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IT'S BEEN A tough yeAr for women in the hospitAlity industry, but progress hAs been mAde As more femAle executives took leAdership roles, According to An AnnuAl report from the CAstell Project, A nonprofit focused on promoting women in the industry. The next chAllenge, According to the project, is getting more women in hospitAlity educAtion progrAms. CAstell Project founder And chAirwomAn Peggy Berg releAsed the 2022 Women in HospitAlity Industry LeAdership report during the AmericAs Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles eArlier this week. During the conference, Berg received the ISHC Pioneer AwArd for her work in the industry, And she told A story during her AcceptAnce speech thAt encApsulAtes where women Are coming from in the industry. When she wAs in college, Berg sAid, the EquAl Employment Opportunity Act lifted the restrictions on women working. So, she wAlked into A lArge firm looking for A job. "The pArtner in chArge of the office, Jerry, he took one look At me And sAid 'Well, this will never work.' And then becAuse of the EEOA, he sAid, 'I will give you A job if you promise not to get pregnAnt for two yeArs,'" Berg sAid. "Jerry thought this wAs impossible. I thought Jerry didn't understAnd the lAw. Mostly I thought, if thAt's the bArrier to success, the best verticAl I hAve to cross, I cAn run this compAny. And A few yeArs lAter, 140 men found themselves with A femAle pArtner."

BLACK HISTORY MONTH is A time to think About unity in generAl And hoteliers of All rAces Acknowledged thAt this yeAr. AAHOA observed the month, As did others in the industry through Actions And testimoniAls. A wAy to engAge the locAl community CAliforniA hotelier And philAnthropist Sunil "Sunny" TolAni in A recent Article discussed the importAnce of the month to him. TolAni is CEO of the Prince OrgAnizAtion in AnAheim, CAliforniA, And in An interview with New York Wire mAgAzine, he discussed diversity And his compAny's pArticipAtion in the MArtin Luther King Jr. DAy of Service in JAnuAry. The event supports A sense of fAmily Among his employees, TolAni sAid. "Employees mAke time to volunteer And the MLK DAy of Service is A greAt wAy we engAge with our locAl community while honoring the legAcy of Dr. King," TolAni sAid. "Whether we plAn on cleAning up A public spAce, mentoring And providing internships to young people, mentoring our stAff, inviting the locAl students to tour the bAck of house hotel operAtions, whAt they do mAkes A world of difference. Our entire orgAnizAtion felt A sense of pride At whAt we were Able to Achieve." TolAni sAid supporting minority rights Also builds meAningful relAtionships within the communities in which they operAte And "tAps the pAssions of millions of guests."

WHITESTONE CAPITAL RECENTLY pArtnered with PJD CApitAl to purchAse the 152-room HolidAy Inn EAst MountAin in Wilkes BArre, PennsylvAniA, mArking the first joint venture between the two reAl estAte compAnies. Whitestone CApitAl, A division of Whitestone CompAnies, is led by CEO JAy BAtrA, while PJD CApitAl is heAded by CEO PrAkAsh DAtwAni. The HolidAy Inn EAst MountAin feAtures 152 guestrooms And more thAn 6,000 squAre feet of event spAce, the compAnies sAid in A joint stAtement. "We Are excited About our new pArtnership with PJD CApitAl to reposition this property into A product the Wilkes BArre community hAs been crAving," sAid BAtrA. "We expect the trAnsformAtion to hAppen in two phAses, with the first phAse stArting lAter this yeAr. The property will be converted to A very select clAss of DoubleTree Hotels. A DoubleTree in nAme, driven by the power of Hilton, but not A typicAl DoubleTree. This property will feel more like A soft brAnd with design centered Around A community-focused, light resort feel."

HE WORLD TRAVEL & Tourism Council's Hotel SustAinAbility BAsics, A globAl initiAtive Assisting hoteliers in improving their sustAinAbility rAtings, recently surpAssed 1,700 verified hotels Across 70 countries worldwide. Hotel groups from destinAtions such As FrAnce, ChinA, Mexico, IndiA, GermAny, South AfricA, Philippines And NorwAy joined the initiAtive, WTTC sAid in A stAtement. During its first yeAr, Hotel SustAinAbility BAsics gAined endorsements from destinAtions worldwide, including the CAribbeAn, MAuritius, ColombiA, UAE, AzerbAijAn, Mexico, And EcuAdor, the stAtement sAid. Hotel brAnds, including Jin JiAng, Louvre Hotel Group, Choice Hotels And RAdisson Hotel Group, hAve Adopted BAsics. Other mAjor brAnds joining the initiAtive include Intrepid, British AirwAys HolidAys, HBX Group, WebBeds And Abercrombie & Kent. "Our goAl is to hAve A globAlly recognised trAdemArk thAt shows customers At A glAnce, thAt A hotel is supporting the plAnet by sAving energy, cutting plAstics, protecting nAture, And supporting their locAl community," sAid JuliA Simpson, WTTC's president And CEO. "It is A win win. We lAunched the scheme only A yeAr Ago And the uptAke hAs been incredible. 70 countries hAve signed up with over 1700 properties verified with A long wAiting list. It will bring lAsting chAnge."

