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THE STOP-AND-GO economy of 2021 did not slow down progress for Peachtree Hotel Group of Atlanta. The accrued a record of $2 billion in total capitalizAtion through 140 transactions, including acquisitions, developments, lending and hotel investments. RepresentAtives of the company, which is led by Mitul PAtel and JAtin Desai as managing principals along with Greg Friedman as CEO, discussed the record year At the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles last week. "We are extremely pleased to have completed an extraordinary year of investment activity," Friedman said. "Our strAtegy of investing up and down the capital stack and opportunistically pivoting as markets shift allows us to capitalize on investments during any business cycle. 2021 exemplified our ability, and we expect thAt 2022 should be another strong year on the investment side."

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."

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.

DEMAND FOR U.S. extended-stay hotels in the fourth quarter of 2021 was more than five times greater than supply, resulting in overall occupancy just below its 2019 peak, according to the Highland Group. December's monthly report from the group also showed the segment to be firmly in recovery. According to the research consulting firm's "U.S. Extended-stay Hotels: Fourth quarter 2021" report, the bottom up recovery continues with economy and mid-price extended-stay hotels in the fourth quarter posting record nominal average rate and RevPAR. Demand in the fourth quarter is at a record high and room revenues are almost 97 percent of their nominal high reached during the same period in 2019, the report said. Occupancy and ADR remain 4 to 5 percentage points off previous high levels but should pick up in the near term as the demand change was six times the corresponding change in supply, it added.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Dayton North is now open in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by The Witness Group, founded by Sagar and Ohm Patel, and managed by Hotel Equities. The 100-room hotel is near The Dayton Art Institute, Rose Music Center at the Heights, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, National Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton Dragons, and the University of Dayton. It is six miles from the Dayton International Airport. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool and a fitness center. Earlier this month, TWG and HE opened the dual-brand Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Keystone in Indianapolis, Indiana, and previously opened the Home2 Suites by Hilton Carmel Indianapolis in Indianapolis.

THE U.S. TOPS the global hotel construction pipeline in terms of project count, according to Lodging Econometrics. Overall, the pipeline increased 5 percent by projects and 4 percent by rooms over the same time last year with several stages of the pipeline hitting peaks by project and rooms counts. LE's most recent Global Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report released Thursday found the pipeline contains 14,779 projects with 2,412,736 rooms. There were 1,230,572 rooms in 6,896 projects under construction, all-time high. Another peak is in projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months with 4,599 projects and 651,133 rooms at the end the second quarter. There are an additional 3,283 projects and 531,031 rooms in the early planning stage of the pipeline. U.S. projects made up 38 percent of the pipeline with 5,582 projects and 687,801 rooms. China was second with 3,574 projects and 647,704 rooms, or 24 percent of the pipeline, meaning both countries make up 62 percent of the total pipeline.

FRANCHISEE RESILIENCE AND determination was the focus of Choice Hotels International's 66th annual convention in Las Vegas last week. In keeping with that theme, in a press conference at the convention, corporate leadership for Choice said they are working with AAHOA on ways to implement the association's recently updated 12 Points of Fair Franchising. More than 5,200 people attended the conference, including franchisees and their families. Other news from the event includes the announcement of a new program to promote women ownership of hotels and the hiring of two new franchise development directors. "GO" was the theme of the convention, in recognition of the struggles Choice's franchisees have faced over the past three years of pandemic and economic downturn. The company overcame those challenges, driving new business, advocating for government aid and reducing operating costs for franchisees, said Patrick Pacious, Choice's president and CEO. It also surpassed 2019 system-wide performance levels.

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.

A CHANGING OF the guard is taking place at Marriott International as chairmanship of the company transitions from J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. to his son David Marriott. The senior Marriott has led the company for more than 60 years. Marriott announced the change in February. J.W. spent his high school and college years working in a variety of positions in the family's Hot Shoppes restaurant chain. He became a full-time associate in 1956, and soon afterward began overseeing the first Marriott hotel. He became president of the company in 1964 and CEO in 1972, a role he held for 40 years before stepping down in 2012. He was elected chairman of the board in 1985. "On behalf of the board and the hundreds of thousands of people who wear a Marriott name badge around the world, I'd like to thank Mr. Marriott for his outstanding leadership throughout his tenure with the company. He is truly an industry icon," Anthony Capuano, Marriot's CEO.

