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FUNERAL SERVICES ARE planned for Saturday in Orlando for Manhar P. "MP" Rama, AAHOA past chairman and co-founder of Greenville, South Carolina-based Auro Hotels. Friends, family and colleagues are remembering Rama, who passed away Sunday at age 74, as a man with a big heart. The funeral is planned for 11 a.m. at Faith Assembly on Curry Ford Road. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Mandala Foundation Inc. at 9036 Mayfair Pointe Drive, Orlando, FL 32827. 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.

THE FIRST PROPERTY representing Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham brand opened recently in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Among the attendees at the grand opening, along with executives from Wyndham and more, were the first two Indo American developers who are building upcoming ECHO hotels. Wyndham also brought on Mandeep Singh as vice president for extended stay operations, overseeing ECHO Suites and the new Waterwalk Extended Stay by Wyndham brands. Singh has a more than 20-year background in extended-stay hotels, corporate housing, serviced apartments and multi-family properties. The 124-room ECHO Spartanburg is owned by Cox Universal Group, led by Philip Cox as co-CEO and co-founder and is managed by Sandpiper Hospitality. The prototype for the all new-construction brand is designed to fit on less than two acres at 50,000 square-feet, 79 percent of which is designed for generating revenue.

MOST AMERICANS PLAN to keep spending at least the same on travel, according to a recent Jenius Bank report. The report indicates that consumers view "richness" as balancing expense management with enjoying life and growing their wealth. Approximately 29.3 percent of Americans refuse to cut back on travel, despite its non-essential status, according to the Jenius Bank report. Also, 20.1 percent of consumers' largest one-time payment in 2023 was for a vacation. The study, "The Mind-Money Connection: How Managing Your Finances Can Make You Happier," reveals how consumers' financial situations are linked to their mental health and wellbeing.

AAHOA IS OFFERING a free educational webinar, "Essential Training for Hotel Owners: Managing Guest Misconduct and Ensuring Safety," on July 17. The initiative follows the death of an AAHOA member after a confrontation with a guest who was asked to leave the property, AAHOA said in a statement. The association emphasized that hoteliers should assess the risks of handling confrontational situations independently and involve law enforcement when faced with potentially volatile encounters to ensure personal safety. Hemant Mistry, a 59-year-old hotel owner from Oklahoma City, was killed last month at his property.

LAS VEGAS LED meeting volume growth in June for the second consecutive month with a 22.2 percent year-over-year increase, according to Knowland. St. Louis ranked second with a 12 percent year-over-year growth and the U.S. top 25 and secondary markets saw increases in total square footage used and group sizes. The average space used for meetings in the top 25 markets was 4,127 square feet with 141 attendees, while secondary markets averaged 4,085 square feet with 132 attendees, Knowland said. Las Vegas also remained a popular meeting spot in June, with sports entertainment entering the top five industry segments due to NHL draft-related meetings, the report found. The city led the top 25 markets, averaging 8,297 square feet and 282 attendees.

PRICES FOR TRAVEL goods and services decreased by 1.4 percent in June for the second consecutive month, outpacing the overall economy's 0.1 percent decline, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data from the U.S. Travel Association. The Travel Price Index indicated that lower hotel, airline, and gas prices were the primary contributors to the sector's significant price reduction. In contrast, the broader economy experienced its first monthly price decline since 2020, USTA said in a statement. "Now is the time for the travel industry to boost volume," said Geoff Freeman, USTA's president and CEO. "We've already seen travelers take advantage, with eight of the 10 busiest days in TSA's history occurring in 2024. It's essential that the industry is equipped with the right funding, resources and technology - coupled with sustained government focus - to meet an increase in demand."

NEWCRESTIMAGE HAS SOLD most of its hotel portfolio, along with some other properties, in a $822 million transaction with Summit Hotel Properties. Dallas-based NewcrestImage will remain invested in Summit and will own and operate two historic hotels it recently acquired and plans to make new acquisitions in the future. The definitive contribution and purchase agreement includes 27 hotels with 3,709 guestrooms for $776.5 million, or $209,000 per key. It also includes $24.8 million for two parking structures and $20.7 million for the various financial incentives through Summit's joint venture with Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund GIC, made in 2019 to acquire hotels in the U.S. "NewcrestImage has assembled a collection of high-quality distinctive Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG hotel properties throughout the Sun Belt region, which will be a great addition to Summit's portfolio," said Mehul Patel, NewcrestImage's managing partner and CEO. "As we will become one of Summit's largest shareholders, we have confidence in Summit as one of the industry's leading owners with a highly regarded public platform. We believe the two portfolios create an excellent combination of hotels that have tremendous growth potential and are well-positioned to create long-term shareholder value as the lodging recovery continues."

PEACHTREE GROUP RECENTLY originated its first commercial property assessed clean energy financing in Tennessee, providing a $10.7 million loan for a Class-A office development in Nashville. Nashville's Division Street Development is developing the four-story, 75,000-square-foot project, slated for completion by October 2024, Peachtree said in a statement. "For eligible projects, CPACE financing remains one of the most attractive options to bring a project to completion," said Jared Schlosser, Peachtree's executive vice president and head of CPACE. "We are pleased to assist Division Street Development in securing the final piece needed to complete the financing puzzle for their office development."

