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SAI LLC, LED by president Rajesh "Raj" Bhagia, recently won the 2023 Hilton Americas Development Award for New Build - Tru by Hilton in Brooklyn, New York. The 101-room Tru by Hilton Brooklyn, which opened in March, marked the brand's debut in New York city. The Hilton Development team selected 52 winners based on criteria such as quality of hotels developed and in operation, commitment to quality of projects, impact on local community and early adoption of newer brands, Hilton said in a statement. Along with the Development Awards by Brand, categories included Lifetime Achievement Award, New Developer of the Year, Conversion Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Deal of the Year and Developer of the Year by Category. "We are thrilled to celebrate our owner and development partners who are the recipients of the 2023 Americas Development Award," said Danny Hughes, Hilton's president for the Americas. "Over the last year, we've seen travel continue to grow across the Americas, creating even more opportunities for our partners to welcome guests to their hotels in exciting destinations across every corner of the region. From our legacy properties to our new developments, we are excited to see this continued growth and add even more exceptional hotels to our portfolio."

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 GROUP IS the 2023 Developer of the Year in the Focused Service category by Hilton Americas Development Awards. The yearly awards recognize the achievements of owners, development partners, and hotel teams across different categories in the Americas, Peachtree said in a statement. "We are immensely honored to have been named developer of the year by Hilton, a distinction that underscores our desire to build outstanding hotels," said Mitul Patel, Peachtree Group's principal. "This recognition highlights our unwavering commitment to creating exceptional hotels and further strengthens our partnership with Hilton. This award is a testament to our strategic approach to hotel development, which combines identifying great locations, assembling a top-tier team and maintaining a steadfast focus on quality." Peachtree Group won the Multi-Brand Developer of the Year award from Hilton in 2022, the statement added.

THE G20 NEW Delhi Leaders' Declaration underscores tourism's role in promoting sustainable social and economic development, the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations said in a statement. The G20 economies' meeting on Sept. 9 to 10 acknowledged the potential for constructing a future through development models that implement sustainable, inclusive, and equitable transitions globally, ensuring no one is left behind. The high-level discussions concluded with the launch of the Leaders' Declaration, a set of agreed-upon aims for advancing development and prosperity, the statement added. The statement recognizes tourism for its "pivotal" role in driving the achievement of the sustainable development goals and the wider 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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.

DHRUV MANAGEMENT IS to construct a HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof in Tampa, Florida, as well as a new HomeTowne Studios in Bradenton, Florida, with its affiliate Dhruv Development. Dhruv Management is led by Vijay Patel and Dhruv Development is led by Amit Patel. Dhruv Management owns and operates two Red Roof hotels in Alabama and Florida and has four more properties in various stages of development through Dhruv Development. "We are excited to partner with Red Roof on our latest extended-stay hotels with the HomeTowne Studios in Tampa and Bradenton," said Amit Patel. "Red Roof is not just a franchisor; they are heavily invested in any franchisee partnership from the moment they sign a deal. Their assistance has been invaluable, from securing approvals to moving dirt. Thanks to Red Roof's continued commitment to hospitality fundamentals, we are confident in the future of this hotel."

The foundation for Rip Patel's interest in hotel franchise development was laid in his teen years. Patel, appointed in January as G6 Hospitality's vice president for franchise development, shares that story in this month's Leadership Series. When he was almost 16 years old, Patel and his family were developing their first franchise hotel, a Holiday Inn Express. As part of the process, they had to undergo an inspection by the franchise representative. "I just remember being so nervous and all the family being nervous. This was kind of a make it or break it for us," Patel said. "He came in and just went through everything while we're just sweating, and everything worked out. I always remembered and appreciated that particular meeting, and I thought that's something that I definitely want to do in the future." That future is now, and Patel has definite goals for his new position.

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."

HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION has signed franchise agreements with 3H Group and Presidio Hotel Development to open Hyatt Studios in two states. Led by founder Hiren Desai, 3H Group will introduce the studios in Mobile, Alabama, while Guneet Bajwa heads the effort for Presidio Hotel Development in Marysville, California, and both are expected to open by late 2024 to 2025. Following its April launch, Hyatt has garnered letters of interest for more than 100 Hyatt Studios, marking its inaugural upper-midscale extended-stay brand in the Americas, the company said in a statement. "Hyatt's expansion into these new markets through Hyatt Studios hotels underscores our dedication to developers, guests, and World of Hyatt members," said Dan Hansen, global head of Hyatt Studios. "We've learned that when Hyatt guests stay with a competing brand, they appear to do so for one of two reasons: the absence of a Hyatt hotel within five miles or the choice to stay at a lower chain scale. By offering Hyatt options in these fresh markets, we foster brand loyalty without internal competition and present developers with untapped opportunities."

