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THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Homeland Security will make available more than 64,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year 2023. The extra visas will help the hotel and travel industries meet continuing labor shortages, according to the U.S. Travel Association. DHS also will issue its normal allotment of 66,000 H-2B visas as well as the 64,716 extra visas. The visas, which permit employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform certain labor in the U.S., became available at the beginning of October. Also, the agency created the new Worker Protection Taskforce to make sure the H-2B visa workers are not exploited. "The Department of Homeland Security is moving with unprecedented speed to meet the needs of American businesses," said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security. "At a time of record job growth, this full year allocation at the very outset of the fiscal year will ensure that businesses can plan for their peak season labor needs. We also will bolster worker protections to safeguard the integrity of the program from unscrupulous employers who would seek to exploit the workers by paying substandard wages and maintaining unsafe work conditions."

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY is March 8, and hotel owners and large hospitality companies are taking time to make sure the women in the industry are reaching their full potential. Recent data shows women are improving their position in the industry, but more remains to be done. For California hotelier Sunil "Sunny" Tolani, that means giving female employees at his company, The Prince Organization, special training and time off for health care. For Tina Burnett, recently promoted chief development officer at G6 Hospitality, home company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, it means making sure women are included in the same way as their male colleagues. "At our company, we believe women to be just as smart and capable as men-if not more so and there are intelligent and highly competent," Tolani said. "The traits generally associated for good hospitality as good social skills, warmth, compassion, expressiveness, generosity and altruistic impulses. We are focusing on the next generation of women hoteliers and convey to them that really extraordinary careers can be made in our widely diverse Hospitality industry."

KEVIN JACOBS, HILTON's CFO and president of Global Development, is the 2024 chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The association also named new officers, executive committee and board of directors, including Mitch Patel, president and CEO of Vision Hospitality Group, as vice chair. The association also named other new officers, executive committee and board of directors. They include Liam Brown, group president for Marriott International, U.S. and Canada, as secretary/treasurer and Julienne Smith, chief development officer, Americas, for IHG Hotels & Resorts, as the chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees, AHLA said in a statement. "It's an honor to serve as chair and help build upon AHLA's impressive record of accomplishments on behalf of the hospitality industry nationwide," said Jacobs. "I look forward to helping AHLA advance policies in support of our incredible industry, deliver exceptional member services and communications support, and rally the industry around our shared priorities."

THE BAIRD/STR HOTEL Stock Index dropped in May, after rising continuously for five months. Investors grew concerned about macroeconomic slowing and inflationary pressures which led to the broader stock market volatility. Baird/STR dropped 5.8 percent during the month, according to STR. Baird/STR went up 0.7 percent during April. The index decreased 2.8 percent over the first five months of 2022. It increased 2.2 percent in March after rising 4.1 percent in February. Baird/STR index fell behind the S&P 500, which was flat from April, but surpassed the MSCI US REIT Index, which was down 6.3 percent. The hotel brand sub-index fell 6 percent from April, while the Hotel REIT sub-index dipped 4.9 percent during the month.

THIRD-PARTY HOSPITALITY management company, Twenty Four Seven Hotels, has opened the 128-room Hyatt House Sacramento/Midtown, a statement said. Twenty Four Seven is led by David Wani as CEO. The adaptive reuse project, owned and developed by Hume Development, Inc., repurposed the former Eastern Star Hall located at Sacramento's art, music and cultural scene. According to the statement, the Romanesque Revival-style building first opened in 1928 as a Masonic women's meeting place and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovation included the redevelopment of five floors within the original structure, keeping the major architectural features of the historic building intact. "The Hyatt House Sacramento/Midtown is the perfect marriage of the classic and the contemporary, providing the latest amenities and services in a setting that draws heavily from its nearly century-old history to provide a uniquely Sacramento experience," said Amanda Hawkins-Vogel, chief operating officer at Twenty Four Seven Hotels. "This hotel is an extension of our presence in Northern California and marks our first opening this year with two more to come in 2023. As the newest hospitality offering in the city, we expect the Hyatt House Sacramento to quickly take its rightful place as the segment and market leader for business and leisure travelers."

U.S. HOTEL REVPAR is expected to grow steadily in 2024, driven by improving group business, inbound international travel, and traditional transient business demand, according to CBRE. This follows a strong performance in 2023 that muted the new forecast in some areas. The research firm forecasted a 3 percent increase in RevPAR growth in 2024, with occupancy improving by 45 basis points and ADR increasing by 2.3 percent. It indicates ongoing recovery of the lodging industry, with RevPAR in 2024 expected to surpass 2019 levels by 13.2 percent, CBRE Hotels said in a statement. CBRE's baseline forecast expects 1.6 percent GDP growth and 2.5 percent average inflation in 2024. Given the strong correlation between GDP and RevPAR growth, the economy's strength will directly impact the lodging industry's performance, the statement said. "We expect RevPAR growth to be slower in the first quarter due to last year's strong performance, but to reach its peak in the third quarter driven by the influx of inbound international travelers during the busy summer season," said Rachael Rothman, CBRE's head of hotel research and data analytics. "Urban and airport locations should particularly benefit from group and inbound international travel, as well as the normalization of leisure travel."