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS recently launched the "Low Carbon Pioneers" program to unite energy-efficient hotels that do not use on-site fossil fuel combustion and supported by renewable energy. This first-of-its-kind community will help IHG test, learn and share sustainability findings, aiming to inspire other properties and promote carbon reduction practices across IHG's portfolio. The company seeks government support for renewable energy access, owner incentives and reduced technology costs to speed the industry's transition to a greener future, IHG said in a statement. "We are excited to launch our Low Carbon Pioneers program as another innovative way in which we're meeting evolving guest expectations, helping our hotel owners future-proof their businesses and reducing carbon across our [portfolio]," said Elie Maalouf, IHG Hotels & Resorts' CEO.

APERTURE HOTELS AND Satori Collective recently reopened the 120-room Hilton Garden Inn in Columbus, Georgia, following a multimillion-dollar renovation. The updates included public spaces, guestrooms, meeting space and fitness center, as well as parking improvements with EV charging stations. The full-service hotel also features an indoor pool with a hot tub and 3,500 square feet of flexible meeting space. Satori Collective is led by Andy Chopra as co-founder and managing partner. "With the completion of this full makeover, the Hilton Garden Inn Columbus now enjoys 'like-new' status, effectively making it the newest Hilton-branded hotel in Central Western Georgia," said Charles Oswald, Aperture Hotels' president and CEO. "We look forward to hosting a proper grand re-opening ceremony on Aug. 25 to fully embrace our position as a member of the community and to share our new offerings with guests and neighbors."

THE NUMBER OF U.S. hotel rooms under construction in June reached its highest level in 16 months, according to CoStar. The construction volume increased year-over-year for four consecutive months, with upscale and upper midscale segments dominating pipeline activity. "The number of rooms in construction has grown year-over-year for four consecutive months," said Isaac Collazo, STR's vice president, analytics. "While upscale and upper midscale continue to dominate, accounting for about 50 percent of all rooms in the final phase of the pipeline, the pace of activity in these segments has slowed compared to last year. Midscale and economy have shown the most growth, up 42 percent and 34 percent, respectively, with newer brands and extended-stay accounting for most of the new construction across the midscale segment." Approximately 157,713 rooms were under construction in June, up 5.5 percent from the same month last year. Additionally, 266,619 rooms were in the final planning phase, a 9.8 percent increase from June 2023. The planning stage saw 333,827 rooms, a rise of 38.7 percent compared to the previous year.

SMALL LUXURY HOTELS of the World, the London-based independent hotels chain, recently entered the Indian market through a partnership with The MRS Group of Hotels, which owns and operates luxury boutique hotels in the country. SLH will include MRS's hospitality offerings in its global distribution and marketing network. The collaboration integrates MRS Group's brands-Suryagarh Jaisalmer, Narendra Bhawan Bikaner, and Mary Budden Estate Binsar-into SLH's collection, soon to be available on SLH channels, the companies said in a joint statement. "We are incredibly proud to be the first independent hotel chain in India to partner with SLH, a brand synonymous with luxury and exceptional hospitality," said Karan Singh Vaid, The MRS Group of Hotels' president. "This alliance not only highlights our dedication to reimagining hospitality in India but also amplifies our mission to offer travellers thoughtfully designed experiences that are rooted in our rich heritage and distinctive service. We are excited to embark on this journey with SLH, aiming to enhance our global presence and enrich the travel adventures of our guests."

CORPORATE TRAVEL SPEND by U.S. companies is expected to grow 8 to 12 percent, reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, according to a recent Deloitte study. Around 73 percent of travel managers expect their companies' travel spend to increase in 2024, while 58 percent expect further increases in 2025, with projected gains averaging 14-15 percent each year. Deloitte's 2024 corporate travel report, "Upward Climb with Uphill Struggles," found that live events are a top growth driver, with 6 in 10 business travelers expecting to attend a conference, trade show or exhibition this year. "Business travel has been slower to come back following pandemic slowdowns, but this could be the year that it accelerates to new heights," said Eileen Crowley, Deloitte's vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and services attest leader. "More employees are traveling for business-and enjoying it-underscoring that in-person connection often remains a critical component. As companies see a renewed benefit in the opportunities business travel provides, business leaders can capitalize on the enthusiasm and prioritize travel experiences that are valuable to both the organization and employee."

GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL spending is forecast to reach $1.48 trillion by the end of 2024, surpassing the previous record of $1.43 trillion in 2019, according to a recent study by the Global Business Travel Association. Spending is projected to exceed $2 trillion by 2028, indicating strong growth for the business travel sector. The 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook, supported by Visa, found that economic stability and lingering pent-up demand are driving growth, reassuring CEOs and CFOs to send their teams back on the road for business meetings. "We are witnessing the expected rebound in the sector, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of businesses and the value of business travel worldwide," said Suzanne Neufang, GBTA's CEO. "With projected spending expected to continue to increase through 2028, the future of business travel looks promising. However, we must remain vigilant and adaptive to potential headwinds in this period of stabilization, as factors such as changing economic conditions, technological advancements and sustainability developments will also shape the sector ahead."

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