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THE LEADERS OF national hotel organizations, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, and the Latino Hotel Association, came together to commemorate the second annual National Hotel Employee Day on Sept. 1. AHLA and the National Day Calendar established National Hotel Employee Day in 2022 to honor the nearly two million employees in the hotel industry, celebrated each year on Sept. 1. AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers highlighted the essential role of employees in hotels and emphasized the establishment of NHE Day as a way to express gratitude to America's nearly two million hotel professionals, recognizing their dedication and service.

IN MARCH, THE U.S. celebrated the achievements and history of women as part of Women's History Month. In recognition of the month, some hotel companies introduced or continued programs aimed at increasing women's role in the industry. In line with the Women's History Month theme this year "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," Choice Hotels International kicked off its "HERtels at Choice Development Seminar" with nearly 40 franchise owners, general managers, and hotel associates in attendance. At the same time, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' "Women Own the Room" initiative has signed over 30 hotels across the U.S. and Canada in the first year of its launch. Also, California hotelier and philanthropist Sunil "Sunny" Tolani issued a special message for the month. HERtels by Choice Choice Hotels took the recently held Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta as a launch pad for its inaugural HERtels seminar. The event was held next door to the Marriott Marquis Atlanta, Hunter's venue, and is an enhancement of Choice's HERtels program that was launched in 2021. "While industry-wide parity is improving, with more female investors, directors, and leaders in hospitality than ever before, women entrepreneurs still face significant economic and societal barriers when it comes to hotel ownership and development. As an industry, we owe it to the next generation of hoteliers to change this statistic," said John Lancaster, vice president for emerging markets, franchise development and owner relationships, Choice Hotels International. "This initiative and the invaluable resources it provides is a natural extension of our industry-leading emerging markets program and our enduring commitment to helping growth-minded entrepreneurs further their unique ownership journey."

HAWKEYE HOTELS RECENTLY acquired the Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh East Liberty in Pittsburgh. It is the company's third hotel owned and operated in Pennsylvania. The 135-room Indigo is a restored boutique hotel in Pittsburgh's historic East Liberty Neighborhood, according to the Hawkeye. Nearby are the Carnegie Museum, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Phipps, Heinz Chapel, St. Paul's and East Liberty Presbyterian Church. Its interior décor reflects the neighborhood's community's theater, entertainment and charitable heritage. Hawkeye closed on the transaction 21 days after executing the contract. It has recently acquired, developed and operated dozens of hotels in over 20 states across the U.S. "We continue to be bullish on the hospitality market recovery and look forward to seeking out additional opportunities to acquire hotels across the U.S.," said Parth Patel, Hawkeye's head of investments. The company is considering acquiring an upscale extended stay hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it recently opened Holiday Inn.

MAJOR U.S. HOTELS firms Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced that they are ceasing operations in Russia due to its ongoing invasion in Ukraine. Also, AAHOA issued a statement condemning the war. The hotel companies also emphasized their efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees and guests in both Ukraine and neighboring countries who face these 'unconscionable challenges'. "We have made the decision, effective immediately, to close our corporate office in Moscow, and pause the opening of upcoming hotels and all future hotel development and investment in Russia," Marriott said in a statement. "We have been closely monitoring the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Russia and neighboring countries, and remain in regular contact with our teams on the ground, as we work to comply with sanctions and applicable laws. Our hotels in Russia are owned by third parties and we continue to evaluate the ability for these hotels to remain open."