The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Amarillo West/Medical Center is scheduled to open in Amarillo, Texas, on July 30. It is owned and managed by Ram Hotels led by Kush Nathu, operations manager. The 104-suite hotel is six miles from downtown and 15 miles from Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. Nearby attractions include Cadillac Ranch, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Don Harrington Discovery Center, Northwest Medical Center and Baptist St. Anthony Hospital. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool and hot tub, a fitness center and 1,800 square feet of meeting space.

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.

STONEBRIDGE COS. RECENTLY acquired the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Las Vegas Airport, marking the Denver-based companies entrée in the Las Vegas market. The company, led by Aly-khan Merali as president and managing partner and founder and CEO Navin Dimond, plans to renovate the 190-room hotel. The DoubleTree, built in 1998, is near both the Harry Reid International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip. The planned renovations will include guest rooms and common areas, with work is anticipated to begin in the second quarter of 2023 and anticipated to end in the fourth quarter of that year. "We are excited to continue our growth with the recent acquisition of the DoubleTree Las Vegas Airport hotel. Our new partnership with TowerBrook Capital Partners and other private investors provides us a tremendous platform for us to achieve our significant growth plans throughout the U.S. and this acquisition is the first of many going forward," said Tom Brinkman, Stonebridge's president and chief operating officer. "Through our growth, we look forward to not only creating new jobs but also providing our team members exciting new opportunities, and we look forward to welcoming our newest team members at the DoubleTree to our Distinguished Hospitality team here at Stonebridge."

OCCUPANCY FOR U.S. hotels is now expected to finish the year a little down from the previous forecast by STR and Tourism Economics. However, projections for ADR and RevPAR recovery remain on track in the data firms' final forecast of the year. RevPAR is still expected to fully recover this year on a nominal basis, but not until 2025 when adjusted for inflation, according to the new forecast. The updated forecast lowered occupancy by less than a percentage point for 2022, standing now at 62.7 percent compared to the previously forecasted 63 percent released in August. "As expected, group business travel has been much more aligned with pre-pandemic patterns, specifically in October when group demand hit a pandemic-era high," said Amanda Hite, STR president. "Leisure travel has maintained its strength since our previous forecast update, and we expect these strong demand trends in both group and leisure to continue through the fourth quarter. Bottom-line performance has also persisted, with our most recent data showing strong profit margins due to lower employment levels and reduced services. The challenges around labor continue to be a concern, as high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor are pushing labor costs on a per-available-room basis above 2019 levels. We continue to take inflation and the likely recession into consideration, but the hotel industry has continued to show resilience through these tougher times, thus the steadiness of our updated forecast."

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.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE saw a significant increase in the first week of December compared to the previous week, with improvements in hotel occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, according to CoStar. Year-over-year results also reflected positive trends. Occupancy rose to 58.7 percent for the week ending Dec. 9, up from the previous week's 54.2 percent, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 1.1 percent. ADR increased to $153.36, compared to the previous week's $144.88, showing a 4.5 percent uptick from the prior year. RevPAR also soared to $89.98, compared to the prior week's $78.54, indicating a 3.3 percent decrease from the corresponding period in 2022. Among the top 25 markets, Boston saw the largest year-over-year occupancy increase, surging by 4.1 percent to 72.7 percent. Helped by Miami Art Week and Art Basel, Miami reported significant increases in ADR, soaring 48.8 percent to $314.55, and RevPAR, jumping 67 percent to $262.16.

THE UPWARD MOVEMENT of ADR for U.S. hotels lifted the forecast for the market by STR and Tourism Economics. The travel research firms released the new forecast during the opening sessions of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles on Monday. The recovery timeline laid out in the new forecast remains mostly the same as the previous forecast released in November, with ADR will near full recovery this year. RevPAR is anticipated to exceed 2019 levels in 2023, but when adjusted for inflation ADR and RevPAR are not projected to reach full recovery until after 2025. Occupancy is projected to surpass 2019 levels in 2023. "The industry recaptured 83 percent of pre-pandemic RevPAR levels in 2021, and momentum is expected to pick up after a slow start to this year," said Carter Wilson, STR's senior vice president of consulting. "With so much of that RevPAR recovery being led by leisure-driven ADR, however, it is important to keep an eye on the real versus the nominal. Terms of recovery are not playing out evenly across the board, and many hoteliers have had to raise rates to minimize the bottom-line hit from labor and supply shortages. We are anticipating inflation to remain higher throughout the first half of the year with a gradual leveling off during the third and fourth quarters. If that happens, and we avoid major setbacks with the pandemic, this year will certainly be one to watch with demand and occupancy also shaping up to hit significant levels during the second half."

