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THE AMERICAN FRANCHISE business model is in trouble, according to a recent survey commissioned by AAHOA. The survey was inspired by a webinar AAHOA co-sponsored to gather public comment on the state of franchising for the Federal Trade Commission. The survey found that only 5 percent of the franchisee respondents are satisfied that their current franchise agreements provide fair terms representing a balanced relationship between themselves and their franchiser. Also, 72.6 percent of respondents would "possibly" or "probably" terminate their current franchised business within the next year if they could do so without penalty. "Franchising is in dire straits unless changes are made," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO. "Franchising is still a powerful tool for economic mobility for America's small-business owners, including AAHOA Members. But franchising only works when both franchisors and franchisees are committed to its success, which requires transparency, fairness, and sustainable business practices. As this survey shows, there is much room for improvement when it comes to relationships that allow our small-business owners to thrive." Blake recently wrote an editorial supporting AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising and its promotion of a proposed New Jersey law that would reform that state's franchising regulations in ways similar to the 12 points. Several large hotel companies, including Choice Hotels International and Marriott International, protested AAHOA's recent annual convention in protest to its position on franchise reform The survey was conducted among owners of hotels, restaurants, retail stores and other small businesses that had participated in the FTC webinar. It was co-sponsored by the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, and the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, conducted the survey after a recent webinar with FTC Chair Lina Khan. The FTC is soliciting comments through June 8 about issues that affect franc

CHIP ROGERS, PRESIDENT and CEO of American Hotel & Lodging Association, is joining the cast of a magazine-style television series "Hotels ByDesign." The program's host Mike Chapman will showcase up to 35 hotels across the U.S. throughout its four half-hour episodes. Rogers will be part of a panel of architectural, innovation and industry experts who will discuss key design aspects of various hotels, AHLA said in a statement. "Hotels are at the cutting edge of informed design, as brands and hotel companies are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of guests," Rogers said. "I'm excited to work with Hotels ByDesign to showcase the beauty and ingenuity of our industry." "It is with great pleasure that we turn our design lens towards hotels and vacation experiences," said Chapman, who also serves as the series' executive producer. "ByDesign continues the design conversation in front of a mainstream American and international audience, celebrating, commentating, and educating on excellent design. We are excited to be collaborating with the AHLA as we embark on new adventures - broadening our audience and telling exceptional design stories together."

PROPOSED FEDERAL REGULATIONS defining a "joint-employer standard" would have a "chilling effect" on the hospitality industry and franchises in general, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The National Labor Relations Board's latest version of the standard could define two companies as joint employers if they both control certain elements of employees' terms and conditions. The period for comments on the proposed regulations ended Nov. 21 and the would rescind and replace the joint-employer rule that took effect on April 27, 2020. That previous rule established that "a business must possess and exercise substantial direct and immediate control over one or more essential terms and conditions of employment of another employer's employees" to be considered a joint employer. However, a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in July reversed that rule. Now, under the new rule, "two or more employers would be considered joint employers if they 'share or codetermine those matters governing employees' essential terms and conditions of employment,' such as wages, benefits and other compensation, work and scheduling, hiring and discharge, discipline, workplace health and safety, supervision, assignment, and work rules," according to NLRB.

A NEW JERSEY bill that will reform the franchise business model in that state took another step forward today, moving from the Assembly to the Senate, and supporters, including AAHOA, expect it to become law this year. However, the American Hotel & Lodging Association has come out in opposition to the law, saying it would "undermine the foundation of hotel franchising." New Jersey Assembly Bill A1958 would make changes to the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act. AAHOA has been supporting the bill, saying it mirrors several concerns included in its 12 Points of Fair Franchising. Specifically, it would reform rules for mandated vendors, rebates, loyalty programs and new fees, AAHOA said in a statement. "New Jersey has long been a state with a strong entrepreneurial culture that has been welcoming to immigrants, including many AAHOA members," said AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel. "The state Assembly recognized that and took a step toward making New Jersey a better place for small businesses with today's vote to advance fair franchising principles. New Jersey can be an example to the nation for supporting franchising practices that allow hotel owners to achieve the American dream." AAHOA supports the preference of certified women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses to serve as the mandated and preferred vendors for the franchise business model.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC may be waning, but other factors are leading many people to stay home this holiday season, according to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and conducted by Morning Consult. High gas prices are a major reason given for opting out of Thanksgiving and Christmas journeys. AHLA's survey found that only 29 percent of Americans are likely to travel for Thanksgiving and 33 percent are likely to travel for Christmas. That is still a 21 percent and 24 percent increase respectively from 2020. The survey questioned 2,200 adults between Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. "While vaccines have helped travelers feel more comfortable, rising gas prices and continued concerns about the pandemic are making many Americans hesitant to travel during the holidays," said Chip Rogers, AHLA's president and CEO. "Despite a slight expected uptick in holiday travel this year, hotels will continue to face economic fallout from the pandemic, underscoring the need for targeted federal relief, such as the Save Hotel Jobs Act, to support the industry and its workforce until travel fully returns." Most of those who do plan to travel, 68 percent of Thanksgiving travelers and 64 percent of Christmas travelers, will be driving, the survey found. For Thanksgiving,11 percent plan to fly while 14 percent will take to the skyways for Christmas.

