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U.S. HOTELS FORECAST that their properties will exceed 2022 budgeting targets as the hospitality industry returns to normal, according to a survey by the Hospitality Asset Managers Association. The HAMA survey found a renewed sense of optimism among members. The Fall 2022 Industry Outlook survey revealed that around 60 percent of respondents believe most of their portfolios, more than 75 percent, will exceed 2022 budgeted RevPAR. Nearly half of participants expect 75-100 percent of their properties to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP, the survey said. Around 60 percent of full-service and above said that they expect to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP and just over 40 percent of select-service and below hotels forecasted to exceed 2022 budgeted GOP.

KEN GREENE IS leaving his position as president and CEO of AAHOA to begin a new job with Dallas-based IBF Hospitality. AAHOA already has begun searching for his replacement. Greene will leave on Feb. 11, according to a statement. He was brought on last year in June to replace Cecil Staton, AAHOA's former president and CEO when he left the association unexpectedly. "Ken has been instrumental in carrying AAHOA through the past several months, which brought on a lot of change both at AAHOA and in our industry," said AAHOA Chair Vinay Patel. "We're grateful for the time he's spent at AAHOA and wish him nothing but continued success as he transitions to another opportunity." While at AAHOA, Greene oversaw the association's return to in-person events, including the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas in August. He also helped in write AAHOA's strategic plan and helped restaff the organization after the departure of Staton, the association's executive vice president and COO Rachel Humphrey and others.

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."

THE REPRESENTATION OF Black and women members on hotel industry boards is on the rise, signaling progress in board diversity, according to recent research commissioned by AHLA Foundation and conducted by Penn State's School of Hospitality Management. The surge surpasses the 2022 averages for firms in the Russell 3000 Index, while indicating multiple gains for the industry. The 2022 data analysis involved 230 board members from 28 companies spanning the years 2016 to 2022, the AHLA Foundation said. Key findings from the report include: In 2022, women held 31.3 percent of independent board seats on hotel public company boards, a notable surgefrom 22.5 percent in 2021. This surpasses the 2022 Russell 3000 Index average of 28.4 percent for women representation.

BEST WESTERN HOTELS & Resorts is the most recent large hotel company to meet with AAHOA leaders over the association's 12 Points of Fair Franchising. The two parties discussed their ongoing relationship and the needs of the industry. Members of the Best Western team included Larry Cuculic, president and CEO; John Kelly, board chairman; Danny Lafayette, board vice-chairman; Phil Payne, board secretary-treasurer; and board directors Mike Merchant, Ishwar Naran, Viral "Victor" Patel and Stephen Wahrlich, according to AAHOA. Best Western has a portfolio of 19 brands, and approximately 4,500 hotels across all chain scale segments, and it joins G6 Hospitality, parent company for the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, in reviewing the 12 points. "Best Western Hotels & Resorts has been a longtime partner of AAHOA - a span of time that includes more than three decades - and we always welcome the opportunity to continue the dialogue for the betterment and prosperity of the entire industry," said Nishant "Neal" Patel, AAHOA chairman. "Our recent meeting underscores how open communication, collaboration, and partnership are key to maintaining a fruitful relationship that benefits both organizations and, ultimately, the industry as a whole."

THE RECENTLY PASSED federal $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill contains important gains for the travel and hospitality industries, according to several advocacy groups. That includes the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act and the creation of a position in the Department of Commerce to coordinate travel and tourism industry strategy. AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association all welcomed the passage of the spending bill that was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 23. All cited the OTTA legislation created by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, and Republic Roger Wicker of Mississippi through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. What is the OTTA? The elements of the OTTA include the Visit America Act, which authorizes the creation of the new position in the DOC. The new assistant secretary would coordinate a strategy across multiple federal agencies to increase travel and tourism nationwide through annual goals and recommendations. "This means the industry will finally have a seat at the policy table after decades of advocating for this to occur," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO, in LinkedIn.com post.