The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area in Orlando opened May 3. It is owned by PRM Hotels led by Ishwar Naran as president and CEO. The newly renovated 70-room hotel is near the University of Central Florida and other local colleges, including Strayer University Orlando East Campus and Valencia College East Campus. Other local attractions include Central Florida Research Park, Orange County Convention Center, Addition Financial Arena and UCF's Bounce House. Amenities include an outdoor pool as well as a 400-square-foot boardroom and 600-square-foot conference room that can accommodate up to 10 and 50 people. "The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area is ideally situated for business and leisure travelers alike, conveniently located near many popular local attractions," said Ishwar Naran, president and CEO of PRM Hotels. "Our newest hotel also offers a host of amenities and provides the perfect location for families visiting students at UCF and other local colleges. We look forward to welcoming guests to our newly-renovated property in East Orlando and providing our visitors with the unmatched value and comfort they've come to expect with Best Western."

TIMES ARE QUICKLY changing, but never so much as the ongoing advancements in telecommunications. The Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to force carriers to stop selling copper phone lines, or "plain old telephone service" (POTS), which means the legacy analog copper phone line is being phased out sooner rather than later. Networks are aging, parts are unavailable, and technicians are retiring. How does this affect the phone system in your hotel? Depending on what upgrades and advances you have made over the last five years, you may need to switch your PBX systems to a cloud communication platform sooner than later. Oftentimes, however, it is difficult to see the forest for the trees. Considering the recent upheaval in our industry, the challenges facing hoteliers can be overwhelming. The steady increase in travel as restrictions lift, the ongoing trend of "bleisure" travel as more and more offices shut down and employees are allowed to work from anywhere and the pent-up demand to meet in person are exacerbated by the ongoing staffing shortage. Hoteliers have a lot on their plates and replacing a phone system is likely at the bottom of their list.

On the whole, travelling as a vegan can be tricky. Some countries don't offer much in terms of plant-based options on a menu, while certain hotels don't have anything vegan-friendly whatsoever. Thankfully, though, as awareness spreads, the accommodation options for vegan travellers are beginning to increase with it. In fact, in recent times, vegan-friendly hotels have been popping up all over America. Whether you're in New York or California, a number of vegan-friendly hotels are providing fantastic experiences for vegans. Some venues offer animal-free bedding, furniture and cleaning products, while other hotels might not go to such lengths but at least appreciate that vegans need to eat and therefore tailor their menus accordingly. This new phenomenon is certainly encouraging for vegans who perhaps don't feel comfortable staying in a place that doesn't cater for them and their beliefs. Usually, vegans might have to use their powerful smartphone devices not only for entertainment purposes like having a YouTube binge or playing the Thai Paradise online slot game, but also to turn to apps like HappyCow for mealtimes as they venture out of the hotel to find suitable places to eat. It can certainly make a hotel stay feel like more of a hassle than a relaxing break away.

THE PARTNER PROGRAM of American Hotel & Lodging Association reached a record 27 members with the addition of six new partners. The program offers industry suppliers and service providers an opportunity to engage directly with AHLA members at an executive level and increase brand visibility. Proskauer's Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Group becomes a Gold Partner in the program, the association said. It has one of the broadest and longest-standing commitments to the hotel and lodging sector among major global law firms and has experience in handling every relevant issue in the industry. The five Silver Partners are Guest Worldwide, Marsh, NewGen Advisory, Relay and WizeHire, said AHLA.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Front Royal Blue Ridge Shadows & Golf Course is now open in Front Royal, Virginia. The hotel, recently converted from the Holiday Inn Front Royal, is owned by Navika Group of Companies and managed by Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions Management Co. Real estate company Navika Group and Blue Sky management company both are led by Naveen Shah as president and CEO. Also, Haridas Kotahwala is chairman at Navika Group. The 124-room DoubleTree recently completed phase one of the multi-million conversion and features a new lobby, front desk and lobby level and guest room corridors. Additionally, all guest rooms were outfitted with digital key locks and received new mattresses and SMART TVs.

The Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Tampa Riverview is now open in Riverview, Florida. It is owned by Riverview Hotels & Resorts LLC led by manager Singh Japinder and managed by Naples Hotel Group of Naples, Florida. The 108-room hotel is near James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, Topgolf and Bass Pro Shops. Hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and 512 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 40 people. "The Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Tampa Riverview is a truly stunning example of the brand's contemporary look and feel, and we are pleased to introduce Fairfield by Marriott hotels in the Riverview area," said Janis Milham, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader, Classic Select Brands at Marriott International.

