Taking a closer look at the benefits of AAHOA membership in 2022
In 1987, just two years prior to AAHOA’s founding, American Express launched an ad campaign relying on the phrase “membership has its privileges,” and that concept is alive and well inside the protective confines of AAHOA.
During the decades since its inception, AAHOA has shaped industry policies, priorities, and power dynamics, and different times have called for different approaches. Through the years, however, the constant thread through the AAHOA story is the unquantifiable benefits of belonging to the association as it provides strength in numbers that can’t be found by attempting to operate a hotel alone.
The big-picture goal is for AAHOA to be the ultimate bastion of safety and security, protecting the most vulnerable, sharing information, and establishing longlasting personal and business-related relationships.
Within the pages of this issue, we’re examining the power that AAHOA membership can bring. In this article, we’ll explore a few specific stories while demonstrating the strength-in-numbers power afforded to AAHOA Members.
Member testimonials
It’s one thing to cite facts and figures or point to successes from afar. Where the rubber meets the road, however, is in direct AAHOA Member testimonials. While AAHOA is constantly collecting feedback from Members, here’s a small sample taken from a recent AAHOA Regional Conference & Trade Show.
MATT LINKLATER – SILVER INDUSTRY PARTNER
“I think AAHOA conferences are always great. You’re surrounded by like-minded people who are very inspirational and always looking to take their lives and business to another level. It’s just a great environment to be surrounded, right? Like-minded people are always looking to invest more into hotels, how to grow their hotels, and take their businesses to another level through partnerships and learning from other members. I’ve never found a community that’s so welcoming, and so willing to want to take care of their financial assets and take care of their family as AAHOA Members do.”
DAN BROWN – INDUSTRY PARTNER/VENDOR
“I recommend for anyone and everyone who’s in the hospitality industry to join AAHOA, because I joined and I got to participate in their CHO (Certification in Hotel Ownership®) program. Through that, I learned a lot, and AAHOA is the only place offering that, in addition to other educational benefits. [Membership] is a great way to get into the community and a great way to meet other people with the same mindset as you. If you’re in the hospitality industry, this is the place to be.”
HELEN ZAVER – AAHOA AMBASSADOR
“AAHOA is such a great investment and is there to help with issues that arise for hoteliers – on the legislation side, as well as being able to get you up to date on new events coming up, and the new things that are coming out for hotels to make your life easier. It’s a good network, and that’s all you need. Get connected with AAHOA Members, especially the Board and the Ambassadors, and take something back with you and learn from it.”
The value of AAHOA membership in 2022
Nearly 20,000-members strong, AAHOA is hard at work every day to advance and protect your business interests as the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners. It’s during times such as those we were recently in with COVID that the true value of an association – being a part of something bigger than yourself – really shines through. With AAHOA on your side, you never have to go it alone.
ADVOCACY ACROSS THE BOARD
- AAHOA’s Franchise Relations team continues to advocate for your top-of-mind concerns, providing timely updates to and advocacy on behalf of franchisees.
- Even during a worldwide pandemic, AAHOA’s powerhouse Government Affairs team made great strides working every day to benefit you, the hotel owner, at the state, local, and federal levels.
HUNDREDS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES – DIGITAL AND IN PERSON
- Hundreds of webcasts available on demand
- Events with inspiring keynote speakers and guests
- Discounts to earn your CHO or CHIA designation
- And much more
EXCLUSIVE VENDOR PARTNER DEALS AND DISCOUNTS FROM HUNDREDS OF VENDORS
- Weekly updates from AAHOA Industry Partners regarding their latest offers
- Access to nearly two dozen opportunities to connect with vendors and make deals on trade show floors
- Exclusive discounts created just for AAHOA Members
AAHOA RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS
- Toolkits and resources that help you advance the business interests of hoteliers in your local community
- Daily news updates that save you time and keep you informed
- Networking opportunities with like-minded hoteliers from across the country
- Partnerships with other organizations to bring you no-cost resources at your fingertips
- Legal updates and alerts regarding matters that affect your bottom line
- And much more!
One of the many perks of being an AAHOA Member is access to exclusive deals and discounts throughout the year. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Email the AAHOA membership team at [email protected] or call 404-816-5759.
Career calling
AAHOA Member Prasant Patel hasn’t always been a hotelier. In fact, his prior career found him far from the halls of a hotel, serving in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, only opening his first property in 2019 – a Comfort Suites in Humble, TX.
Having transitioned to the hotel business relatively recently, Prasant brings a unique perspective on the industry and AAHOA itself, so we caught up with him to pick his brain and find out how a new hotelier views the industry and the association to which he now belongs.
AFTER A CAREER OF SERVICE IN THE NAVY, WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BUILD AND OPEN A HOTEL IN 2019?
I’ve had family and friends involved in this industry all my life, and I’ve always known I would be a hotelier one day. After getting my real estate license in 2013 during a recruiting tour in my hometown of Houston, my brother-in-law and I purchased a vacant lot in 2014 for a hotel. It was a hard two years of understanding the mechanics of building a hotel and going through all the hurdles of just getting a cerfiticate of occupancy. One year before I retired from the Navy, we opened the doors to our new hotel in 2019.
WERE THERE OTHER INDUSTRIES OR OPPORTUNITIES YOU CONSIDERED BESIDES HOSPITALITY?
The majority of my time in the Navy was spent on recruiting duty, which opened doors into HR, but I was ready to let that go. The hospitality sector in Houston had a huge demand for GMs in 2019 since there were multiple hotel projects coming to market. It’s a different feeling when you build a project from ground up rather than just purchasing something that already exists. You feel connected as if it’s a part of you, so falling into the GM position at my own hotel felt natural.
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BECOME AN AAHOA MEMBER?
All my friends and family who own hotels are all members of AAHOA. I enjoy networking with other hotel owners and hearing about the challenges they also face with brand standards or new government policies. As an AAHOA Member, I feel like I have a voice for other hoteliers who aren’t members. And, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the leverage AAHOA has, which allows the association to be heard and respected among politicians, hotel brands, and other industries.
HOW HAS BEING A MEMBER OF AAHOA AFFECTED YOU?
Membership makes the most sense if you’re willing to seek opportunities that can help you in your business. Take, for example, the annual events AAHOA hosts for members, where I’ve met vendors and brand representatives in person and have asked them questions about supplies or issues I’ve encountered that couldn’t be resolved with a phone call. Additionally, learning about the newest labor policies and upcoming reform proposals that effect hotel business’s alone is invaluable.