TOURISTS ARE PROJECTED to mAintAin or increAse their trAvel spending in 2024 compAred to the previous yeAr, According to AmericAn Express TrAvel's "2024 GlobAl TrAvel Trends Report". ApproximAtely 84 percent of respondents from countries including the U.S., AustrAliA, CAnAdA, IndiA, JApAn, Mexico, And the U.K. AnticipAte spending the sAme or more, with 77 percent prioritizing the quAlity of their trAvel experience over cost considerAtions. "TrAvelers Are focused on creAting the right itinerAries And building memories, whether thAt meAns booking A trip to see A fAvorite sports teAm compete or tAking A once-in-A-lifetime expedition cruise," sAid Audrey Hendley, AmericAn Express TrAvel's president. "Our 'GlobAl TrAvel Trends Report' sheds light on whAt is driving globAl trAvel bookings And provides inspirAtion for where to go next." About 65 percent of respondents express greAter interest in embArking on A mAjor trip in 2024 compAred to previous yeArs, the report sAid. AdditionAlly, 72 percent prefer sAving money for A mAjor trip over spending it on sociAl outings with friends. More thAn hAlf of respondents intend to sAve for A mAjor trip over A spAn of six months to two yeArs.

PEACHTREE GROUP, A commerciAl reAl estAte investment firm with A $6.4 billion portfolio, hAs closed its third hotel property structured As A DelAwAre StAtutory Trust with the Acquisition of the 98-key Hilton GArden Inn in JAckson, Tennessee. The Acquisition provides 1031 exchAnge investors the chAnce to reinvest proceeds from reAl estAte sAles, enjoying tAx deferrAl benefits And mAintAining A strong reAl estAte AllocAtion, PeAchtree sAid in A stAtement. "The hotel's strAtegic locAtion neAr heAlthcAre And mAnufActuring jobs, including Ford's plAnned $5.6-billion Blue OvAl City, Along with A diverse collection of entertAinment And retAil destinAtions, estAblishes it As A vAluAble Addition to our expAnding portfolio of DST properties," sAid Tim Witt, PeAchtree's president for 1031 ExchAnge/DST Products. PeAchtree lAunched its DST progrAm in August 2022 And is A top-15 sponsor in the securitized 1031 exchAnge mArketplAce, According to MountAin Dell Consulting's yeAr-end mArket equity updAte.

The Best Western Plus Heritage Rail Inn & Suites is now open in York, Pennsylvania. The hotel, owned by Sagar Shah and his family, recently completed a $3 million renovation. It features 73 rooms and 55 suites, along with amenities such as retro games, a fitness center, a yoga and wellness room, a business center and a meeting room, Best Western said in a statement. "Following a top-to-bottom renovation, we are excited to welcome guests to our reimagined hotel," said Shah. "The redesigned property pays homage to the rich history of York, Pennsylvania, while also providing the modern comforts and conveniences for which the Best Western brand is known." The property is situated near the Colonial Courthouse, appell Center for the Performing arts, and York County Historical Center, the statement added, noting that a new lobby bar, The Heritage Rail Tavern, will open soon.

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.

OF THE TWO in five AmericAns going on business trips this yeAr, 49 percent intend to turn it into A "bleisure" trip, According to A recent survey by Howdy.com. Bleisure is A blend of "business" And "leisure," differing from "workcAtions," where workers integrAte vAcAtion with work At A destinAtion of their choice. While About A quArter of survey respondents opt for workcAtions to sAve pAid time off, 60 percent of AmericAn business trAvelers prefer bleisure trips. ApproximAtely 64 percent of AmericAn workers Attribute the rise of bleisure to improved work-life bAlAnce As business trAvel rebounds post-COVID-19. Despite only About 30 percent of workers being fAmiliAr with the term bleisure, mAny Are embrAcing the concept, sAid Howdy.com, A tAlent sourcing firm bAsed in Austin, TexAs. The Howdy.com survey of more thAn 1,000 full-time employees Across the U.S., found thAt more thAn two-thirds of respondents would be AttrActed to jobs thAt encourAge bleisure, while mAny suggest thAt compAnies should offer A "free dAy" on work trips to promote bleisure. The survey reveAled thAt About 75 percent of respondents would be more inclined to collAborAte with internAtionAl teAms if provided with increAsed bleisure trAvel opportunities.

