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THE COLLECTIVE RECOVERY indices of U.S. extended-stay hotels exceeded 100 percent in November for THE first time in 2021, according to hotel investment advisors Highland Group. THE strongest gains were reported by mid-price and upscale extended-stay hotels. Economy extended-stay hotels continue to lead THE RevPAR recovery during THE month with a 22 percent gain compared to two years ago, according to "U.S. Extended-stay Hotels Bulletin: November 2021" report from THE Highland Group. According to THE report, THE 4 percent increase in extended-stay room supply in November tied with October as THE lowest monthly gain in 2021. "THE impact to supply growth from reopening hotels closed during THE pandemic is effectively over. Early indications are that mid-price and upscale supply growth should be well below pre-pandemic levels during THE near term," THE report said. "THE overall hotel industry lost far more revenue than extended-stay hotels in 2020, so it is now recovering revenue more quickly." STR reported that all hotel room revenue was up 110 percent in November compared to a year ago.

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.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the franchise business, operations and intellectual property of Radisson Hotel Group Americas for approximately $675 million. the addition of Radisson's nine brands to Choice will bring with it 624 hotels with more than 68,000 rooms. As part of the transaction, which covers properties in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the U.S., Choice will independently own and control the brands in the Americas and will work with Radisson to drive the growth, continuity and success of the brands, according to a joint press release from the companies. It will be funded by cash on hand and revolver borrowings and includes 10 Radisson Blu hotels, 130 Radisson hotels, 9 Radisson Individuals, 1 Park Plaza hotel, 4 Radisson RED hotels, 453 Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and 17 Park Inn by Radisson hotels, as well as the recently launched Radisson Inn & Suites and Radisson Collection brands. Choice's board of directors unanimously approved the transaction and is expected to close in the second half of 2022, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing requirements. the transaction is not anticipated to change Choice's current capital allocation strategy related to dividend payment policy and planned share repurchases.

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.

U.S. EXTENDED-STAY HOTELS continued their good performance in all measures of performance in April compared to 2019 and higher than in March, according to hotel investment advisors the Highland Group. Due to seasonal increases in leisure travel, the upscale extended-stay hotels benefited the most from the greatest lift in recovery indices except ADR. Meanwhile, mid-price extended-stay hotels achieved the strongest monthly gains in ADR and room revenues compared to April 2021, the U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels Bulletin: April 2022 report said. Economy extended-stay hotels continued the lead the recovery compared to 2019, but, demand declined 1.4 percent in April this year compared to April 2021, mainly due to strong increases in ADR over several months. "the 1.8 percent increase in extended-stay room supply in April is the first month supply growth reported below 2 percent since 2013 and the seventh consecutive month of 4 percent or lower supply growth. It is likely that the supply increases should be well below pre-pandemic levels during the near term," the report said.

VISION HOSPITALITY GROUP has broken ground on the upscale AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center in Atlanta. the 156-room hotel is expected to open in 2021. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Vision Hospitality is led by Mitch Patel, president and CEO. AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center will feature the first rooftop bar in Atlanta's Perimeter Center area. the hotel's library will provide novels for guests and the AC Lounge will be available for work and social gatherings. the hotel also will display a curated collection of art. Nearby are Perimeter Center Mall and offices for State Farm, UPS, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper and Mercedes Benz USA. Vision Hospitality has 10 hotels in the Atlanta metro area, including the recently refinanced 115-room Marriott Courtyard Duluth Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, and the SpringHill Suites Downtown Atlanta. "the concept behind the AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center is simple but powerful - edit away the unnecessary to allow guests to focus on what is most important to them," Patel said. "I am especially excited to introduce the rooftop bar, which will feature expansive views of Perimeter Center, Buckhead and Midtown."

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S new National Travel and Tourism Strategy sets a 5-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to THE U.S. each year. Two major associations in THE U.S. hospitality industry applauded THE strategy as a step forward in restoring THE travel industry. THE new tourism strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in THE travel and tourism industry across THE U.S. AAHOA thanked THE U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and THE Tourism Policy Council for THEir continued leadership and support. "[An expected] 90 million international visitors will drive strong economic growth," said Laura Lee Blake, president and CEO, AAHOA. "THE $279 billion in annual estimated spending by THEse visitors will help not only THE hotel and hospitality industry, but also THE entire American economy. We commend Secretary Raimondo's new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, and welcome her efforts to aggressively rebuild U.S. travel and tourism."