HOTEL OWNERS NAVIGATING industry changes wrought by the pandemic face no dearth of challenges: the decline in business travel, competition from home rental apps and ongoing labor shortages are just a few. Too often, the people owning the hotels - many of them small business owners - are figuring out how to adapt to the new hospitality landscape with added complications from the hotel brands that should be their partners. While many hotel owners have struggled to maintain their livelihoods since the pandemic began three years ago, some big hotel chain franchisers sold hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of loyalty point value to credit card companies under a system that often fails to adequately reimburse the franchisees. That is the thanks these hardworking franchisees got as they worked hard to keep hotel doors open. It does not have to be this way. Generations of franchise owners have successfully embraced entrepreneurship through the franchising model. Franchising allows budding entrepreneurs to adopt a known brand name and comprehensive business strategies in exchange for a portion of the revenue. This partnership has nurtured our industry: Hotels owned by our members employ 1.1 million Americans and contribute $368 billion to the economy. But the franchising relationship needs to be a two-way street to be truly successful. That is why we must ensure that the franchise industry engages in sustainable practices that recognize and safeguard the contributions of small business owners.

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY is poised for a fairly strong year in 2023 despite remaining concerns about a downturn, according to a pair of reports. Continuing demand is expected to overcome extra labor costs and economic vagaries to propel performance above pre-pandemic levels, according to the reports from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and STR. The state of the industry AHLA's 2023 State of the Hotel Industry Report projects that demand, nominal room revenue and state and local tax revenue all are well on the way to recovery. Operational challenges, such as staffing shortages and economic factors will replace COVID as hoteliers' top concerns, the report predicts. "Three years after the unprecedented hardships our industry faced due to the pandemic, hotels continue to make significant strides toward recovery," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "2022 saw one of the strongest summer travel seasons ever, and this year we expect hotels to reach new heights in terms of room revenue, room-night demand and state and local tax revenue. But when inflation is taken into account, our industry likely won't see full recovery for several more years. Nevertheless, hotel performance is trending in the right direction - great news for our industry and our employees, who are enjoying better pay, more career opportunities, upward mobility and flexibility than ever before."

TEXAS-BASED G6 HOSPITALITY launched 'Light Her Way' program to empower women seeking hotel ownership opportunities with tools and resources, a statement said. The company announced the program during AAHOA's inaugural HerOwnership Conference & Retreat in October. The Carrollton, Texas-based G6 owns Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands in the U.S. and Canada. "We have always promoted the belief that everyone has the right to travel, but it is just as important that everyone have the right to ownership," said Tina Burnett, chief development officer, G6 Hospitality. "The launch of 'Light Her Way' will empower women on the path to ownership and is an example of how we live up to our values."

VISION HOSPITALITY GROUP recently broke ground on its Embassy Suites by Hilton in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The seven-story 184-suite Embassy Suites will be developed for $54 million and includes rooftop and street-level bars and a coffee area in an open lobby. The project also includes a leasable restaurant space and 5,000 total square feet of meeting space, Vision said in a statement. Vision said it will bring an economic boost to the destination with more than 100 jobs ranging from senior management positions, guest service agents, housekeepers and others. With a construction timeline of approximately two years led by Humphreys and Associates Contractors, LLC, the hotel is expected to open in the summer of 2025. "We are thrilled to begin construction on this project in our hometown of Chattanooga, just steps from our company headquarters," said Mitch Patel, Vision's president and CEO. "This project is our first Embassy Suites hotel, and we know the brand's value-added services are a perfect fit for this location welcoming both corporate and leisure travelers." Embassy Suites by Hilton, one of Hilton's 19 brands. Amenities will include a fitness center and an evening reception. Embassy Suites by Hilton has more than 260 open hotels, with 42 properties under development. The Embassy Suites Chattanooga is one among 15 projects in Vision's development pipeline expected to open in the next two years. The company's portfolio comprises 16 properties in Greater Chattanooga and 41 nationwide, the statement added.

THE U.S. ADDED 428,000 jobs in April, keeping the unemployment rate at 3.6 percent, just above the level two years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. However, the leisure and hospitality sector saw some of the slowest growth in job creation. After spiking to 14.7 percent in April 2020 following business closures across the country due to COVID-19, unemployment has declined steadily and is now just a hair above its 3.5 percent rate before the pandemic, the latest jobs report indicates. The number of unemployed people was at 5.9 million in April, not far from where it was in February 2020, new data showed.

