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DOROTHY DOWLING HAS joined her old boss, David Kong, as a principal for Kong's DEI Advisors, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to achieve their career goals. Previously, Dowling was chief marketing officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts for 18 years while Kong was Best Western's CEO for 20 years. Kong, along with principals Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliott, formed DEI Advisors last year. Humphrey is the former executive vice president and COO for AAHOA, and Elliott is co-founder of Acacia Hospitality LLC. Dowling also held senior leadership positions with other hospitality companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Travelodge Canada, Royal Host REIT and ARAMARK. She serves as a board member and advisor for several organizations, including Cubesmart, HSMAI, and WINiT by GBTA. Dowling recently received the lifetime achievement awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for her business performance, and GBTA WINiT for her leadership advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry, according to DEI Advisors.

THE LEISURE AND hospitality sector saw some job growth in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' December employment report. Not enough, however, according to the U.S. Travel Association, meaning more federal aid is needed. The sector added 53,000 jobs during the month, according to the BLS data. The overall economy added 199,000 jobs. "Leisure and hospitality has added 2.6 million jobs in 2021, but employment in the industry is down by 1.2 million, or 7.2 percent, since February 2020," the report said. "Employment in food services and drinking places rose by 43,000 in December but is down by 653,000 since February 2020." However, the report indicates that the recovery is uneven, said Tori Emerson Barnes, USTA's executive vice president of public affairs and policy, in a statement. December's performance was the second-worst since January 2021, she said. "The small gains made are not enough to propel the sector toward a larger recovery, as more than 7 percent of all L&H jobs remain lost compared to just 2 percent for the rest of the U.S. economy," Barnes said. "As the spread of the omicron variant continues to impact travel, there remains a pressing need for Congress to provide additional federal relief and stabilizing policies that will enable the return of business travel, professional meetings and events, and international inbound travel."

FIRST HOSPITALITY, A Chicago hotel management and development company, recently launched First Analytics, a suite of analytics and reporting tools. The platform helps hospitality leaders make data-driven decisions that drive revenue growth, optimize financial performance, improve guest satisfaction and increase employee engagement, First Hospitality said in a statement. "First Analytics has been at the core of our company's foundation. In this next phase, we are providing owners with real-time analytics through a customized dashboard for on-demand access to achieve their objectives," said David Duncan, First Hospitality's president and CEO. "We have created a solution that strengthens alignment, enables data-driven decisions, and helps us outperform competitors."

U.S. HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES reported a 108.2 percent year-over-year health metric for the fourth quarter of 2024, the highest in four quarters, according to the Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index by Cendyn and Amadeus. Tampa, Houston, and Miami led the top 10 cities in rankings. The index combines event data from Cendyn's Sales Intelligence platform, formerly Knowland, with hotel booking data from Amadeus' Demand360, covering group, corporate negotiated, global distribution system, and events performance, the companies said in a joint statement. Top 10 cities by index: Tampa - 121.4 percent Houston - 120.6 percent Miami - 116.8 percent New York City - 112.0 percent Chicago - 111.6 percent Phoenix - 110.4 percent Detroit - 109.8 percent Louis - 109.6 percent San Diego - 109.6 percent New Orleans - 108.3 percent

The September 2023 issue of Asian Hospitality magazine offers in-depth coverage of the latest trends and developments in the hospitality industry. This edition highlights crucial topics such as the surge in hotel development, innovative technologies transforming the guest experience, and key insights from industry leaders. Readers can explore detailed articles on sustainability, financial performance, and the evolving landscape of extended-stay hotels. Additionally, the issue delves into diversity initiatives and workforce challenges, providing a comprehensive view of the hospitality sector's future. Stay informed with expert analysis and forward-thinking strategies shaping the industry in 2023 and beyond.

HOTELS CAN ENHANCE profitability through greater reliance on revenue management technology tactics, according to IDeaS, a revenue management service provider. The survey examines how investors view revenue technologies, the role of artificial intelligence in hospitality, and how technology is reshaping hospitality commercial organizations. According to the survey, "Unlocking hotel performance: The power of revenue management technology today,'" inflation and economic pressures may lead hoteliers to consider cost-cutting measures to boost profitability. However, a majority of respondents view revenue management technology as the most effective and efficient way to enhance net operating income. "For investors, revenue management technology is shifting from a competitive edge to an essential instrument for maintaining competitiveness and securing a solid bottom line," said Mike Chuma, vice president of global marketing, IDeaS.

