Group items tagged

THE LEADERS OF national hotel organizations, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, and the Latino Hotel Association, came together to commemorate the second annual National Hotel Employee Day on Sept. 1. AHLA and the National Day Calendar established National Hotel Employee Day in 2022 to honor the nearly two million employees in the hotel industry, celebrated each year on Sept. 1. AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers highlighted the essential role of employees in hotels and emphasized the establishment of NHE Day as a way to express gratitude to America's nearly two million hotel professionals, recognizing their dedication and service.

IN MARCH, THE U.S. celebrated the achievements and history of women as part of Women's History Month. In recognition of the month, some hotel companies introduced or continued programs aimed at increasing women's role in the industry. In line with the Women's History Month theme this year "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," Choice Hotels International kicked off its "HERtels at Choice Development Seminar" with nearly 40 franchise owners, general managers, and hotel associates in attendance. At the same time, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' "Women Own the Room" initiative has signed over 30 hotels across the U.S. and Canada in the first year of its launch. Also, California hotelier and philanthropist Sunil "Sunny" Tolani issued a special message for the month. HERtels by Choice Choice Hotels took the recently held Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta as a launch pad for its inaugural HERtels seminar. The event was held next door to the Marriott Marquis Atlanta, Hunter's venue, and is an enhancement of Choice's HERtels program that was launched in 2021. "While industry-wide parity is improving, with more female investors, directors, and leaders in hospitality than ever before, women entrepreneurs still face significant economic and societal barriers when it comes to hotel ownership and development. As an industry, we owe it to the next generation of hoteliers to change this statistic," said John Lancaster, vice president for emerging markets, franchise development and owner relationships, Choice Hotels International. "This initiative and the invaluable resources it provides is a natural extension of our industry-leading emerging markets program and our enduring commitment to helping growth-minded entrepreneurs further their unique ownership journey."

MORE THAN A thousand hotel owners, workers and small business owners from the newly formed "Protect NYC Tourism Coalition" rallied on the steps of New York's City Hall on Sept. 12 to protest the city council's "Safe Hotels" bill. The coalition also sent a letter urging the council to reject the bill, also known as "Int. 991", arguing that the bill threatens the sustainability of New York City's hotel and tourism industries and jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The coalition includes members from AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York, the Coalition for Hotel Subcontractors, the NYC Minority Hotel Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers, along with other groups and stakeholders supporting New York City's tourism industry. First introduced by Councilwoman Julie Menin over the summer, Int. 991 is presented by supporters as a "simple licensing bill." Opponents argue it would impose operational mandates that could drive many hotels out of business, jeopardizing 42,000 hotel jobs and nearly 260,000 jobs supported by the industry, along with billions in revenue for New York City.

EXTENDED-STAY ROOM revenues in traditional hotels outperformed those in extended-stay hotels by 21 percent, indicating potential for further development in the extended-stay sector, according to consulting firm The Highland Group and Kalibri Labs. For the 12 months ending June 2023, guest-paid room revenue for stays of seven consecutive nights or more totaled $8.97 billion in traditional hotels, compared to $7.39 billion in extended-stay hotels. "Traditional hotels are still accommodating more extended-stay demand than extended-stay hotels despite the latter's substantial gains in market share over the last 25 years," said Mark Skinner, partner at The Highland Group. Accommodated room nights tallied 74.3 million and 72.2 million, respectively. Nationally, extended-stay demand (ESOC) constitutes 53 percent of extended-stay hotels. In traditional hotels, ESOC is 13 percent, yet the room count is tenfold compared to extended-stay establishments, the report said.

SSN HOTELS, A Delaware-based hotel management and ownership company, recently acquired its 31st property, the Residence Inn Atlantic City Airport/Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey. A full renovation of the property, set to begin at year's end, will focus on upgrading guest amenities, SSN Hotels said in a statement. SSN Hotels is led by co-founders Peter Bhai as CEO and Pinky Bhai and president. "We are excited to expand our presence in the Atlantic City area and look forward to transforming this property into a premier destination for business and leisure travelers alike," said Peter Bhai. "This renovation will allow us to offer an even more exceptional stay for our guests while continuing to grow our portfolio." SSN currently operates 31 hotels across five states-New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, and Florida-with seven more in development, according to its website. It owns and manages properties under brands from Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Red Roof and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Cambria Hotel Waco University Riverfront in Waco, Texas, owned by KB Hotels led by Kiran "Kenny" Bhakta as founder and CEO, is now open. It is the ninth Cambria Hotel in the southwest. The new 4-story, 130-room property joins Cambria's Austin Downtown, Austin Uptown, Austin Airport, Houston Downtown, McAllen, Plano, Richardson and Southlake, Choice said in a statement. KB Hotels, led by Kiran "Kenny" Bhakta, a hotel development company in central Texas, is spearheading the development of this hotel. "With a rich history anchored by academia and agriculture, Texas is quickly becoming a hub for vacationers and business travelers alike," said Indy Adenaw, Choice's senior vice president and general manager for upscale. "We look forward to expanding Cambria's unique offerings and top-notch amenities to even more guests in the Lone Star State with the opening of the new Cambria Hotel Waco University Riverfront."