VERAKIN CAPITAL, A real estate investment group, exceeded its $350 million investment milestone in the first quarter of this year. The company has made collective investments in three hotel properties that are currently in various stages of development; the Moxy in downtown Atlanta, Georgia; Hampton Inn/Home 2 in downtown Nashville, Tennessee; and Courtyard by Marriott in Pittsburg, California, the company said in a statement. Verakin, led by partners Rupesh and Bimal Patel and Hiten Suraj, is the lead developer of the Courtyard by Marriott, while the company is co-investing in the other two projects alongside RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, according to the statement. RevPar Development is a privately-owned hotel development and management company on the East Coast, while Emerge Hospitality Group is a family-owned and -operated hotel ownership, development and management company. "We are developing both on our own behalf and in joint ventures with like-minded investment groups," Rupesh Patel said. "We are seeing that newer hotels and brands are faring better than their older counterparts as travel rebounds in many markets and segments. To help satiate our investment growth appetite, we will continue to seek best-in-class partners, such as RevPar Development and Emerge Hospitality Group, who have proven track records as credible institutional investors, developers and operators." The Moxy hotel in downtown Atlanta, will feature 181 rooms spread across 13 floors and is scheduled to open mid-2026 before the FIFA World Cup. The centrally located hotel will cater to both business and leisure travelers and will offer three food and beverage options, including a roof top bar and lounge with views of the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

PEACHTREE HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT has contracted with TEKMAK Development Co., a full-service hospitality development company, to provide third-party management services for a portion of its hotel portfolio. The three hotels are all in Texas. PHM will assume operations of the SpringHill Suites Dallas Rockwall in Rockwall, Texas, on Aug. 1, and is slated to manage two under-construction hotels, a dual-branded TownePlace Suites by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott in Paris, Texas, and a TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Forney, Texas, the company said in a statement. "This is the second long-term management agreement we've entered into already in 2023, and we will continue to seek best-in-class partners like TEKMAK as we pursue our own third-party management growth goals," said Patrick Short, PHM president. "Our third-party operated portfolio continues to expand, currently accounting for nearly a third of our entire managed portfolio. We expect to continue growing our third-party portfolio moving forward, ultimately surpassing our owned hotels." A division of Peachtree Group, which is led by Jatin Desai and Mitul Patel as managing principals, PHM operates branded, limited-, select- and compact full-service hotels primarily in the upper-midscale and upscale segments. The company presently manages 92 hotels across 28 brands with 11,186 rooms in 22 states. These three TEKMAK hotels increase PHM's third-party operations to 34 hotels, the statement added.

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.

HAWKEYE HOTELS AND HOS Management recently sold three hotels in the Savannah, Georgia, area for approximately $100 million. Both companies have plans to continue to expand their development pipelines. The Montford Group and Opterra Capital purchased the Aloft Savannah Airport while Mission Hill and KSL Capital Partners bought the Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown Savannah Historic District and the Aloft Savannah Historic District, according to Hawkeye, which is led by Ravi Patel as president. All three hotels have more than 400 rooms and each were developed by Savannah-based HOS and Hawkeye Hotels in the last 24 months. HOS and Hawkeye together have more than 40 hotel projects in the pipeline, including more than a dozen projects starting construction this year. Both have been actively buying and selling multiple assets in addition to developing new hotels, and last month Hawkeye opened The Le Meridien St. Louis Downtown in St. Louis.

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."

OFFICIALS OF THE "She Has a Deal" annual hotel investment pitch contest announced the five teams selected to advance to the final round of SHaDPitch 2023. The competition allows early career women to compete for the prize of $50,000 of equity in SHaD's Prosperity Fund I, following the conclusion of a virtual, preliminary round of pitching, SHaD said in a statement. SHaD 2023 will be held at the new Marriott Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 27 to 28. According to the statement, the goal of SHaD is to increase the number of women owning and developing hotels. It provides participants with the ability to source, analyse, raise capital and close hotel real estate investment deals. During the preliminary judging round, eight teams comprising 15 participants pitched their hotel investment acquisition or development projects live on Zoom to a judging panel of hotel business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors. The judges evaluated and selected the following five teams: Sydney Young and Rachel Nicholson with SpartanStone, graduates of Michigan State University, pitching a La Quinta Inn & Suites in Lewisville, Texas. Chandler Williamson with Chanders Core Commitment, graduate of North Carolina Central University, pitching a Hilton Garden Inn in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Isabella Suffredini, Veronica Lewis and Alexandra Neoman with CROWN, graduates of Cornell University, pitching a TownePlace Suites in Houston, Texas. Makenna Price with Hookipa Hospitality, graduate of Washington State University, pitching a Fairfield Inn & Suites in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Allison Busch and Hannah Takekawa with AH Hospitality, graduates of San Diego State University, pitching a Staybridge Suites in Austin, Texas "Every year, I grow more encouraged that we are making an impact," said Tracy Prigmore, founder of SHaD. "These are brilliant women who benefit from the education and programming that SHaD provides, and their hotel investment acumen has grown by leap