HOTEL OWNERS MUST treat young associates better as labor is the hot-button issue in the hospitality industry, according to a blog post by HotStats. Increasing wages for entry-level work and promoting career advancement are also vital toward attracting young talent, it added. The blog post said that total payroll on a per-available-room basis is still around two times less in 2021 compared to 2019, according to HotStats data. Year-to-date October 2021, total payroll PAR in the U.S. is $43.46 compared to $85.86 two years ago. "Not only should a hotel care about customers, its number one target market is internal associates," said Leora Halpern Lanz, assistant dean, academic affairs and associate professor of the practice at Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration, in the blog. "If they're treated well, word gets out that it's a good place to work. The industry needs to evaluate why people are working 14-hour days because they're being worn down. There has to be an element of work/life balance." Kyle Allison, host of the Hospitality MD podcast, said that the hotel industry needs to tweak its legacy messaging.

Mark Sergot is InterContinental Hotels Group's new vice president for global sales operations and enablement. Previously he was chief sales officer for Associated Luxury Hotels International. Sergot spent 16 years at FRHI Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of the Fairmont, Raffles & Swissotel brands. He became FRHI's senior vice president for its global sales organization. He will be based on the company's Americas headquarters in Atlanta and report to global sales Vice President Derek DeCross.

THE HOLIDAY INN Express in LaPlace, Louisiana, reopened on Jan. 17, after the owner, QHotels Management in LaPlace led by Vimal Patel, completed $5 million in repairs to damage form Hurricane Ida in September. The repairs were slowed by his insurance company's failure to pay for the work in a timely manner, Patel said. The situation also is affecting Patel's ability to repair and reopen other properties in the area. "We had to use our own line of credit, to finish the hotel," Patel said. "Five more hotels to go. They are still a work in progress. A couple of hotels will open probably next month and then a couple probably will open in sometime in April. And the last hotel will probably take some time, so maybe May or June before we can open it up." The 91-room Holiday Inn Express is near Cajun Pride Swamp Tours, The Choice Hall, YMC EVENTS Venue and the Dream Event Center.

THERE WAS A slight dip in U.S. hotel performance in the fifth week of July compared to the week before, which was the traditional summer travel peak, according to STR. Performance metrics for hotels were lower during the week compared to the week before, but higher when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 71.9 percent for the week ending July 30, down from 72.8 percent the week before and dropped 3.8 percent from 2019. ADR was $158.32 for the week, a slight dip from $158.79 the week before and increased 18.3 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $113.90 during the week, down from $115.59 the week before and up 13.9 percent from 2019. Nashville reported the largest occupancy increase during the post summer travel peak week, up 4.2 percent to 77.8 percent, over 2019 among STR's top 25 markets. The highest occupancy were in San Diego (87.4 percent), Boston (85.5 percent), and Oahu Island (85.3 percent) during the week under review.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE improved in the first week of October due to school breaks and extended holiday weekend, but the performance was mixed when compared to 2019, according to STR. Hotel performance during weekdays declined due to Yom Kippur as expected. Post-Hurricane Ian demand in Florida also boosted the performance. Occupancy was 68.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 8, up from 66.4 percent the week before and decreased 3.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $153.79 during the week, increased from $149.71 the week before and up 16.9 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $104.83 in the first week of October, up from $99.36 the week before and increased 12.8 percent from 2019. Orlando reported the highest occupancy increase among STR's top 25 markets, up 1.9 percent to 73.6 percent, over 2019.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE has increased from the previous week, aligning with the extended holiday weekend, while year-over-year comparisons also continue to show positive trends, according to CoStar. The percentage changes showed positivity on weekdays due to comparisons with the Yom Kippur period from the previous year, but year-over-year occupancy rates still experienced a decline. Occupancy stood at 67.8 percent for the week ending on Oct. 7, a slight rise from the preceding week's 66.7 percent, with a marginal year-over-year decline of 0.2 percent, according to CoStar. ADR was $163.19, showing an increase from the previous week's $157.89 and a notable 5.4 percent surge compared to the previous year. RevPAR also saw an uptick to $110.68, surpassing the previous week's $105.31, and reflecting a 5.2 percent rise from 2022.

U.S. HOTEL WEEKLY performance showed mixed results in the fourth week of May compared to the previous week but posted positive year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar. Despite a slight uptick in occupancy, both ADR and RevPAR decreased week-on-week across all key metrics. Occupancy rose to 67.7 percent for the week ending May 25, up from 67.4 percent the prior week, reflecting a 1.6 percent year-over-year increase. ADR decreased to $160.67 from $163.11, yet still representing a 2.3 percent surge compared to last year. RevPAR stood at $108.73, a decline from the previous week's $109.93, but marking a 3.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. Among the top 25 markets, Houston experienced the most significant year-over-year boosts in occupancy, soaring 20.9 percent to reach 74.1 percent, while RevPAR surged by 29.2 percent to $89.15. Las Vegas recorded the sole double-digit increase in ADR, climbing by 10.9 percent to $217.53.