed economic impact study that misjudges the industry's ability to absorb the increase. AAHOA members, including a delegation of women hoteliers, testified before the council, warning of the proposal's impact on smaller, independent hotels, the association said in a statement. AAHOA Vice Chairman Kamalesh "KP" Patel, a California hotelier, testified on Oct. 16, addressing the hospitality industry's ongoing labor challenges. "I have a very serious concern about the study presentation. The study is majorly flawed," Patel said. "There is zero understanding of the differences between hotels-high-end, full-service and limited-service. These people are asking for their fair shake. We are asking to be heard properly. Limited-service properties do not offer the same services as full-service hotels and should not be treated the same." AAHOA argues that the study overlooks the unique challenges of smaller, limited-service hotels, ignoring their tight margins and operational constraints. A sudden wage increase to $30 per hour, plus healthcare costs, could result in layoffs, service cuts or closures, AAHOA said.

U.S. TRAVEL COMPANIES intensified their focus on loyalty programs during the post-COVID recovery to capitalize on industry momentum, despite frequent traveler dissatisfaction, according to a Morning Consult study. While increased personalization and expanded perks have been well-received, many travelers find the programs more complicated and less rewarding. Morning Consult's report, "What Travelers Actually Want from Loyalty Programs," found that U.S. travel loyalty program membership remained steady from 2021 to 2024. Millennials and high earners are the most frequent members, but no demographic group has shown significant growth. The study, conducted with 4,450 U.S. adults on Oct. 10 to 11, alongside monthly surveys from October 2021 to March 2024 with about 2,200 adults each, revealed one key finding: loyalty program members are more likely to stay at hotels or fly with airlines where they hold memberships, compared to choosing other providers.

A NEW SURVEY finds that U.S. travelers are getting the urge to explore and acting on that spur-of-the-moment travel bug as temperatures begin to rise. Around 67 percent of Americans with travel plans this year say that the best trips are spontaneous and decided on a whim, a study by Motel 6 and Studio 6 found. The study, which surveyed more than 2,000 Americans who plan to travel this year, also found that almost three-quarters, or 73 percent, would be willing to visit a surprise destination. "Taking a last-minute getaway is a great way to add some joy into your life," said Julie Arrowsmith, president/interim CEO, G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6. Traveling distances, with companions According to the survey, seven in 10 (70 percent) U.S. travelers say they are indulging in longer excursions by traveling more than three hours from their hometown. When asked about companions, more than three in four (78 percent) travelers prefer to journey with other people, while almost one in three (28 percent) are planning to explore with pets, it added. Off-season and longer trips With impromptu trips on the rise, more than two in five (44 percent) vacationers admit they are switching up their travel experiences this year. Most notably, the typical "travel season" may be a thing of the past, with almost half (47 percent) indicating that they are just as likely to get away during the off-season or weekdays as opposed to peak times like holidays and weekends. Another 32 percent are taking longer vacations than ever before, the study pointed out.

INDIAN COUPLES ARE exploring new wedding locations and planning large, personalized celebrations, according to a study commissioned by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Wyndham conducted the survey of 1,000 recently engaged or married individuals across India to market its 60 hotels in the country. The study found that the couples are adding unique and scenic destinations such as Darjeeling, Amritsar, Mussoorie and Dehradun to traditional locations such as Goa, Udaipur and Jaipur in their wedding plans. It also found that large, multi-day weddings are resurging as couples look to make memories while balancing luxury with budget-conscious choices through a more collaborative, hands-on approach to wedding planning. "Wyndham's wedding trend report reveals a shift toward unique, personalized wedding destinations like Goa and Udaipur reflecting a desire for more exclusive, meaningful experiences," said Dimitris Manikis, Wyndham's president EMEA. "While large and multi-day celebrations are making a comeback, it is great to see younger generations, especially Tech savvy Gen Z's blending opulence with budget and sustainable-conscious choices, emphasising authenticity and collaboration. At Wyndham, we're dedicated to helping couples create unforgettable and personalized weddings, making it a moment to remember."