THE BAIRD/STR HOTEL Stock Index jumped 16.4 percent in THE first month of 2023, according to STR. A drop in recession fears and oTHEr factors gave investor confidence a boost, THE research firms said. In January, THE Baird/STR Index surpassed both THE S&P 500, up 6.2 percent and THE MSCI US REIT Index, increased 10.5 percent, STR said in a report. THE index dropped 10 percent in December, and it was down 15 percent for 2022. According to STR, THE Hotel Brand sub-index increased 16.2 percent from December to 10,342, while THE Hotel REIT sub-index rose 17.1 percent to 1,216. "Hotel stocks rebounded sharply in January and were significant outperformers as THE back-and-forth recessionary concerns once again subsided to start THE year," said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. "Industry-wide RevPAR trends finished THE year on a strong note despite tougher calendar comparisons and weaTHEr-related travel disruptions in December. Several Hotel REITs provided fourth-quarter operational updates, and performance generally was in line with prior expectations. More broadly, investor sentiment has improved, which boosted stock prices across THE board in January, but THE macroeconomic indicators have remained mixed."

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."

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT competition She Has a Deal (SHaD) started a 10-city tour of U.S. cities to raise equity capital under the name "SHaD Prosperity Fund I." the funds will support women-led hotel projects, a statement said. the tour kicks off in Miami on Feb. 11 and will be open to small groups of qualified individual investors, family offices, small entities and trusts. Cities on the tour include Cleveland, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, as well as Oakland, California; Louisville, Kentucky; and Washington, D.C. It will finish in the first week of April. According to SHaD, each event will include a preview of the women-led hotel deals being pitched by participants in the 2022 She Has a Deal pitch competition. "Launching SHaD Prosperity Fund I is the next logical step in the SHaD mission. Now that we have created a powerful platform to expose more women to hotel ownership and educate them about the process, I want to ensure that capital is available for the women to close their hotel deals," said SHaD founder Tracy Prigmore. "This investment vehicle marries two of my passions: creating investment vehicles that open the doors of hotel investing to more people and increasing the number of women owning and developing hotels. the ability to create passive income for investors while leading social change is inspiring."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE was up in the second week of December compared to the week before, according to STR. When compared to 2019, performance was higher during the week. Occupancy was 59.6 percent for the week ending Dec. 10, up from 55.4 percent the week before and a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from 2019. ADR was $144.79 during the week, increased from $141.71 the week before and up 15.4 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $86.29 during the week, up from $78.50 the week before and up 14 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Tampa reported the highest occupancy increase during the week, up 10.2 percent to 80.1 percent, over 2019. New York City achieved the highest occupancy level at 90.2 percent. New Orleans posted the highest ADR, increased 57.3 percent to $202.67, and RevPAR, up 63.8 percent to $136.92, over 2019.

U.S. HOTELS PERFORMANCE was down in the fourth week of December compared to the week before, according to STR. the market also saw lower performance in November compared to October, and performance during the month was also decreased when compared to 2019. Holiday shift affects week Occupancy was 43.9 percent for the week , down from 54.5 percent the week before and decreased 9.7 percent from 2019. ADR was $132.29 during the week, dropped from $135.08 the week before and up 2.3 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $58.04 during the week, decreased from $73.65 the week before and dropped 7.6 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets for the week, Houston reported the highest occupancy increase, up 3.4 percent to 43.1 percent, over 2019. Seattle posted the highest ADR lift, up 19.7 percent to $130.07, over 2019. Miami saw the steepest ADR, down 26.2 percent to $225.08 and RevPAR, dropped 42.4 percent to $138.19, declines from 2019.

AAHOA MEMBERS IN the U.S. will now have access to more workforce training opportunities and products from India under the new "Made in India" agreement made with that country. the agreement came about as a result of meetings between a delegation of AAHOA board members and Indian officials. Bharat Patel AAHOA chairman, Treasurer Kamalesh "KP" Patel and others met with the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel to discuss the partnership, AAHOA said in a statement. It includes: Partnering with India-based educational institutions to implement training programs and skill-development initiatives that will equip young individuals to pursue successful and global careers in hospitality. Actively promoting, prioritizing and providing support for the sourcing of "Made in India" products, including textiles, furniture, and plumbing fixtures, for U.S.-based hospitality businesses. "With strong family ties and a significant footprint in the United States encompassing more than 36,000 properties, the AAHOA community is uniquely positioned to showcase the best of India to the world," said Bharat, who mentioned the program in June when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the U.S. "Our new initiatives aim to not only fuel economic and workforce development and progress, but to create a stronger platform for the exchange of ideas and innovation between the world's leading democracies."

Nakul Anand, former executive director of ITC Hotels, is named as the patron-in-chief of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. Anand served as the federation's chairman from its inception until recently. He represented the Hotel Association of India within FAITH, the umbrella body comprising 10 trade associations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors of the industry, FAITH said in a statement. Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of FAITH, said that the decision has been taken considering Anand's "exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication to the tourism & hospitality industry" as former chairman of FAITH and former executive director of ITC Ltd. Under his leadership, FAITH drafted and presented a vision document for Indian tourism for 2035 and 2047, the statement added. Additionally, the International Travel Mart of India was launched. the federation also made interventions to address anomalies in GST, the ECLGS scheme of the government and more.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association recently renamed its On THE Road series of regional events to THE Hospitality Show, providing networking opportunities and industry updates to hospitality professionals nationwide. THE events enable hoteliers, suppliers, and service providers to connect and stay informed on market data and policies at federal, state, and local levels, AHLA said in a statement. THE events, accessible to all individuals in THE hospitality industry, will expand THE Hospitality Show brand, THE primary industry event launched last year, slated for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, THE statement said. "After THE phenomenal success of THE Hospitality Show last year, we're bringing THE best-in-class networking and learning opportunities from this industry-leading event to hospitality professionals in cities all across THE country," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "We can't wait to connect with stakeholders from Boston to California."