PEACHSTATE HOSPITALITY RECENTLY selected TPG Hotels & Resorts to manage 10 properties. The contract includes eight Marriott select service hotels and two IHG Hotels & Resorts select service hotels in Georgia. Both the firms have entered into an exclusive strategic agreement for the management of additional hotels in the current and future pipeline to be developed by PeachState Hospitality which is headed by Danny Patel as president and CEO, the statement added. "PeachState Hospitality is a leading owner and developer in our industry, and we are pleased to welcome them as a new partner and these exceptional properties into our portfolio," said Tim Muir, chief development officer, TPG Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to growing our partnership as they accelerate their development platform over the next few years."

MAYA HOTELS HELD grand opening for its Tru by Hilton Mooresville in Mooresville, North Carolina. Maya Hotels is led by co-founders J.D. Deva and Baldev Thakor. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 19, though it opened in July. Attendees included Mooresville Mayor Miles Atkins and Leah Mitcham, executive director of the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Today's event was the culmination of many months of hard work and the collaboration with city officials, our construction team, and our Maya Hotels team members to bring this fresh, new Tru by Hilton property to the Mooresville / Lake Norman area," said Parimal Thakor, vice president of Maya Hotels. The 120-room hotel is in the Langtree Lake Norman mixed-use development in Mooresville. It is near to Lake Norman and Langtree Plantation. Amenities include mobile check-in and a fitness center. The hotel is pet friendly.

AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE continues to permeate society on every level, there is a place for it in the hotel industry, AAHOA said. AI technology can improve operational efficiency and cut costs, the association said, but it must be developed and used ethically. AAHOA referenced two recent research studies, one conducted by the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston, and another by Morgan Stanley, to endorse the integration of artificial intelligence into hotels for enhanced guests' experience. The University of Houston's study explored AI's transformative impact on the industry and its acceptance among hotel guests. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley's research report released on August 18, titled "AI for Hotels: Will the Hotel of the Future Fit in the Palm of Your Hand?" documented the benefits of hoteliers, online travel agencies and hotel brands adopting AI technology early.

URBAN PARK HOTELS just launched a new flag brand, Urban Park Motel. It is an economy conversion brand intended specifically for small motel owners. Founded in 2020 by long-time hoteliers Jay Patel and John Parkin, Urban Park Hotels is designed to attract hoteliers away from larger franchises with simplified standards and lower fees using membership over franchising. The new brand, which joins existing brands Urban Park Hotel & Suites and Urban Park Hotel Express, follows that same philosophy. "After collaborating with our team, especially during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, we noticed that a lot of small motel owners were either closing their properties or trying to 'wait it out' and see what happens," Parkin said. "We also had to readjust our development strategy and wait for the industry to rebound. During this period we created Urban Park Motel, a flag that will reward good motel owners with an opportunity that the large hotel franchise companies have overlooked due to size, location and total expected revenue."

HAWKEYE HOTELS IS making its premier in downtown Milwaukee with a dual brand Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton along with a neighboring Holiday Inn Express. The hotel campus will employ more than 100 workers and provide a total of 331 rooms. The 115-room Home2 Suites and 100-room Tru will occupy one of the two buildings in the campus with the 116-room Holiday Inn Express next door. Along with being the first properties Hawkeye Hotels has opened in the city's downtown, each hotel is the first of its brand in that part of the city. "We are very excited to be a part of the Downtown Milwaukee community. Although the market has slowed down in recent times due to Covid, we are extremely optimistic that Downtown Milwaukee will continue to grow in the years to come," said Jay Patel, Hawkeye Hotels development manager. "We look forward to hosting a grand opening next year once it is safe to do so."