APPROXIMATELY 75 PERCENT of Americans plan to take road trips this summer, with about 33 percent intending to travel more than 250 miles from home, according to a recent study by WalletHub. However, choosing an affordable travel destination is challenging due to higher gas prices, currently averaging over $3.45 per gallon nationwide, and increased accommodation costs. The WalletHub study, which assessed all 50 U.S. states across 32 metrics to identify the most budget-friendly road-trip destinations, ranked Texas, Minnesota and New York as the top three states to visit this summer. "Taking a summer road trip can be a very exciting way to experience a new place, but with the prices of gas, food and accommodations heavily impacted by inflation, you'll want to be in a state that makes this type of vacation affordable," said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub's analyst. "Safe roads are also key, and so is having plenty of worthwhile attractions to stop at along the road. The best states for summer road trips therefore are those that keep costs low while providing the best driving experience and most fun activities."

THE BUSINESS TRAVEL resurgence in the U.S. significantly impacted the economy in 2022, with every $1 spent returning $1.15 to the U.S. GDP, according to the Global Business Travel Association. The industry also contributed $484 billion to the U.S. GDP in the same year and the association forecasts a further increase in business travel spending for 2024. The study, titled "GBTA U.S. Economic Impact Study: Business Travel's Impact on Jobs and the U.S. Economy," revealed that for every 1 percent growth in business travel, the U.S. economy gains nearly 60,000 jobs, $2.9 billion in wages, $1.2 billion in tax revenue and $4.8 billion in new GDP. "The data shows that business travel is a substantial contributor to the health of the U.S. economy, and therefore also a key driver for the global economy," said Suzanne Neufang, GBTA's CEO. "Business travel supports millions of jobs and delivers billions in tax revenue, which is why it is important for policymakers to consider the impact on the industry when devising economic policies - and for sustainable solutions to be prioritized, funded and developed to help us abate travel's hardest-to-abate sectors."

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AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE continues to permeate society on every level, there is a place for it in the hotel industry, AAHOA said. AI technology can improve operational efficiency and cut costs, the association said, but it must be developed and used ethically. AAHOA referenced two recent research studies, one conducted by the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston, and another by Morgan Stanley, to endorse the integration of artificial intelligence into hotels for enhanced guests' experience. The University of Houston's study explored AI's transformative impact on the industry and its acceptance among hotel guests. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley's research report released on August 18, titled "AI for Hotels: Will the Hotel of the Future Fit in the Palm of Your Hand?" documented the benefits of hoteliers, online travel agencies and hotel brands adopting AI technology early.

GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL spending is forecast to reach $1.48 trillion by the end of 2024, surpassing the previous record of $1.43 trillion in 2019, according to a recent study by the Global Business Travel Association. Spending is projected to exceed $2 trillion by 2028, indicating strong growth for the business travel sector. The 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook, supported by Visa, found that economic stability and lingering pent-up demand are driving growth, reassuring CEOs and CFOs to send their teams back on the road for business meetings. "We are witnessing the expected rebound in the sector, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of businesses and the value of business travel worldwide," said Suzanne Neufang, GBTA's CEO. "With projected spending expected to continue to increase through 2028, the future of business travel looks promising. However, we must remain vigilant and adaptive to potential headwinds in this period of stabilization, as factors such as changing economic conditions, technological advancements and sustainability developments will also shape the sector ahead."

DIGITAL TIPPING CAN boost hotel associates' earnings by up to $375 per week, according to a recent study by Shiny, a digital tipping platform. Furthermore, guests are 15 percent more likely to tip compared to 2023, with half leaving tips of $10 or more. Shiny's second annual report, "Harnessing Tipping Data to Empower and Motivate Hospitality Workers," also includes a case study on Stonebridge Cos., a hospitality management firm that implemented Shiny's digital tipping platform across its hotels in 2022. The report analyzes tipping behaviors and patterns at hotels using its digital tipping software. "Not only is providing a tipping option for associates a phenomenal benefit to increase take-home pay, but it also is a fantastic way to keep employees engaged beyond daily standup," said Rebecca Robinson, Shiny's cofounder. "In this report, we continue to explore trends in digital tipping to further improve operations and ultimately increase retention."