VERAKIN CAPITAL, A real estate investment group, exceeded its $350 million investment milestone in the first quarter of this year. The company has made collective investments in three hotel properties that are currently in various stages of development; the Moxy in downtown Atlanta, Georgia; Hampton Inn/Home 2 in downtown Nashville, Tennessee; and Courtyard by Marriott in Pittsburg, California, the company said in a statement. Verakin, led by partners Rupesh and Bimal Patel and Hiten Suraj, is the lead developer of the Courtyard by Marriott, while the company is co-investing in the other two projects alongside RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, according to the statement. RevPar Development is a privately-owned hotel development and management company on the East Coast, while Emerge Hospitality Group is a family-owned and -operated hotel ownership, development and management company. "We are developing both on our own behalf and in joint ventures with like-minded investment groups," Rupesh Patel said. "We are seeing that newer hotels and brands are faring better than their older counterparts as travel rebounds in many markets and segments. To help satiate our investment growth appetite, we will continue to seek best-in-class partners, such as RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, who have proven track records as credible institutional investors, developers and operators." The Moxy hotel in downtown Atlanta, will feature 181 rooms spread across 13 floors and is scheduled to open mid-2026 before the FIFA World Cup. The centrally located hotel will cater to both business and leisure travelers and will offer three food and beverage options, including a roof top bar and lounge with views of the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

HAWKEYE HOTELS RECENTLY acquired the Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh East Liberty in Pittsburgh. It is the company's third hotel owned and operated in Pennsylvania. The 135-room Indigo is a restored boutique hotel in Pittsburgh's historic East Liberty Neighborhood, according to the Hawkeye. Nearby are the Carnegie Museum, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Phipps, Heinz Chapel, St. Paul's and East Liberty Presbyterian Church. Its interior décor reflects the neighborhood's community's theater, entertainment and charitable heritage. Hawkeye closed on the transaction 21 days after executing the contract. It has recently acquired, developed and operated dozens of hotels in over 20 states across the U.S. "We continue to be bullish on the hospitality market recovery and look forward to seeking out additional opportunities to acquire hotels across the U.S.," said Parth Patel, Hawkeye's head of investments. The company is considering acquiring an upscale extended stay hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it recently opened Holiday Inn.

MAJOR U.S. HOTELS firms Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced that they are ceasing operations in Russia due to its ongoing invasion in Ukraine. Also, AAHOA issued a statement condemning the war. The hotel companies also emphasized their efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees and guests in both Ukraine and neighboring countries who face these 'unconscionable challenges'. "We have made the decision, effective immediately, to close our corporate office in Moscow, and pause the opening of upcoming hotels and all future hotel development and investment in Russia," Marriott said in a statement. "We have been closely monitoring the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Russia and neighboring countries, and remain in regular contact with our teams on the ground, as we work to comply with sanctions and applicable laws. Our hotels in Russia are owned by third parties and we continue to evaluate the ability for these hotels to remain open."

PEACHTREE HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT has contracted with TEKMAK Development Co., a full-service hospitality development company, to provide third-party management services for a portion of its hotel portfolio. The three hotels are all in Texas. PHM will assume operations of the SpringHill Suites Dallas Rockwall in Rockwall, Texas, on Aug. 1, and is slated to manage two under-construction hotels, a dual-branded TownePlace Suites by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott in Paris, Texas, and a TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Forney, Texas, the company said in a statement. "This is the second long-term management agreement we've entered into already in 2023, and we will continue to seek best-in-class partners like TEKMAK as we pursue our own third-party management growth goals," said Patrick Short, PHM president. "Our third-party operated portfolio continues to expand, currently accounting for nearly a third of our entire managed portfolio. We expect to continue growing our third-party portfolio moving forward, ultimately surpassing our owned hotels." A division of Peachtree Group, which is led by Jatin Desai and Mitul Patel as managing principals, PHM operates branded, limited-, select- and compact full-service hotels primarily in the upper-midscale and upscale segments. The company presently manages 92 hotels across 28 brands with 11,186 rooms in 22 states. These three TEKMAK hotels increase PHM's third-party operations to 34 hotels, the statement added.

