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HOTEL WEB SOLUTIONS provider Websrefresh recently received the Lawyer International Award for Best Web Design & Web Development Company of the Year for Arizona. The U.K.-based Lawyer International recognizes firms and individuals globally based on their individual areas of specialization within their geographical location. Recipients of the awards are judged by a panel of in-house counsel in the banking and private equity sectors along with public and private corporations, according to Lawyer International's website. Criteria include client retention, speed of response and assistance, and the ability to navigate complex situations while ensuring that clients are not concerned about or unsure of the outcome. "The winners, quite simply, represent those firms and individuals that are instrumental to the businesses that engage them, thus ensuring a swift, positive outcome is always achieved," Lawyer International said on its website. "These firms and individuals continually go above and beyond, always providing a high degree of demonstrable evidence which is consistent with positive comments from both clients and peers."

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS and WaterWalk recently launched a new upscale brand, "WaterWalk Extended Stay by Wyndham." This deal will introduce up to 11 hotels with more than 1,500 rooms, initially in markets such as Tucson, Jacksonville, and Wichita. Pictured is the lobby of the WaterWalk by Wyndham - Phoenix. The new brand is Wyndham's 25th addition to its portfolio and will join the company's existing economy and mid-scale extended-stay brands, Wyndham said in a statement. "In the last year, guest demand for the extended stay segment reached record highs, which has been underscored by demand from owners and developers looking for new opportunities to partner with Wyndham," said Chip Ohlsson, Wyndham's chief development officer. "Our vision is to offer the industry's most robust portfolio of extended stay brands and the addition of WaterWalk marks an important step in that direction-helping ensure we have an offering in every segment, for every owner and for every guest." WaterWalk, founded by the late Jack DeBoer, currently runs 11 hotels in the U.S., the statement added. Newer hotels adopt the brand's Gen 2.0 prototype, focusing on efficient design and lower operating costs to increase profitability.

U.S. EXTENDED-STAY HOTEL room revenues increased by $1.1 billion in 2023, similar to 2018 and 2019, though with a lower relative gain due to a larger room base, according to The Highland Group. All three extended-stay segments reported record-High room revenues in 2023, with the upscale segment leading despite previously lagging behind the pandemic recovery. The 6.1 percent increase in extended-stay hotel revenues outpaced the corresponding 5.5 percent gain reported by STR/CoStar for the overall hotel industry, the report said. However, extended-stay hotel supply experienced its smallest annual increase on record in 2023, at just 1.8 percent. Factors such as re-branding, de-flagging of non-compliant hotels, and sales to other sectors influenced supply fluctuations, a trend expected to persist into the first half of 2024, particularly with older extended-stay hotels remaining on the market. The report also Highlighted a 6.6 percent increase in economy extended-stay supply, alongside modest gains in mid-price and upscale segments, primarily driven by conversions. New construction in the economy segment is estimated at around 3 percent of rooms open compared to one year ago.

HYATT HOTELS CORP. reported $26 million in net income for the fourth quarter of 2023 and $220 million for the year. Comparable system-wide RevPAR grew by 9.1 percent during the same period and 17 percent for the full year of 2023, outperforming figures from 2022 and exceeding the previous full-year outlook. Adjusted net income reached $68 million in Q4 and $276 million for full-year 2023, Hyatt said in a statement. "The fourth quarter marks the completion of a transformative year and demonstrates the progress towards our strategic vision and earnings evolution," said Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt's president and CEO. "RevPAR growth exceeded the high end of our guidance range and we had industry-leading net rooms growth for the seventh consecutive year. This led to a record level of fees and the highest free cash flow in Hyatt's history. We returned $500 million to our shareholders and achieved an asset-light earnings mix of approximately 76 percent for the full year, a testament to the successful execution of our strategy."

ADR is projected to rise by 0.1 percentage points in 2024, with occupancy and RevPAR remaining unchanged from the previous forecast, according to STR and Tourism Economics' initial U.S. hotel forecast for 2024 at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit. Yet, 2025 projections for key performance metrics were revised downward due to stabilized long-term average trends: occupancy down 0.1 percentage points, ADR down 0.3 points and RevPAR down 0.5 ppts. "U.S. ADR and RevPAR reached record highs in 2023 with solid travel fundamentals and a big year for group business underpinning performance," said Amanda Hite, STR president. "We expect to see continued growth as fundamentals remain more favorable for the travel economy. The indicator that is especially important is the low unemployment rate among college-educated individuals, those most likely to travel for business and leisure." The STR and Tourism Economics forecast a rise in GOPPAR growth due to increased TRevPAR levels and stable labor costs. Among chain scales, luxury and upper upscale hotels are expected to see substantial cost increases, driven by growing group demand.

TOTAL EXTENDED-STAY HOTELS achieved new fourth-quarter milestones in 2023, setting records in supply, demand, ADR, RevPAR, and room revenues, according to The Highland Group. Despite this, occupancy declined alongside the broader hotel industry trend, with slower growth in ADR and RevPAR throughout the year. Consequently, extended-stay hotel RevPAR experienced its smallest fourth quarter increase since 2019, excluding contractionary periods. Extended-stay hotel supply growth increased marginally in 2023 but remained very low, the report said. The last time supply growth consistently hovered around its current level was from the fourth quarter of 2010 through the third quarter of 2014. Throughout this period, supply increases stayed below their long-term historical average for 20 consecutive quarters, while the federal funds rate was about 10 times Higher than its current level. With interest rates and construction costs expected to stay relatively High, the risk of extended stay hotel oversupply nationally is low in the near term, despite the launch of several new brands, The Highland Group said.

MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS of hotels are struggling with staffing shortages, leading hoteliers to offer increased pay and a variety of incentives to attract and retain talent, according to a new survey conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In response, AHLA is calling on Congress to take action. Around 82 percent of respondents have increased wages in the last six months, reaching a record high average for hotels in December 2023, according to the survey. Additionally, 59 percent are offering greater flexibility with hours, and 33 percent are expanding benefits. Despite these efforts, 72 percent said they are still unable to fill open positions. Approximately 67 percent of survey respondents reported a staffing shortage, with 12 percent describing it as "severely understaffed," impacting their operations, the survey said. Housekeeping emerges as the most critical need, cited by 48 percent as their top hiring priority. These figures mark an improvement from May 2023 when 82 percent reported staffing shortages.

APPROXIMATELY 61 PERCENT of Americans are set to travel overnight for leisure in the upcoming four months, with 34 percent anticipating an uptick in their leisure travels this summer compared to last year, according to a recent survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Additionally, around 31 percent of respondents plan to up their hotel stays this summer versus the previous one. Around 35 percent of Americans anticipate an overnight business trip within the next four months, with 16 percent planning to boost their business-related travel this summer compared to last summer, the survey conducted by Morning Consult found. Meanwhile, hotels remain the preferred lodging option for both business travelers, with 60 percent, and leisure travelers, with 46 percent, this summer, the survey revealed. The survey presents a positive outlook for hoteliers amid ongoing economic challenges like a nationwide labor shortage and high interest rates, AHLA said. However, it indicates that persistent inflation remains a significant obstacle to growth for hoteliers and other travel-related businesses.

U.S. HOTEL INVESTOR sentiment remains robust, with investors indicating an increase in hotel acquisitions in 2024, according to a recent survey by CBRE Hotels Research. About 35 percent of survey respondents expect acquisition activity to remain the same as in 2023, while less than 16 percent anticipate a decrease. Despite high interest rates, more than 70 percent are targeting value-added and opportunistic hotel investments. CBRE's Global Hotel Investor Intentions Survey, which included more than 130 respondents responsible for U.S. investments, found that value-added acquisitions offer opportunities to reposition assets by adding rooms, redesigning interiors, or adding amenities to increase returns and long-term value.

APPROXIMATELY 53 PERCENT of Americans plan not to use all their vacation time this year, despite receiving 12 days annually, the fewest of any country, according to a recent study by travel platform Expedia. Vacation deprivation in the U.S., defined as the feeling of not having enough time off, reached an 11-year high at 65 percent, even as rates have decreased in many other parts of the world. Expedia's 24th annual Vacation Deprivation Report 2024, which surveyed 11,580 people across 11 countries in March and April, found that American and Japanese workers take a similar number of days off each year, 11 and 12 respectively. However, Japan has the world's lowest vacation deprivation level at 53 percent. This may be due to Japanese workers taking more frequent short vacations and prioritizing relaxation during their getaways, Expedia said.

AAHOA PAST CHAIRMAN Manhar P. "MP" Rama passed away Sunday at age 74. Rama was a co-founder with his brothers of JHM Hotels that later became Auro Hotels in Greenville, South Carolina. Rama was born in Africa and raised in India, according to Auro Hotels. He completed high school in Gurukul Supa, Navsari, and graduated from M.S. University of Baroda with a degree in civil engineering. In 1973, he came to the U.S. and attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, where he earned a master's degree in engineering. He worked with the city of Pomona before entering the hotel business. "In the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, we learn that life is a journey of the soul, and my brother, M.P., lived this journey with unwavering devotion, love, and integrity," said HP Rama, Founder of JHM/Auro Hotels. "His contributions to our family and the hospitality industry are immeasurable. We will honor his memory by continuing to embody the values he held dear. M.P.'s spirit will remain a guiding light for all of us."

U.S. HOTELS ADDED 700 jobs to their payrolls in June, according to the latest government data, but the nationwide workforce shortage continues to make it difficult for hotels to fill open positions, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Total hotel employment stands at about 1.92 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is more than 196,000 fewer workers than in February 2020, reflecting a scarcity of available employees. Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised down the total number of hotel jobs in the country, which eliminated job gains for the industry that were reported in prior months, AHLA said in a statement. "Halfway through 2024, the hotel industry is behind where it needs to be when it comes to hiring staff, despite near-record high wages and expanding workplace benefits and flexibility," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "The reason is the nationwide workforce shortage, which is preventing hoteliers from meeting their full potential as demand for travel remains strong. Both Congress and the administration can provide relief to our members, many of whom are small business owners, and AHLA will continue to call for action to expand the pool of available workers."

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There are a number of factors that contribute to the high cost of flights to Idaho. One major factor is the limited competition among airlines serving the state. Idaho is not a major hub for any major airlines, and as a result, there are fewer flights and less competition among carriers. This means that airlines are able to charge higher prices for flights to Idaho.

THE REVPAR OF hotels in Phoenix is forecasted to reach $419 for Super Bowl weekend of February 10-12, the second-highest level for the event, according to STR. As the city also hosts Phoenix Open this week, the Friday through Sunday night occupancy may touch 94 percent and ADR to hit $445. According to STR, a unique volume of demand would push occupancy slightly higher than Phoenix's last host year in 2015 (93.7 percent) even though supply increased by 11.7 percent this year. The ADR level would rank third among host markets behind Miami in 2020 and San Francisco in 2016. "Phoenix's jump in RevPAR during its last Super Bowl host year was staggering, and this time around will be no different with big-time growth contribution from both occupancy and ADR," said Isaac Collazo, STR's vice president of analytics. "Demand speaks for itself, especially with consumer behavior around the event free of pandemic concerns-unlike the last two Super Bowls. Phoenix's ADR situation has different influences than recent host markets given inflation and having less upper-tier supply than a Los Angeles or Miami." The overall Phoenix market comprises 544 hotels with 70,488 rooms.