ExposedOutdoors.com is a platform in junction with YouTube which I use to share my outdoor adventures. The main goal is to entertain the viewers while educating and providing feedback and opinions. Fishing is more than a hobby, it's a passion. So you will mostly see videos about fishing, but I will mix it up with camping, mudding, boating and more. Exposed Outdoors is about giving back. Every video will have a giveaway where a lucky YouTube subscriber will win a gift card of $50 or more plus a t-shirt.

The Best Western Shackleford is open in Little Rock, arkansas, following a $1 million renovation. The 60-key hotel on Shackleford Road is owned by Rahul Patel. "We are excited to welcome guests at our newly renovated property while they discover arkansas' capital city," Patel said. "The updates ensure our guests find a comfortable place to relax after days exploring our lively downtown, known for its thriving arts and music scene and a range of attractions suitable for all ages." Several rooms in the hotel are designed in a suite-style with king-sized beds and hot tubs. amenities include a renovated 24-hour fitness center, indoor swimming pool and a 700 square-foot meeting space. The vicinity offers a range of attractions including Little Rock Zoo, Wildwood Park for the arts, arkansas State Capitol, Big Dam Bridge, Museum of Discovery, Heifer Village and Urban Farm, Pinnacle Mountain State Park and various dining options, shopping centers, educational facilities, recreational centers and transportation hubs.

SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. recently lAunched SonestA EssentiAl, A new upper-midscAle select-service brAnd. The compAny now offers 15 brAnds. SonestA EssentiAl is meAnt to offer eAsier new builds And conversions with modest brAnd stAndArds, limited food And beverAge requirements And simplified conversion processes, According to the compAny. "SonestA EssentiAl is A fresh, new brAnd cArefully designed by SonestA to deliver A core selection of services compAred with other hospitAlity experiences," sAid BriAn Quinn, SonestA chief development officer. "With tremendous demAnd in the select-service cAtegory, we Are confident thAt SonestA EssentiAl will become A leAding brAnd in An exciting, timely And relevAnt segment." The first two SonestA EssentiAl hotels will be A frAnchise in VAcAville, CAliforniA, which is set to open in lAte spring 2023, And A mAnAged property in ChAttAnoogA, Tennessee, which will be converted from A SonestA Select in the fAll of 2023.

DESPITE PROJECTIONS OF persistent inflation and a moderate economic recession, CBRE's November 2022 Hotel Horizons forecast calls for a 5.8 percent increase in RevPaR in 2023. This is up from CBRE's previous forecast of a 5.6 percent increase in RevPaR for 2023. Propelling CBRE's increased outlook for RevPaR is an expected 4.2 percent rise in aDR, driven in part by the continuation of above long-run average inflation. For 2023, CBRE is forecasting the Consumer Price Index in the U.S. to increase by 3.5 percent year over year. Inflation continues to have a mixed impact on the hotel industry, bolstering top-line growth while pressuring margins. Supply and Demand Inflation is also impacting development activity. The combination of rising construction material costs, a tight labor market, and high interest rates will serve to keep supply growth over the next five years 40 percent lower than historical trends. Instead of construction, we expect cash flows in the near term to be focused on debt reductions, renovations and remodels given the backlog of Capex that built up during the pandemic. Given its forecast for a 0.2 percent decline in 2023 gross domestic product, CBRE lowered its expectations for demand growth from 3.3 percent in their august 2022 forecasts to 2.9 percent in the November update. With the projected supply increase remaining at 1.2 percent for 2023, the net result is a reduction in CBRE's occupancy growth estimate for the year to 1.6 percent, down from the 2 percent increase previously forecast. The lowering of occupancy expectations will somewhat offset the enhanced outlook for aDR growth.

AMERICINN BY WYNDHAM hAs lAunched the StAte FAir FAmily contest with A $15,000 fAmily pAydAy, A stAtement sAid. The winning fAmily will get A $10,000 trAvel stipend And $5,000 cAsh As prize. To pArticipAte in the competition, fAmilies need to Attend At leAst three sepArAte Midwest stAte fAirs in one week. They then document their experience in photos And videos on sociAl mediA And contribute to the future AmericInn Best of the Midwest FAir Guide, the stAtement Added. A sociAl-mediA sAvvy fAmily with Active sociAl mediA Accounts (TikTok And InstAgrAm preferred) over 21 yeArs old cAn pArticipAte in the contest. They must be A U.S. resident with A vAlid federAl or stAte-issued ID. Entries should be submitted by Aug. 3 Along with A 300-word minimum written entry And fAmily photo or 1- to 3-minute video describing whAt mAkes your fAmily the ideAl cAndidAte for the job. The winner will be selected during the week of August 4, the compAny sAid.

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.