INDUS HOSPITALITY GROUP in Rochester, New York, has opened a new Microtel Hotel by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Warsaw, New York. The company, led by Jett Mehta, also broke ground on another Microtel in Farmington, New York. The 67-room hotel in Warsaw opened July 21 near Letchworth State Park. It features a meeting room, a fitness center and outside firepit. Rooms are singles, doubles and suites. Mehta and Tammy Murphy, Indus vice president, broke ground on the 60-room Farmington Microtel on July 24. Nearby attractions will include New York state's Finger Lakes region. Amenities will include meeting rooms, a fitness center and business center. "We look forward to welcoming travelers to the area's newest hotel, scheduled to open in June 2021," Murphy said.

ATLANTA-BASED EV Hotels, a new technology-centric hotel brand founded by Ken Patel, has partnered with Spanish firm CLERHP to construct a luxury resort in the new Larimar City & Resort project in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic. The 400-room hotel will be built on an area of nearly eight acres, the company said in a statement. Larimar City & Resort will be on the Promenade on the Farrallón de Verón, which has a view of Punta Cana, said Leonardo Padron Hermes, CEO of Blacklions International Group, a company associated with CLERHP in the development of real estate projects in the Dominican Republic. The area includes restaurants, clubs, shops and an 18-hole golf course. "After many years of working behind the scenes to develop a hotel brand that both innovates and revolutionized the industry, it is truly rewarding to now see EV make an impact across the globe. And believe me, we are just getting started," Patel said. "Larimar City & Resort will be one of the best tourist attractions around the globe and our team at EV is excited to be part of this Smart-City. Growth doesn't come with a single action. It is the consequence of persistence, courage, and hard work. What we are accomplishing here is to create an experience that brings hospitality back and gives it life again. Innovation is a team sport."

KEVIN JACOBS, HILTON's CFO and president of Global Development, is the 2024 chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The association also named new officers, executive committee and board of directors, including Mitch Patel, president and CEO of Vision Hospitality Group, as vice chair. The association also named other new officers, executive committee and board of directors. They include Liam Brown, group president for Marriott International, U.S. and Canada, as secretary/treasurer and Julienne Smith, chief development officer, Americas, for IHG Hotels & Resorts, as the chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees, AHLA said in a statement. "It's an honor to serve as chair and help build upon AHLA's impressive record of accomplishments on behalf of the hospitality industry nationwide," said Jacobs. "I look forward to helping AHLA advance policies in support of our incredible industry, deliver exceptional member services and communications support, and rally the industry around our shared priorities."

AAHOA RECENTLY INTRODUCED "HYPE Ownership: Helping Young Professionals Evolve," an initiative focused on supporting the growth of emerging hoteliers within the association and the broader industry. HYPE Ownership offers educational opportunities, networking events, and an annual conference for young professionals and hotel industry experts, AAHOA said in a statement. The goal is to establish AAHOA as the primary resource and advocate for the next generation of industry leaders. "AAHOA is excited to launch HYPE Ownership, a visionary initiative spotlighting the rising stars of the hotel industry, and paving the way for a dynamic future led by young professionals," said AAHOA president and CEO Laura Lee Blake. "It is our commitment to the next generation of leaders of AAHOA as we seek to elevate their contributions to the industry."

THE U.S. HOTEL industry will be well on the way to recovery in 2022, according to consulting firm HVS Americas. However, a full recovery in real terms, after adjusting for inflation, remains a few years away, it added. With more assets, both distressed and well performing, expected to come to market this year, 2022 will be an exciting year for the industry, said Rod Clough, president of HVS, in an article titled 'ALIS 2022 Takeaways - Our Industry Braces for a Big Year Ahead'. A near full recovery in RevPAR at $85 for U.S. hotels is likely to happen by the end of 2022 when compared to $86 in 2018-19. "The higher inflationary environment will continue to bode well for hotels, resulting in ADR pricing power leading to a lift in revenue on top of still lean operational models. Group travel is still lagging the recovery, but near-term, smaller-group bookings (at newly raised room rates) should help bridge the gap while the industry waits for larger meetings to return," Clough wrote in the article. "Rising development costs due to supply-chain disruptions, labor shortages, and overall inflation are leading to a general contraction in new hotel openings. Moreover, development challenges are intensifying for major CBDs, attributed to slow office re-openings, a lag in larger convention bookings, higher operating/labor costs, and even higher construction costs than your average project."