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."

THE BUSINESS TRAVEL revenue of U.S. hotels is expected to drop $20 billion this year, down 23 percent when compared to 2019, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Kalibri Labs. It is already reported that hotels lost an estimated $108 billion in business travel revenue during 2020 and 2021 combined. The report said that business travel revenue, the largest source of revenue in hotel industry, will take significantly longer to recover. However, leisure travel is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, the report added. "While dwindling COVID-19 case counts and relaxed CDC guidelines are providing a sense of optimism for reigniting travel, this report underscores how tough it will be for many hotels and hotel employees to recover from years of lost revenue," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. "The good news is that after two years of virtual work arrangements, Americans recognize the unmatched value of face-to-face meetings and say they are ready to start getting back on the road for business travel."

SHAMIN HOTELS, ONE of the largest Asian American owned hotel development and management companies in the country, has a new home with a literary pedigree. It has purchased the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper building that it will renovate and share with the newspaper. Shamin bought the four-story, nearly century-old building for $14.462 million on Jan. 2 and is planning a $1 million renovation, according to the Times-Dispatch. Its previous assessed value is $20.293 million. The newspaper will consolidate its offices on the building's fourth floor while Shamin's new offices will be on the third. The move is expected to be finished later this year.

TRAVELERS AS WELL as hoteliers are ready for business travel to get back to normal, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Nearly two-thirds of business travelers feel that the increased reliance on virtual work during COVID-19 is negatively impacting both productivity and workplace culture. As many as 77 percent of business travelers and 64 percent of American workers think that it is more important than ever to bring back business travel, according to a survey commissioned by the AHLA. The poll, conducted by Morning Consult among a national sample of 2,210 adults from March 8 to 9, also revealed that nearly seven in ten Americans approve the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent move to relax mask requirements. According to the survey, 43 percent of U.S. workers are more likely to travel for business compared to 2020-21.

AS MANY AS 84 percent of business travelers in the U.S. expect to take at least one trip to attend conferences, conventions or trade shows in the next six months, according to a survey from the U.S. Travel Association. They also expect to resume traveling at a slightly slower pace, about 1.6 trips per month, compared to 1.7 monthly trips pre-pandemic. The Quarterly Business Travel Tracker by J.D. Power said that less than one in 10 U.S. business travelers are uncertain if they would travel in the next six months. Meetings and events are not occurring and corporate policies restricting business travel are listed as reasons behind this. USTA forecasts that business travel spending was still down 60 percent from pre-pandemic levels in 2021. However, the latest data shows a clear shift in American business travelers' desire to return to in-person meetings.

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS of the proposed Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023 say it is needed to protect the rights of workers to organize under labor unions. However, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and others claim the PRO Act puts an undue burden on small businesses, including hotels. The PRO Act would authorize penalties against employers that interfere with employees' efforts to organize, according to Democratic Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott of Virginia, one of the co-sponsors of the bill. Also, the bill would facilitate collective bargaining agreements, close loopholes that allow employers to misclassify employees as supervisors and independent contractors. Other aspects of the PRO Act include protection for employees that experience retaliation for trying to organize a union, ensures that workers can collect "fair share" fees and authorizes a private right of action for violation of workers' rights. It also prevents employers from interfering in union elections or holding captive audience meetings. "Regrettably, for too long, workers have suffered from anti-union attacks and toothless labor laws that undermined their right to form a union," Scott said. "As a historic number of Americans put their support behind labor unions, Congress has an urgent responsibility to ensure that workers can join a union and negotiate for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces."

The Cambria Hotel Savannah Downtown Historic District is now open in Savannah, Georgia. It was developed by HOS Management Group, led by Kurt Patel and Anil Patel as co-founders and chairmen, and is the first Cambria in Georgia. The 6-story, 101-room hotel is in the city's National Historic Landmark District, according to Cambria. It is near the Savannah Civic Center, the SCAD Museum and Forsyth Park, as well as several top area employers, including Georgia Ports Authority, Gulfstream, Hunter Army Airfield, St. Joseph's Hospital and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power System's North American headquarters. Amenities include meeting and event spaces and a fitness center.

EXTENDED STAY AMERICA is continuing its support for The American Cancer Society with a new video series. The series will focus on ESA's Hotel Keys of Hope program that provides free and discounted rooms for cancer patients and their caregivers. The "Stay Stories" video series will feature the stories of families who have to travel for cancer treatment, such as Candace Bennik, the subject of the first video who traveled from her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Houston for treatment for stage four lung cancer. "One of ESA's core values is to put people first and care for our community, a sentiment that is demonstrated through our support of the ACS," said ESA's Director of Creative Services Holly Hester. "As part of this partnership, our goal is to help patients and their families overcome the financial stress of travelling for treatment and gain access to the care they need. We are honored to share their incredible stories."