CALIFORNIA'S HOTEL DEVELOPMENT hit a decade-low in 2024, with just 35 new hotels and 3,798 rooms added, according to Atlas Hospitality Group. This marks a 34 percent drop in hotel openings and a nearly 40 percent decline in new rooms compared to 2023. Atlas Hospitality Group's 2024 Year-End California Hotel Development Survey attributed the decline to rising costs, high interest rates and reduced lending for new projects. "We predict the hotel construction outlook will remain weak in the near term, as investors focus on acquiring existing hotels at discounts to replacement costs," said Alan Reay, Atlas Hospitality's president.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association, AAHOA, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, and the Latino Hotel Association are marking National Hotel Employee Day on and leading up to Sept. 1, along with hoteliers nationwide. The day recognizes the nearly two million employees in the U.S. hotel industry. AHLA and the National Day Calendar established the day in 2022. "The people employed by America's hotels are the heart and soul of this industry, and their talent and drive create memorable visits for millions of guests every year," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "This National Hotel Employee Day, we thank them for their service and encourage others to explore a career in our vibrant and growing industry."

INDIA'S KAMAH HOTELS & Resorts recently signed a $70 million agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to develop four new hotels-three in India and one in the UAE-under the Trademark Collection by Wyndham. Kamah Hotels plans to add 25 more properties globally, including in North America, over the next three years. Fine Acres Group will develop the Indian properties, while Global Branded Residences will build the Dubai project. Fine Acres, which operates in India, and international developer GBR previously created Kamah Hotels. Kamah Hotels finalized locations for lifestyle resorts in Coorg, Karnataka; Jawai and Udaipur in Rajasthan; and Al Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai, UAE, the statement said. The partnership marks the debut of the Trademark Collection by Wyndham in the UAE, the companies said in a statement.

AS THE FIRST investment for its recently announced $100 million real estate fund, NewcrestImage has purchased the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Dallas. The company, which is based in Dallas, purchased the historic building from Denver-based Stout Street Hospitality. Opened in 1922 as the headquarters offices for Magnolia Petroleum, the 325-room, 29-floor Magnolia Hotel was the city's first skyscraper and the first high-rise in the United States to have air conditioning. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and opened as a luxury boutique hotel in 1999. The hotel is across from the 37-floor world headquarters of AT&T and the $100 million AT&T Discovery District, a shopping, dining and entertainment development. The Discovery District features a 30-foot diameter interactive "walk-in" sculpture and a 104-foot high media wall for watching sports, movies and music events. The hotel features a library, a restaurant, two lounges and 11 meeting rooms, that range from 230 to 3,500 square feet. "Rooted in history and ready to be reinvented for the future - that describes this hotel, and also our entire hospitality industry right now," said Mehul Patel, chairman and CEO of NewcrestImage. "The Magnolia Hotel is an especially relevant and significant opportunity for us because it continues two important corporate commitments - re-energizing downtown Dallas and revitalizing historic buildings."

SITEMINDER, THE HOSPITALITY software platform led by CEO Sankar Narayan, and IDeaS recently launched the "Dynamic Revenue Plus" revenue management system that enables hotels to access live market intelligence and quickly act on their bookable inventory, pricing and distribution strategies. This mobile-first solution allows any hotel to optimize revenue based on market demand, unlike traditional RMS, which are often limited to select hotels. Dynamic Revenue Plus employs data from SiteMinder's platform, encompassing 120 million annual hotel bookings, and will soon be enhanced with pricing recommendations from IDeaS, the companies said in a joint statement. "We're committed to democratizing revenue management and bringing the benefits of dynamic, demand-based pricing to hotels across the globe," said Klaus Kohlmayr, IDeaS' chief evangelist and development officer. "This partnership offers hotels of all sizes and operating models a viable option to avoid losing revenue due to outdated manual practices." The integration of IDeaS' dynamic pricing capabilities with SiteMinder's distribution platform and market intelligence will help hotels of all sizes, including those with limited resources, with robust revenue management and quick market access, the statement said. It will initially be available to hotels in Australia and New Zealand, expanding to other markets in 2025, the companies said.