RED ROOF IS putting its money to good use, fighting human trafficking in cooperation with anti-child trafficking and exploitation organization ECPAT-USA. The hotel company and the not-for-profit kicked off their new partnership with a $10,000 check presentation at the AAHOA 2022 Annual Conference & Trade Show last week. Red Roof is a member of ECPAT-USA's Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, known as "The Code," a voluntary set of business principles travel and tour companies can implement to prevent sexual exploitation and trafficking of children. Through the summer months, Red Roof also will promote The Code and encourage more donations from its franchise partners and vendors and the entire hospitality industry. "Red Roof stands shoulder-to-shoulder with ECPAT-USA," said George Limbert, president of Red Roof. "We encourage all of our partners and peers in travel and hospitality to join us and stand by ECPAT-USA in the fight against human trafficking."

ON JUNE 6, MIT Shah, founder and CEO of Noble Investment Group, will be recognized by UJA Federation of New York for his professional and philanthropic achievements. Also, Jenifer Eager has joined Noble as vice president of fund and corporate accounting. Shah will receive the award at the federation's annual Hospitality Division reception and NYU Investment Conference to be held at Marriot Marquis in New York. "We are so pleased to honor Mit this year," commented Jonathan Tisch, executive chairman of Loews Hotels and chair of UJA's Hospitality Division. "His leadership and history of giving back to the industry and community make him the perfect honoree." Shah said the UJA Federation's recognition is the realization of generations of work. "As the eldest child of immigrant parents in search of the American dream, I am honored to be recognized by my friend, Jon, and the incredible stewards of the UJA Federation," he said. "The UJA Federation inspires us to lead lives that matter and to help support those in need. It continues to have an immeasurable impact on humanity." UJA has been funding hundreds of organizations that are responding to ongoing challenges and emerging issues worldwide.

Studio 6 Katy, Texas, a new-build extended-stay hotel, is now open in the Houston suburb. It is owned by Sharin Patel and Ripan Modi. The 63-suite hotel was built under the new design parent company G6 Hospitality introduced last year. Nearby attractions include Rhodes Stadium and Legacy Stadium, Nelson Water Gardens and Nursery and Typhoon Texas Waterpark. The hotel also is pet friendly, and G6's recently implemented "Clean@6" cleaning and safety protocols are in effect at the new property. "Katy is a vibrant town and popular destination for business and tourism, and we are excited to partner with G6 Hospitality to bring more affordable lodging options to the area," said Modi, who also is the hotel's general manager. "We chose to open a Studio 6 because of the brand's longstanding commitment to leaving the light on for guests, which has been of even greater need for those required to continue travel during these times. Whether guests are looking to stay for an extended period or just a night or two, our goal is to make traveling affordable and accessible for all."

FOUR HOTELS RECENTLY joined Hospitality International's hihotels brand, including three Red Carpet Inns along the East Coast and a new-build Scottish Inns outside of Houston, Texas. The company expects more growth in the future. Hihotels includes five brands Scottish Inns, Red Carpet Inn, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn. The new properties include. Red Carpet Inn in Elkton, Maryland, 55 rooms, former Days Inn Red Carpet Inn in North Brunswick, New Jersey, 50 rooms, former independent Red Carpet Inn in Edison, New Jersey, 42 rooms, former OYO Hotel Scottish Inns in Richmond, Texas, 35 rooms, new construction While three of the four are conversions, the property in Richmond is the latest new build to join the brand. Two other Scottish Inns construction projects are currently ongoing in Texas in Houston and Forest Hill. Another new build recently opened in Hitchcock, Texas.