Kimberly Midkiff is now director of franchise development and the assurance and marketing program for hihotels by Hospitality International. Prior to that, she was the vice president of development for Sonesta and Red Lion Hotels Corp. Previously, Midkiff was director of sales and operations for JDH Developers, a hospitality real estate firm, according to company. Based in Lakemont, Georgia, she will be responsible for the growth of hihotels' Scottish Inns, Red Carpet Inn, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn brands in the Southeast. According to the company, she will provide sales and marketing support and training to franchisees in the area as part of the Assurance & Marketing Program.

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS recently named Amit Sripathi as chief development officer, taking over from Chip Ohlsson, who exits the company in June. Sripathi, who previously was Wyndham's senior vice president of strategic and corporate development, will head the company's North American franchise sales team. Before his tenure at Wyndham, he served as vice president of finance and capital markets at RLJ Lodging Trust, and as vice president of global investment banking at Deutsche Bank, Wyndham said in a statement. "Amit's deep experience in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets focused on the real estate and hospitality sectors at Deutsche Bank and RLJ Lodging are instrumental as we increase our focus on growing our midscale-and-above portfolio while reinforcing our leading position in the resilient select-service segments," said Geoff Ballotti, Wyndham's president and CEO. "Since joining Wyndham, Amit has demonstrated a strategic approach to growth. He's helped divest our owned and managed segments leading to a pure-play U.S. franchise business and worked with our sales teams across the country and around the world deploying over $250 million in development support for our owners. He hits the ground running, knowing what our franchise sales teams need to continue outperforming expectations."

GUJARAT JHM HOTELS, owned by the Rama family along with U.S.-based Auro Hotels, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Gujarat to develop the JW Marriott Surat Resort & Spa in Surat in the state of Gujarat, India. It is GJHM's third Marriott hotel in the city after the Surat Marriott Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Surat. The upcoming property will feature more than 300 guestrooms and villas, according to a joint statement by GJHM and Auro Hotels, according to a release on the Press Trust of India website. "This transformative project, backed by more than $120 million (Rs 1,000 crore) investment, aims to create jobs for 800 individuals, offer crucial infrastructure for the city's growth, and establish Surat as the commercial capital of Gujarat," said D.J. Rama, director of GJHM and president and CEO of Auro Hotels. "Aspiring to be a 'Smart City,' this strategic investment underscores Gujarat JHM's commitment to fostering inclusive development. Surat is poised to emerge as a beacon of urban advancement, seamlessly combining financial strength with technological innovation."

GSI About to Develop Four Tourist Spots in Tamil Nadu. As stated by the Times of India, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) is about to develop 4 new sites as tourist spots in Tamil Nadu, which includes Perambalur and Ariyalur. - PR12493377

U.S. HOTEL DEVELOPERS have a new choice of brands now. InterContinental Hotels Group is now signing franchise agreements stateside for its Vignette Collection, previously focused on development in Asia with its first properties in Australia and Thailand. The Vignette Collection is part of IHG's luxury and lifestyle portfolio that includes more than 400 hotels and 100,000 rooms. Hotel owners and operators in the U.S. are invited to attend an online symposium on franchising with the brand on Dec. 7. "Vignette Collection gives owners and guests an inspiring new choice and, while each hotel in the collection will maintain its unique story and guest experience, guests will also enjoy the assurance of a consistent and high-quality experience backed by IHG," said Julienne Smith, IHG's senior vice president of development for the Americas. "There is outstanding potential in the Americas region for this brand, specifically in urban and resort locations, with Vignette Collection offering high value and flexibility for hotel owners."