ANOTHER ASIAN AMERICAN developer has signed on to build two properties under Choice Hotels International's upscale Cambria brand. VRL Hotels, led by Victor Patel as president, has signed on to build a Cambria in Gatlinburg and another in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Gatlinburg hotel is expected to open in 2022. It will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the tourist town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Local attractions include Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, the Gatlinburg SkyLift, which carries passengers 1,800 feet up to the top of Crockett Mountain, and the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Also nearby are Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Haunted Adventure, the Rocky Top Sports complex, several bourbon distilleries, breweries and wineries and the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Pigeon Forge is expected to open in 2024. Nearby attractions include Dollywood amusement park, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum, the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, Titanic Museum Attraction, NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains and seasonal outdoor events throughout the year, such as Winterfest. Both hotels will have multi-function meeting and event spaces and fitness centers among other amenities.

HAWKEYE HOTELS AND HOS Management recently sold three hotels in the Savannah, Georgia, area for approximately $100 million. Both companies have plans to continue to expand their development pipelines. The Montford Group and Opterra Capital purchased the Aloft Savannah Airport while Mission Hill and KSL Capital Partners bought the Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown Savannah Historic District and the Aloft Savannah Historic District, according to Hawkeye, which is led by Ravi Patel as president. All three hotels have more than 400 rooms and each were developed by Savannah-based HOS and Hawkeye Hotels in the last 24 months. HOS and Hawkeye together have more than 40 hotel projects in the pipeline, including more than a dozen projects starting construction this year. Both have been actively buying and selling multiple assets in addition to developing new hotels, and last month Hawkeye opened The Le Meridien St. Louis Downtown in St. Louis.

OFFICIALS OF THE "She Has a Deal" annual hotel investment pitch contest announced the five teams selected to advance to the final round of SHaDPitch 2023. The competition allows early career women to compete for the prize of $50,000 of equity in SHaD's Prosperity Fund I, following the conclusion of a virtual, preliminary round of pitching, SHaD said in a statement. SHaD 2023 will be held at the new Marriott Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 27 to 28. According to the statement, the goal of SHaD is to increase the number of women owning and developing hotels. It provides participants with the ability to source, analyse, raise capital and close hotel real estate investment deals. During the preliminary judging round, eight teams comprising 15 participants pitched their hotel investment acquisition or development projects live on Zoom to a judging panel of hotel business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors. The judges evaluated and selected the following five teams: Sydney Young and Rachel Nicholson with SpartanStone, graduates of Michigan State University, pitching a La Quinta Inn & Suites in Lewisville, Texas. Chandler Williamson with Chanders Core Commitment, graduate of North Carolina Central University, pitching a Hilton Garden Inn in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Isabella Suffredini, Veronica Lewis and Alexandra Neoman with CROWN, graduates of Cornell University, pitching a TownePlace Suites in Houston, Texas. Makenna Price with Hookipa Hospitality, graduate of Washington State University, pitching a Fairfield Inn & Suites in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Allison Busch and Hannah Takekawa with AH Hospitality, graduates of San Diego State University, pitching a Staybridge Suites in Austin, Texas "Every year, I grow more encouraged that we are making an impact," said Tracy Prigmore, founder of SHaD. "These are brilliant women who benefit from the education and programming that SHaD provides, and their hotel investment acumen has grown by leap

GUJARAT JHM HOTELS, owned by the Rama family along with U.S.-based Auro Hotels, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Gujarat to develop the JW Marriott Surat Resort & Spa in Surat in the state of Gujarat, India. It is GJHM's third Marriott hotel in the city after the Surat Marriott Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Surat. The upcoming property will feature more than 300 guestrooms and villas, according to a joint statement by GJHM and Auro Hotels, according to a release on the Press Trust of India website. "This transformative project, backed by more than $120 million (Rs 1,000 crore) investment, aims to create jobs for 800 individuals, offer crucial infrastructure for the city's growth, and establish Surat as the commercial capital of Gujarat," said D.J. Rama, director of GJHM and president and CEO of Auro Hotels. "Aspiring to be a 'Smart City,' this strategic investment underscores Gujarat JHM's commitment to fostering inclusive development. Surat is poised to emerge as a beacon of urban advancement, seamlessly combining financial strength with technological innovation."

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.