SOUTH INDIAN CITY Hyderabad topped the list of most-booked cities in India for 2024, according to a recent study by OYO. Religious tourism remains strong, with Puri, Varanasi, and Haridwar as key spiritual destinations, drawing large numbers of pilgrims. OYO's annual "Travelopedia 2024" report analyzes travel trends using its booking data. "2024 has marked a year of transformation in global travel," said Shreerang Godbole, OYO's global chief service officer. "Travellers are embracing flexibility, whether for business or leisure. Remote work trends are driving demand for both quick getaways and long stays." Hyderabad led bookings, with growth in both leisure and business travel, followed by Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata, the study found. Uttar Pradesh remains India's top travel state, with Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka also showing strong booking volumes. Smaller towns like Patna, Rajahmundry, and Hubli saw up to 48 percent year-on-year booking growth, indicating rising interest in non-metro destinations.

THE U.S, CHINA and India drove 60 percent of the growth in tourism emissions from 2009 to 2019, according to Nature Communications. By 2019, they accounted for 39 percent of global tourism emissions. The research, based on data from 175 governments between 2009 and 2020, found that 20 countries drive nearly all global tourism emissions, with efforts to curb the trend proving ineffective. The emissions are generated by airplanes and vehicles used for travel to tourist destinations along with power consumption by travelers. Around 20 countries generate 75 percent of global tourism emissions, while 155 countries share the remaining 25 percent, the study found. There is now a hundredfold gap in per-capita tourism footprints between the most and least traveled nations.

ONLY 15.6 PERCENT of leaders in the B2B travel technology space are women, according to Belvera Partners. Their analysis of top CEOs and prominent individuals in the industry revealed this gender disparity. The research, conducted in July for the Belvera B2B Travel Tech Map to select companies and individuals using LinkedIn profiles to determine gender, found that, by business vertical, lobby groups had the highest percentage of female leaders at 36 percent. Car rental had the lowest at 10 percent. In a 2021 analysis of its smaller tech map, Belvera found that 12.4 percent of CEOs were female, showing the current increase to 15.6 percent as marginal progress. Belera Partners' emphasized that this is not a direct comparison, as the current map is larger, and some companies from the previous map have been removed due to changes in the travel tech landscape, including closures and mergers. The B2B Travel Tech Map covers sectors like aviation tech, accommodation distribution, TMCs, car rental tech, in-destination experiences, and short-term rentals, featuring over 400 entries. It is updated almost monthly.

ANNUAL CHANGES IN U.S. hotel utility costs and in the Consumer Price Index, or inflation, have historically proven to be strongly correlated. As of August 2022, CBRE is forecasting CPI growth to be 7.7 percent in 2022, followed by another 3.6 percent in 2023. Since inflation has averaged just 2.2 percent since 2000, these inflation projections have hoteliers concerned about operating costs. Given that rising energy costs are a significant driver of the current rise in CPI, hotel managers are especially worried about utility department expenses. Over the past 50 years, utility department expenses have averaged between 3 and 4 percent of total revenue, indicating that hotel managers have been successfully controlling energy costs in the face of fluctuating business volumes. This is particularly commendable given the highly fixed nature of utility expenses. To provide some context to the current challenging environment, we studied recent trends in hotel utility department expenses. The data come from a sample of more than 2,800 U.S. hotels that reported utility department expenses each year from 2015 through 2021 for CBRE's annual "Trends in the Hotel Industry" survey. In 2021 the properties in the sample averaged 209 rooms in size, with an annual occupancy rate of 54.2 percent and an average daily rate of $152.70.