GOPPAR FOR U.S. hotels improved in September compared to the month before and it exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, according to STR. Meanwhile, the cost of labor per available room came in higher than the pre-pandemic comparable for the first time. GOPPAR was $84.03 for the month, up from $64.26 reported in August. It was $78.30 for July and $91.23 in June. The performance index was $88.63 in May and stood at $90.96 in April. EBITDA PAR was $60.71 for September, TRevPAR was $222.97 and labor costs per room were $71.52. "Labor costs moved ahead the 2019 comparable due to continued high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor," said Raquel Ortiz, STR's director of financial performance. "Total labor costs were up 5 percent year to date, with all departments reporting higher expenses, except F&B, due to less group demand earlier this year. GOPPAR was the strongest since June 2022, and profit margins came in higher than September 2019. Profit margins have been strong for some time caused by lower employment levels and reduced services."

Steve Mackenzie is now executive vice president of hotel operations at Peachtree Group's hospitality management division. In this role, he will oversee the financial performance of Peachtree's hotel portfolio, ensure adherence to franchise procedures, regulations and standards, and foster company culture and team growth, Peachtree said in a statement. Peachtree is led by Greg Friedman as managing principal and CEO, Jatin Desai as managing principal and CFO and Mitul Patel as Principal. "Steve has been instrumental in the exceptional growth and results of our hospitality management portfolio over the past six years," said Vickie Callahan, Peachtree's hospitality management division president. "His leadership will continue to guide the team as we grow our portfolio."

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 dipped slightly in the fourth week of May compared to the week before, according to STR. However, all performance metrics improved during the week compared to 2019. Occupancy was 66.5 percent for the week ending May 28, down from 68.6 percent the week before and up 3.2 percent from 2019. ADR was $151.73 for the week, slightly down from $151.75 the week before and up 22.2 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $100.97 during the week, down from $104.06 the week before and rose 26.2 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Phoenix saw the highest performance increases-occupancy was up 19.6 percent to 69.9 percent, ADR increased by 50.8 percent to $149.06 and RevPAR rose by 80.4 percent to $104.14, over 2019.

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."

APPROXIMATELY 51 PERCENT of hospitality industry professionals participating in STR's Hospitality Industry Sentiment survey expressed optimism about their business confidence over the next two years. Respondents rated their confidence at "8" or higher on a 10-point scale. Analyzing the results over the survey's first year reveals a gradual, consistent decline in confidence ratings for each time span. Meanwhile, global recession fears have diminished since the last survey, STR said. Among various industry challenges, "concerns regarding a potential recession" saw the most significant drop between the last two surveys, ranking third behind labor costs and supply issues. Energy and utility costs are slightly increasing, while supply chain challenges and group demand issues are gradually diminishing. Regarding hotel performance, outlined trends influence demand forecasting expectations, the survey said. The percentage of respondents anticipating "strong improvement" or "some improvement" is gradually declining across all three hotel demand segments. A majority of experts still foresee growth in both business transient and group demand.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE dropped in the fourth week of October compared to the week before, according to STR. When compared to 2019, occupancy increased as a result of the Halloween calendar shift, as the holiday fell during the comparable week three years ago. STR reminded that in the first week of November performance metrics will show the negative side of that shift. Occupancy was 65.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 29, down from 69.9 percent the week before and up 5.2 percent from 2019. ADR was $152.94 during the week, dipped from $157.43 the week before and up 21.4 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $100.59 during the week, down from $110.11 the week before and up 27.8 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Tampa reported the largest increase in each of the key performance metrics: occupancy up 21.5 percent to 76.1 percent, ADR increased 42.1 percent to $158.38 and RevPAR improved 72.5 percent to $120.58, over 2019. Tampa has been one of the markets in Florida that have seen a performance lift associated with post-Hurricane Ian demand.

THE PERFORMANCE OF U.S. hotels ended strong in the first quarter with March profit surging across most global regions, according to HotStats. The research firm said stronger revenues, better conversion rates and less worry by travelers about a COVID upsurge drove the first quarter surge in performance. During the quarter U.S. hotels saw an increase in its operating fortunes, according to a blog post on the HotStats website. GOPPAR in March 2022 was up $70 over January 2022 and at $90 was closing in on March 2019's level. It was the highest profit month in the U.S. since February 2020, the last normalized month of performance before COVID-19 reframed the world. ADR growth in the U.S. led the way in recovery with March ADR on a nominal basis was at its highest level since October 2018.