CALIFORNIA-BASED HOTELIER Sunil "Sunny" Tolani has been named a top entrepreneur by Yahoo Finance. Tolani's the Prince Organization was named one of the fastest growing private companies in Orange County, California, by the Orange County Business Journal. In the Yahoo listing, Tolani is recognized not only for his work operating multiple hotels but also charity work, youth empowerment and education. It also mentions the organization's receipt of several honors and awards, including the 2016 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence and, more recently, the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award from the Non Resident Indian Welfare Society. "Sunil Tolani is a self-made man, highly respected and publicly admired worldwide Indian American CEO, social entrepreneur, philanthropist and humanitarian," the Yahoo article said. "[The Prince Organization is] regularly commended by various third-party organizations as one of the best and top places to work. Prince has also been named the fastest growing private companies and top minority-owned organization three times in a row."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association recently announced three promotions among its leadership team. Kiersten Pearce was promoted to senior vice president for executive and strategic initiatives; Adrienne Weil was promoted to senior vice president for member engagement and services; and Kara Filer was promoted to senior vice president for strategic partnerships and business development. Pearce joined AHLA in 2018 and previously served as its vice president of member engagement and services, according to AHLA. In her new role she will develop industry initiatives that align with AHLA's strategic plan and organizational priorities. She'll also oversee the coordination of the AHLA board of directors, executive committee and associated committees, as well as operational functions, including legal. Weil previously served as AHLA's vice president of strategic partnerships and business development and led efforts to accelerate "non-dues" revenue growth from industry service providers and suppliers. In her new role, she will lead AHLA's membership team and spearhead efforts to optimize AHLA's committees and networks and ensure AHLA's differentiated value proposition remains relevant as member needs evolve.

The Le Méridien St. Louis Downtown in St. Louis is open. It was developed by Hawkeye Hotels, led by Ravi Patel as president, and Paris-based Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts. The 96-room hotel was converted from the Hotel Majestic, located in a building built in 1913, one of the city's oldest landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is near the Dome at America's Center, America's Center Convention Complex, Busch Stadium, Gateway Arch National Park, Citygarden Sculpture Park, City Museum and Stifel Theater. Other nearby landmarks include the Gateway Arch, the Civil Courts Building and St. Louis City Hall. Hotel amenities include a fitness center, 1,210 square feet of meeting and event space, American blended with French Creole and Cajun cuisine restaurant Prime 55 Restaurant & Lounge and gelato stand Le Scoop by Le Méridien. Hawkeye will operate the hotel.

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.

THE RECOVERY MAY be under way, but most of the top U.S. markets, 21 out of 25, remain at a recession or depression level, according to a report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Urban markets are in worst shape, with most still in a "depression cycle." The overall U.S. hotel industry remains in a "recession," according to AHLA's report citing STR data. The difficulty for urban markets is that they depend substantially on business from events and group meetings. Room revenue was down 52 percent in May compared to May 2019. New York City, for example, is still in a depression with nearly 200 hotels in the city closed due to the pandemic, taking with them 42,030 rooms, one-third of the city's supplies. Leisure travel is currently driving the recovery, but business and group travel, the industry's largest source of revenue, will take longer to recover. Current forecasts show that segment returning to 2019 levels in 2023 or 2024. Several major events, conventions and business meetings have already been canceled or postponed until at least 2022.

THE U.S. HOUSE of Representatives recently unveiled the 'No Hidden FEES Act of 2023' (H.R 6543), compelling the travel industry to enhance transparency regarding so-called "junk fees." This legislation is designed to improve pricing transparency for customers seeking short-term lodging, including hotels, motels, inns, and privately-owned vacation rentals. Meanwhile, the American Hotel & Lodging Association extended its support for the bill, which was introduced by Reps. Young Kim and Kathy Castor on Friday. "As Americans grapple with persistent high inflation, the last thing families need after budgeting for trips is to be hit with costly last-minute fees," Kim said. "The No Hidden FEES Act would rectify this issue, offering cost transparency for consumers so they know the upfront lodging expenses. I will continue the fight to make life more affordable for families in Southern California and throughout our nation."

PEOPLE ARE SHOWING a desire to get back to travel, but within certain limits, according to a Reuters Events Travel webinar. The webinar featured information on the current state of the industry from IHG Hotels & Resorts, Visit California and digital consultancy Appnovation. Whether planning, booking or experiencing a vacation, today's travelers are more cautious than ever and are taking more time to research plans and are using digital tools for it, according to the webinar titled "Destination Experience: Driven by Data, Inspired by Travelers." As many as 41 percent of respondents to a survey from Appnovation cited a readiness to travel out of state or province, while only 19 percent were ready for international trips. Almost half of Americans, 49 percent, are likely to travel out of state and 24 percent are likely to travel internationally. "With data, brands are much better equipped to understand these shifts, and use their marketing tools more effectively. In short, you can't innovate properly until you innovate on your internal processes," said Anton Morrison, vice president of user experience and design, Appnovation.