AAHOA IS CONTINUING its advocacy efforts with new meetings with members of Congress. On Sept. 27, representatives from the association met with Sen. John Hickenlooper, Democrat from Colorado, in Washington at his Capitol Hill office. Hickenlooper, who sits on both the Small Business Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, met with AAHOA to discuss Small Business Administration loan limit increases as well as fairness and transparency in the franchise industry, according to AAHOA. In Hickenlooper's home state of Colorado, 39.5 percent of all hotels in the state are owned by AAHOA members, comprising 520 hotels and 55,861 rooms, according to a recent study for AAHOA by Oxford Economics. Those hotels provide $5 billion in wages and other compensation, along with approximately 54,490 direct jobs and 101,000 total impact jobs in the state. They provide $8.5 billion in contribution to the state's GDP, and $2.3 billion in federal, state and local taxes along with $201 million in total lodging taxes.

MORE THAN SEVEN in 10 Americans would be deterred from booking a hotel room in Los Angeles if hotels there are forced to house homeless people next to paying guests, according to a recent poll by American Hotel & Lodging Association. The survey was released as the city of Los Angel considers a proposed ordinance that would require hotels to house homeless individuals alongside paying guests, a change opposed by AHLA and AAHOA. Los Angeles residents will vote in March 2024 on the ballot initiative proposed by Unite Here, a labor union representing L.A.-area hotel workers. The AHLA study highlighted the significant impact such a policy would have on tourism and hotel occupancy in the city. However, if Unite Here's ballot initiative passes, Los Angeles would be the first city in American history to require hotels to house homeless people alongside paying guests.

THE U.S. HOTEL industry will continue its recovery in 2022, but the path will be uneven and potentially volatile, according to a report by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. It added that a full recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will take several years. AHLA's 2022 State of the Hotel Industry report also revealed shifts in consumer and business sentiment. The report was created in collaboration with Accenture and is based on data and forecasts from Oxford Economics and STR. According to the report, hotel occupancy rates and room revenue will approach 2019 levels this year, but the outlook for ancillary revenue, which includes F&B and meeting space, is less optimistic. Leisure travelers will continue to drive recovery, the report added. Hotels lost a collective $111.8 billion in room revenue alone during 2020 and 2021. Business travelers made up 52.5 percent of industry room revenue in 2019 and it will be 43.6 percent in 2022. Business travel will be down more than 20 percent for much of the year, the report said. As the full effects of Omicron is not yet known, just 58 percent of meetings and events are expected to return. AHLA report said that the rapid rise of bleisure travelers-those who blend business and leisure travel-are impacting hotel operations now. A recent study revealed that 89 percent of business travelers wanted to add a private holiday to their business trips in the next twelve months.

JUST OVER ONE year ago, President Biden signed an executive order directing an "all-of-government approach" to assessing the status of the nation's supply chains to repair disruptions that are currently plaguing businesses large and small. The order led to the creation of a new plan, based on a six-month study, that the administration announced on Feb. 24 and which has earned the approval of the U.S. Small Business Administration and AAHOA. Biden's order a year ago led to the creation of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. The report includes data from seven cabinet agencies, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, Energy, Agriculture, Transportation and Health and Human Services. The administration announced additional actions to build long-term resilience across critical supply chains and formally institutionalize supply chain resilience.

BLACK PEOPLE MADE little progress in the hospitality industry over the past year, according to a report from diversity advocacy group the Castell Project. The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly hard on Black hotel workers and executives. The Castell Project released the "Black Representation in Hospitality Leadership 2022" on Tuesday, which was International Women's Day. Much like last year's report, it showed little progress for racial diversity in the industry. For example, only 11 percent of the 671 hotel company websites reviewed for this study showed Black executives, director through CEO, prominently on their websites in 2021, down from 2019. Those Black executives represented just 2 percent of all hospitality industry executives on the websites reviewed.