MORE WEALTH AMONG 1.5 billion people in India is driving a surge in new travelers with increased disposable income, creating significant demand for hotel rooms across the subcontinent, according to HotStats. This demand spans all asset classes, making it both easier and more challenging for developers and operators to determine what to build and operate. HotStats' latest blog reveals that India's hospitality sector is poised for growth due to its expanding economy, population and market performance. "India mirrors China's growth from 20 years ago, but a key difference emerged when India recently surpassed China as the world's most populous nation," wrote Tareq Bagaeen, HotStats' senior consultant. "While China's population is set to drop below one billion in the coming decades, India will continue growing, reaching 1.7 billion in 30 years. With a growing economy and strong market performance, India's hospitality sector is primed for growth."

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP signed an agreement with Choice Hotels International to develop nine WoodSpring Suites hotels in Georgia and South Carolina in two years. The companies say the agreement represents an increased institutional interest in the economy extended-stay brand. Noble, led by Mit Shah as founder and CEO, is a real estate investment manager specializing in select-service and extended-stay travel and hospitality with over $5 billion in assets. "Noble continues to add substantial scale to our extended-stay travel and hospitality platform," said Ben Brunt, Noble's chief investment officer. "WoodSpring Suites has an outstanding track record of high performance across economic cycles, and we are pleased to welcome these new investments into our portfolio."

Phil Norman is executive vice-president of people resources and development for third-party hospitality management company Twenty Four Seven Hotels. Previously, he was chief human resources officer with Canyon Ranch where he operated human resources functions for 1,840 U.S. employees across hotels and cruise ships. Norman will provide oversight for talent management, including leadership development, organizational capability and change management in this newly created role, the company said. He also held similar positions as human resources director at the Homestead, America's oldest resort property dating to 1766, and the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, where he oversaw 1,250 team members, while ensuring safety and building an inclusive environment. "With 35 years of hospitality human resources experience, Phil is the ideal candidate to take over our people resources and development team as well as provide immediate support to our on-property teams," said David Wani, CEO for Twenty Four Seven Hotels. "His performance at both the hotel and corporate levels has been amazing, creating workplaces where every associate is gratified by their work and where they feel they belong. Phil's reputation of aligning systems and processes and his focus on workplace culture create the potential for exceptional stakeholder returns and in turn support the growth of the company."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association has announced the dates, cities, and registration information for its "On the Road" State Hotel Conferences for 17 states in 2023. The conferences will provide hoteliers, suppliers, and service providers opportunities to connect with their peers as well as hospitality and policy leaders to learn about the latest news and information affecting the hotel and lodging industry, AHLA said in a statement. Anyone who works in the hotel industry can attend these half-day, free events, it added. "AHLA's 'On The Road' State Hotel Conferences are designed to help local hoteliers connect with their peers, gain insights on national and local market business performance trends and learn from top hospitality leaders, service providers and policy experts," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "The events are also a vital tool to help AHLA build coalitions, grow our grassroots network and rally hoteliers around the industry's goals and initiatives. We are excited to bring AHLA's successful On The Road State Hotel Conference series to a record number of cities in 2023." AHLA will host these conferences in partnership with its state or city lodging association partners. Since starting with four events in 2021, AHLA's On The Road State Hotel Conferences have brought together thousands of hoteliers in cities across the nation. Last year, 11 events were held.

INDEPENDENT HOTEL OPERATORS must refine their strategies to stay competitive in 2025 amid labor shortages, price-sensitive travelers and the growing dominance of branded hotels, which now account for 72 percent of U.S. properties, according to Cloudbeds. Furthermore, independent hoteliers are focusing on 2025 as the "year of optimizing performance." Cloudbeds' 2025 State of Independent Lodging Report provides a data-driven analysis of the global independent lodging segment, highlighting key trends across often-overlooked property types. "Hospitality is fundamentally human-and independent properties represent its heart and soul," said Adam Harris, Cloudbeds' cofounder and CEO. "Cloudbeds is helping these businesses transform challenges into opportunities, proving that being independent doesn't mean being alone. Together, we're building a future where independent hospitality businesses don't just survive-with access to technology like Cloudbeds Intelligence, they lead the way forward."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE dropped in the second week of July, as expected due to a holiday calendar shift, according to STR. The performance was skewed downward due to a comparison with a non-holiday week in 2019. STR said that performance is expected to improve for the remaining weeks of July after two consecutive weeks of lower demand around the Independence Day holiday. Occupancy was 63.3 percent for the week ending July 9, down from 67.3 percent the week before and dropped 14.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $153.71 for the week, slightly up from $153.32 the week before and increased 15.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $97.37 during the week down from $103.24 the week before and down 1.1 percent from 2019.