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.

Jamey Cua is the new vice president of business development for Peachtree Hotel Group's hotel operations and management division. Cua will oversee expansion of the Atlanta-based company's third-party management partnerships. Peachtree Hotel Group is led by Managing Principals Mitul Patel and Jatin Desai and CEO Greg Friedman. Prior to joining Peachtree, Cua was senior vice president for third-party managed development at Sage Hospitality. Before that he served as vice president of development for Marriott, International, Inc., and senior director of development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He has a master's degree in business administration from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, and a bachelor's degree in pre-med and sports medicine from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.

MARCH IS WOMEN'S History Month, a time to focus attention on women's role in business and society. It also is the second month for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' new "Women Own the Room" program that aims to open the door for more women to achieve hotel ownership. Two of the first participants in the program are Trusha Patel, founder and CEO of Platinum Holdings in Austin, Texas, and Neha Jadhav of Chantilly, Virginia, founder of Luminous Hotel Management. Both women are opening dual-brand La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites hotels with assistance from WOTR assistance. Correcting an imbalance Wyndham launched WOTR in January in an effort to overcome the common barriers women face in developing, opening and running their own hotel. The program provides assistance with financial solutions, personalized operational support and networking and educational opportunities. Programs such as WOTR are needed to counter hospitality industry data that shows women are significantly underrepresented in hotel ownership, real estate, and investment funding roles, Wyndham said in a press release. The company cited the most recent annual report from the Castell Project, a nonprofit focused on promoting women in the industry, that found that while there are more women in the hospitality industry they still lag behind in leadership roles.

THE UPCOMING SHOW "Grand Indian Hotel," premiering on BBC Player, a BBC Studios streaming service available on Prime Video Channel, on June 14, will depict the 90-year history of Oberoi Hotel & Resorts. The three-part series offers insights into The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, The Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and The Oberoi, New Delhi. The show provides a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes efforts of Oberoi's 90-year history of hospitality, according to BBC Studios. The show is developed by UK-based Voltage TV and distributed by BBC Studios. "Grand Indian Hotel is a first-hand account depicting India's Vibrant culture of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' through the lens of legendary Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, and reflects the great story-telling that is synonymous with BBC Studios," said Stanley Fernandes, BBC Studios' vice president of distribution, South Asia.

A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL, social and governance report released by Choice Hotels International highlights steps that would allow the company to reduce utility costs, save time for franchisees, and increase Choice's ESG commitments. Those steps include new energy- and water-saving technology, diversity goals for hotel ownership and more. The report entitled "Building a Better Tomorrow, Today" lays out the company's plan to being a good corporate citizen, according to a release. "Choice Hotels shares a uniting belief that tomorrow will be even better than today, and we are committed to building that better tomorrow," said Patrick Pacious, Choice's CEO, in the report. "As one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, we are building on more than 80 years of success in developing a portfolio of diversified brands and creating a lasting, sustainable legacy for the future - one hotel, one family, one community at a time." Key findings The report further details measures being undertaken by Choice to integrate ESG standards and principles into its long-term decision-making and operations, including: Reporting Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions for the first time and aligning ESG disclosures with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Appointing an executive with knowledge of the business as vice president, sustainability and creating two new ESG governance forums to strengthen Choice's ESG strategy and execution. Joining the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a global network that champions responsible hospitality, and becoming one of its largest members. Relaunching HERtels by Choice, driving a 53 percent year-over-year increase in the company's hotel franchise deals with woman owners. Committing $25 million in incentives for contracts with underrepresented minority and woman owners by 2025. Setting a goal to increase the representation of women in senior leadership roles to 50