THE NEW JERSEY legislature is considering legislation that would strengthen protections for franchise businesses in the state, including hotels. AAHOA recently visited the state's capital to express its support for the bill. Assembly Bill 1958 would make changes to the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act that could benefit the hospitality industry, AAHOA said in a statement. Specifically, the changes include restricting non-competes for longer than six months; prohibiting requiring a relocation or capital investment greater than $25,000 more than once every five years unless hotel franchisers can establish a return on the investment; requiring a franchiser that receives "any rebate, commission, kickback, services, other consideration or anything of value" to fully disclose them to the franchisee and turn them over to the franchisee; putting restrictions on mandatory sourcing of goods or resources; and prohibiting suspending, restricting or preventing access to franchise services. Several AAHOA representatives attended a hearing at the New Jersey State Assembly on May 12 to support the bill. They included AAHOA's Mid atlantic Regional Director Mahendra "MZ" Patel, Past Chair Bhavesh Patel and Laura Lee Blake, the association's recently appointed president and CEO.

MORE THAN 260 travel industry and business organizations, such as the U.S. Travel Association, urged a repeal of the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated international air travelers. The requirement no longer makes sense in the current environment and discourages international travel at a time when a recent survey In a letter to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, USTA and its cosigners noted that the economic costs associated with maintaining the measure are significant, with international travel spending 78 percent below 2019 levels. The letter stated that many foreign governments with similar infection, vaccination and hospitalization rates-including the UK, Germany and Canada-have already eliminated pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated travelers.

IHG HOTELS & Resorts hotel Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter At Ravinia in Atlanta partnered with food waste management firm Goodr to rescue its surplus food, according to IHG. It will be the first IHG property to use the service. As part of the partnership, edible, unsold food from the locAtion's restaurants and corporAte dining events will now be donAted to Goodr's local non-profit partners, according to IHG. It also supports IHG's Journey to Tomorrow, a 10-year responsible business plan, which includes combAting food insecurity in communities around the world and minimizing food waste. "We're excited about our new partnership with Goodr to help do our part to combAt the issue of food insecurity in the local Atlanta area," said Sharon Kilmartin, the Crowne Plaza's area general manager. "Together, we can help make a difference in the lives of many people in our community and we urge other hotels to do the same."

Diesel generators are heavy-duty units designed for longevity. While the durability of diesel generators makes them ideal for long-term usage, they require significant upkeep to keep working as intended. If you have recently purchased a diesel generator or are considering purchasing one, there are several things to keep in mind to ensure you get the best value out of your investment. Everybody knows machines need timely maintenance and servicing to last longer, but diesel generators require several other measures to keep running optimally. Let's take a look at why diesel generator disasters happen and how to avoid those issues. LAUNDRY LIST OF REASONS WHY DIESEL GENERatORS BREAK DOWN Call up any reputable generator manufacturer or repair services and ask the most common causes for diesel generators to break down, and they'll give you a laundry list. You can click here to know about these causes in detail, but here's a long and short of various reasons for your diesel generator to give up. PUSHING THE GENERatOR TO ITS LIMITS It is basic knowledge that be it humans or machines, if they are pumping full steam every day, they are bound to break down. While humans can take a vacation and recharge, machinery needs proper maintenance. Think of maintenance like a spa day for your diesel generator. If you're running your diesel generator 24 hours a day all the time, it requires servicing every fortnight or 20 days. Failure to do so can severely damage the components of your generator or even cause it to break down.

THOMAS MAGNUSON, CEO and co-founder of Magnuson Hotels, stood before the House of Lords in the British Parliament last week and spoke on what hotels in the United Kingdom need to continue their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of what he said applies to U.S. hotels as well, he said. The key to success in the U.K., Magnuson said in his address, is preserving independent hotels. "Not all hotels are the Savoy," Magnuson said. "Most hotels in the U.K. are small, family owned, and endangered." In the presentation to the Travel Technology Initiative, hosted by the Baroness Ros Altmann, Magnuson said there has been a rapid decline in the number of U.K. hotels owned by independent private businesses. In 2010, independent hoteliers represented 78 percent of the U.K. hotel industry, Magnuson said. He reported that publicly traded branded hotels combined with globalism powers have reduced the native share to 50 percent in 2022. Magnuson also said that at today's change rate, the U.K. independent hotelier share will fall to 22 percent by 2026.