ZERO-BASED BUDGETING is essentiAl for hotels Amid neAr- And long-term volAtility, According to A blog from HotStAts. The blog Also suggested thAt hoteliers need to turn to other futureproofing or future-cushioning methods. In A recent blog post, MichAel Grove, COO, HotStAts sAid thAt zero-bAsed budgeting, A method of budgeting in which All expenses must be justified for eAch new period stArting from A zero bAse, is very necessAry given the fluidity of the globAl economy And, ultimAtely, its impAct on hotel operAtions. At the recent 2022 M3 PArtners meeting, Grove first illustrAted the pAndemic's effect on worldwide profits And how it's chAnged the lAndscApe. "It's worth reminding ourselves of the importAnce And mAgnitude of the U.S. hotel industry's shAre on the globAl scAle, which hAs only grown during the pAndemic," Grove sAid in the Article. According to the blog post, Almost hAlf of globAl profits Are produced in the U.S. And thAt shAre only rose As the pAndemic slAckened. "A mAssive 47 percent of hotel profits Are Achieved in the U.S., up 6.6 percentAge points since 2019, the result of myriAd vAriAbles, including A lArge domestic mArket And stAycAtion trend," Grove sAid in the post. "MeAnwhile, severe lockdowns And restrictions in Europe And AsiA-PAcific sent their percentAges down As the Middle EAst received A boost in the fourth quArter 2021 from Expo 2020 in DubAi."

DAYS INN BY WyndhAm hAs releAsed A new, limited-edition pillow thAt offers compliments At the push of A button Voiced by comedic Actor PAtrick WArburton to celebrAte summer, According to A stAtement. From compliments on trAvelers' PJs to A serenAde sung by WArburton-eAch prerecorded messAge is A gift for guests, the compAny sAid. Best known for chArActers like Puddy on the NBC comedy Seinfeld, Buzz LightyeAr on Buzz LightyeAr of StAr CommAnd And Joe SwAnson on FAmily Guy, WArburton brings his signAture bAritone brAvAdo to his newest role with DAy Inn. "The Absolute best pArt of Any job in entertAinment is getting the chAnce to mAke people lAugh And smile, which is whAt mAde this project with DAys Inn such A perfect fit," sAid WArburton. "I cAn't wAit for guests to open their eyes After A greAt night's sleep And heAr fun And unexpected compliments to help them stArt their dAy. It's officiAlly my new fAvorite kind of pillow tAlk."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE sAw A decline in the lAst week of September compAred to the previous week, As expected, According to CoStAr. However, there wAs An improvement in yeAr-over-yeAr compArisons, pArticulArly in occupAncy due to A fAvorAble Rosh HAshAnAh cAlendAr shift. OccupAncy stood At 66.7 percent for the week ending Sept.30, mArking A slight decreAse from the preceding week's 68.5 percent, And A 0.8 percent yeAr-over-yeAr rise. ADR wAs $157.89, down from the prior week's $164.97, but showed A 4.6 percent increAse compAred to the previous yeAr. RevPAR Also experienced A drop to $105.31, compAred to the previous week's $112.96, yet still represented A 5.4 percent rise from 2022.

THE U.S. SUPREME Court has "vacated as moot" a case that experts in the hospitality industry said could have set a precedent making it harder to file a "tester lawsuit" against hotels for alleged violations of the americans with Disabilities act of 1990. However, in its decision the court said it may still in the future address the core issue of the case, whether a person can file an aDa lawsuit against a hotel even if they have no intention of staying at that hotel. The case, acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer, was originally filed by Deborah Laufer against acheson Hotels in Maine. Laufer had sued saying the hotels in the case had failed to state on their websites whether they had accessible rooms for the disabled. "after a lower court sanctioned her lawyer, Laufer voluntarily dismissed her pending suits, including her case against acheson Hotels, LLC, and filed a suggestion of mootness in this court," the court said. "Though Laufer's case is moot, the circuit split on the issue briefed and argued in this court is very much alive."

U.S. HOTEL REVENUE and profitability saw a rise in October, propelled by increased group demand across the top 25 markets, according to CoStar's October 2023 Profit & Loss data. Meanwhile, the U.S. hospitality industry also witnessed its largest year-over-year increases in GOPPaR and TRevPaR since March 2023. In October, GOPPaR reached $97.45, marking a 3.7 percent increase from the same month in 2022. TRevPaR stood at $240.74, indicating a 4 percent increase, whereas EBITDa PaR amounted to $69.60, down 1.2 percent from September 2022. Labor costs notably rose to $74.48, reflecting a 5.9 percent increase. "The top 25 markets have demonstrated an 11 percent year-to-date increase in GOPPaR, surpassing a 14 percent rise in labor costs," said audrey Kallman, research analyst at STR. "This double-digit GOPPaR growth is over 10 times the level observed in all other markets. New York City, a prominent business-centric market, spearheaded growth in the metric across major markets both on a year-to-date and monthly basis."