THE BAIRD/STR Hotel Stock Index rose 10.5 percent to 6,760 in December, according to STR. Moreover, THE stock index closed THE year with a 38.4 percent gain in 2023, driven by a favorable interest rate outlook boosting investor sentiment and valuation multiples. "Hotel stocks - like THE broader market - finished 2023 on a high note as THE 'soft landing' narrative and lower interest rate outlook continued to boost investor sentiment and valuation multiples," said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. "Both THE hotel brands and hotel REITs were up more than 10 percent in December and outperformed THEir respective benchmarks. For THE year, THE hotel REITs' 19 percent gain more than doubled THE return of real estate stocks broadly, while THE hotel brands' 44 percent increase nearly doubled THE performance of THE S&P 500." THE U.S. hotel industry closed THE year on a strong note, said Amanda Hite, president of STR.

LAS VEGAS HOTEL ADR is anticipated to reach $573 during February 9-11, setting a record for any Super Bowl weekend, according to STR. The research firm also foresees an 87.9 percent occupancy rate for The market from Friday to Sunday night, translating to a RevPAR of $504. Miami set records for The highest Super Bowl ADR and RevPAR in 2020, STR said. However, a significant difference lies in size: Las Vegas, The largest U.S. market with 393 hotels and 172,707 rooms, has more than double Miami's room inventory. "The Super Bowl's unique volume of demand, driven by not only The game but The leadup festivities, as well as The attractions Las Vegas has to offer, is The perfect recipe to drive record-breaking prices," said Chris Klauda, STR's senior director of market insights. "While The F1 Vegas Grand Prix impact was The greatest on and around The Las Vegas Strip, The reach and impact of Super Bowl LVIII will spread to areas well beyond The Strip."

TOTAL REVENUES FROM extended-stay hotel rooms fell by 0.2 percent in March, marking the first monthly decline in over three years, according to the Highland Group. However, the revenue decline was smaller than the 1.6 percent contraction estimated by STR/CoStar for the overall hotel industry. Meanwhile, extended-stay room supply increased by 2.7 percent in March, a slight uptick compared to the average monthly growth over the past two years, the report said. This marks the 30th consecutive month of supply growth at 4 percent or less, with the annual change remaining below 2 percent for two years. However, both these figures lag behind the long-term average. the 14.2 percent rise in economy extended-stay supply, coupled with a small increase in mid-price segment rooms, primarily stems from conversions, the Highland Group said. New construction in the economy segment is estimated to account for approximately 3 percent of open rooms compared to one year ago.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association is weighing all options, including litigation, to contest THE U.S. Department of Labor's final rule revising overtime regulations under THE Fair Labor Standards Act. THE association is concerned that many hoteliers may be forced to eliminate longstanding managerial positions, which serve as crucial paths to career advancement. THE updated rule features two-tiered increases in THE minimum salary threshold and THE threshold for highly compensated employees, along with automatic updates to both thresholds, DOL said in a statement. THE minimum salary threshold will rise to $43,888 on July 1, followed by an increase to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. This represent more than a 60 percent increase from THE current $35,568 threshold, DOL said. THE HCE threshold will jump to $132,964 on July 1, THEn to $151,164 on Jan. 1, 2025-an over 70 percent increase from THE current $107,432 threshold, DOL added. THE updated rule includes automatic updates to both THE minimum salary threshold and THE HCE threshold, which will be raised every three years.

Mit Shah today is CEO of Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group, a multi-million dollar company founded in his lifetime of experience growing up in the hotel business. It's a story he shares with many Indian American hoteliers, but he said it's a story that bears repeating, a story of the American dream. Shah retells his story here for Asian Hospitality's Leadership Series, the first episode for 2024. Along with his family history, he also discussed Nobel's investment practices, the economy in general and lessons learned from hosting interviews with industry leaders for the Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series, named after his father, at the Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta. "My parents were immigrants to the United States. In the 1960s they came here for a better life and education. As they were doing that, they had friends that found themselves in this industry and buying small properties throughout the country," Shah said, adding that his parents bought their first hotel, the Winkler Motor Inn in Winston Salem, North Carolina in 1979. "I was 10 years old at the time, my younger brother was six years old at the time and that was the family business, a very common story that we hear throughout our industry. It's an important story to continue to tell because it's deeply rooted in the American dream."