THE U.S. HOTEL construction pipeline dropped 8 percent by projects and 10 percent by rooms in 2021 when compared to 2020, according to Lodging Econometrics. However, the number of projects in the early planning stage is rising, it added. The total construction pipeline at the fourth quarter of last year stood at 4,814 projects containing 581,953 rooms, according to LE. There were 2,021 projects containing 239,816 rooms in the early planning stage, up 18 percent by projects and 11 percent by rooms, LE data shows. According to LE, 1,821 hotel projects containing 210,890 rooms are scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months. As many as 972 projects containing 131,247 rooms under construction finished the year. "New project announcements are down in the fourth quarter. However, developers are eager to accelerate projects long-delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, they face some development roadblocks, including escalating inflation and supply chain shortages, that are causing higher prices versus 'pre-pandemic' costs for labor and materials," LE said. "These factors continue to prolong hotel development timelines. We anticipate these challenges to abate throughout the year and see construction starts to moderately improve."

HILTON IS ONE of the largest hotel companies in the world, known usually as parent company to higher end brands, such as Hilton Garden Inn and Canopy by Hilton. Now, the company is moving into the "premium economy" segment with its new brand, Spark. Spark will include several features meant to appeal to owners, according to Hilton, primarily by providing the company's reservation network, business model and commercial engines. It also includes supply chain management, a cost-effective pricing model and automated customer offerings such as digital check-in and Digital Key. "Spark by Hilton was developed in close collaboration with our developer community, and we are thrilled by the positive feedback and excitement we have received to date," said Alissa Klees, brand leader, Spark by Hilton. "In fact, we already have more than 100 deals in various stages of development across the U.S., with the first properties anticipated to open this year." Each hotel will feature colorful exterior walls and artwork. The public space will feature multi-functional seating, such as communal tables and rocking chairs, for guests to eat breakfast, socialize or work throughout the day. Guest rooms will have practical amenities, including an open closet, in-room refrigerator, multi-purpose work surface and bathroom. To ensure a consistent, quality guest experience, each hotel will be required to complete a full renovation, encompassing all guest-facing areas of the hotel, prior to joining Spark by Hilton. The new brand will fill a certain niche, said Matt Schuyler, Hilton's chief brand officer.

Phil Norman is executive vice-president of people resources and development for third-party hospitality management company Twenty Four Seven Hotels. Previously, he was chief human resources officer with Canyon Ranch where he operated human resources functions for 1,840 U.S. employees across hotels and cruise ships. Norman will provide oversight for talent management, including leadership development, organizational capability and change management in this newly created role, the company said. He also held similar positions as human resources director at the Homestead, America's oldest resort property dating to 1766, and the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, where he oversaw 1,250 team members, while ensuring safety and building an inclusive environment. "With 35 years of hospitality human resources experience, Phil is the ideal candidate to take over our people resources and development team as well as provide immediate support to our on-property teams," said David Wani, CEO for Twenty Four Seven Hotels. "His performance at both the hotel and corporate levels has been amazing, creating workplaces where every associate is gratified by their work and where they feel they belong. Phil's reputation of aligning systems and processes and his focus on workplace culture create the potential for exceptional stakeholder returns and in turn support the growth of the company."

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.

Matthew Hostetler, chief development officer at Red Roof, has been operating outside his wheelhouse for about 18 years now. In this installment of Asian Hospitality's Leadership Series, he explains how he does it all with a smile on his face. Hostetler was at the Hunter Hotel Conference in March in Atlanta when he took time to talk about his history in the hotel business along with the current status of Red Roof. Topics also included AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising, the company's preparations for possible economic headwinds this year and the success of Red Roof's newest brand. Same job, different industry In 2002, Hostetler was recruited by Cendant Hotel Group, which is now Wyndham Hotel Group, to conduct franchise sales under Phil Hugh, who was at that time senior vice president for franchise sales. That was when he stepped out of his comfort zone. "I said yes to an opportunity that was way, in sales was not outside of my wheelhouse, but outside of my industry," Hostetler said. "I was in transportation for 15 years before that. So yeah, that definitely outside the wheelhouse." In 2014, he joined Red Roof as the senior vice president of development, again working under Hugh. In 2020, when Hugh left the company, Hostetler became chief development officer. Now he's settled into the job. "I love the hotel business. I love hospitality. I love the people in this business, how they are so entrepreneurial," Hostetler said. But there's also so people oriented as well. That's what attracts talent so much right? Hospitality. Everyone has a smile on their face most of the time."

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.