A Q&A with the AAHOA Board of Directors, as they offer thoughts on the challenges, obstacles, and opportunities facing the industry today
Last year was a significant one for AAHOA and the industry. In 2022, AAHOA leaders led fair franchising efforts, welcomed more than 4,000 hoteliers to the 2022 Regional Conferences & Trade Shows, hosted a successful Fall National Advocacy Conference, launched the HerOwnership initiative, raised $333,529 for 18 charities across the U.S, and so much more. While the industry grappled with major issues, such as labor shortages, hoteliers remained resilient amid the post-pandemic challenges. These accomplishments are possible thanks to the dedication and commitment of AAHOA’s Board Members. As we look forward to 2023, AAHOA’s Board Members are more ready than ever to use the power and strength of this great association to support America’s hotel owners. Some of these AAHOA leaders welcomed the new year by reflecting on 2022 and the difference they plan to make in the new year.
Sanjay M. Patel
Alabama Regional Director
WHAT’S THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE IN YOUR BUSINESS TODAY?
“LABOR, LABOR, LABOR! People will eventually get back to work, but I believe we have lost a good portion of the workforce to industrial spaces like Amazon and other distribution hubs.”
WHAT ADVOCACY TOPIC OR ISSUE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY?
“Occupancy tax. It seems every municipality turns to occupancy taxes when they are in need of money, and the hotels do not get any benefits from these raises, like advertising, events, etc.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HOSPITALITY AND AAHOA?
“GET INVOLVED! These times are different from how the first- and second-generation hoteliers started. What goes on at the local, state, and federal level directly affects hotel businesses and their bottom line. Also, get involved with your franchise because what franchises do affects us and our bottom line as well.”
Vik Zaver
Georgia Regional Director
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR AAHOA MEMBERSHIP, WHETHER YOU’RE BRAND NEW TO AAHOA OR AN INDUSTRY VETERAN?
“The best way to take advantage of your AAHOA Membership is by simply being involved. When AAHOA sends out a survey, or there is a Town Hall in your area, or you join us at the nation’s Capital, these are all the ways a member can take full advantage and, ultimately, serve your interests and goals.”
WHAT CHANGES DO YOU FORESEE IN OUR INDUSTRY IN 2023?
“The hotel industry is always evolving, and 2023 will bring some new challenges that most of us may not be prepared for yet. Rising interest rates, a decrease in demand, and an increase in supply will harm the industry. AAHOA Members have always been resilient and will continue to be innovative to overcome these obstacles, whether it is to implement new technology to assist with the labor shortages, work with your vendor partners to maximize their full potential, or to not overleverage.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HOSPITALITY AND AAHOA?
“My advice to the next generation is to reach out to your local Regional Director and ask if they need help. More often than not, we are always looking for more help from our local members.”
Miraj S. Patel
Treasurer
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“Growing up, I was rooted in the importance of serving my community. Thanks to my father being an active AAHOA Member, I always attended any AAHOA event I could as a kid. I even read and collected all the AAHOA magazines to understand where our association and industry are going. As I grew older, the past AAHOA leaders inspired me to get involved. It amazed me how much time and effort the leaders were putting into the association to ensure every hotelier’s voice was heard. I saw the value of AAHOA because I grew up admiring the leadership, learning the issues, and hearing the concerns. I knew since a young age that one day, I wanted to serve AAHOA and the membership – and today, that membership has grown to 20,000+ members.”
WHAT ADVOCACY TOPIC OR ISSUE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY?
“Many advocacy topics and issues are important to me, such as arbitrary taxation and harmful, short-sighted policies. As an association, our objective is to be more aggressive than ever in the coming years in advocating for hotel owners at the local, state, and federal levels to protect our investments.”
Lina Patel
Female Director Eastern Division
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR AAHOA MEMBERSHIP, WHETHER YOU’RE BRAND NEW TO AAHOA OR AN INDUSTRY VETERAN?
“AAHOA provides an opportunity to network and learn from one another, inspire one another, and set ourselves up for years of progress and success in our businesses. It’s a place to meet experts and practitioners who find ways to attract new businesses in a changing landscape. We learn the importance of building relationships with elected officials and decision-makers in our local governments to ensure they understand our businesses and industry.”
Deepak Patel
Washington DC Area Regional Director
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“Every time I see our past and current AAHOA leaders, every time I attend a board meeting or any advocacy event, it excites me to do something for membership and my region. It is an honor to give back to the industry, which has given me a lot.”
WHAT ADVOCACY TOPIC OR ISSUE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY?
“Fair Franchising. AAHOA Members are tired of unfair practices.”
Arti Patel
Central Midwest Regional Director
WHAT’S THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE IN YOUR BUSINESS TODAY?
“Seeking quality employees that actually give the job a chance.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HOSPITALITY AND AAHOA?
“I encourage the next generation to stay involved in your local communities. If you see an issue with a hospitality organization, don’t run from it; instead, get involved and help.”
Taran Patel
Northwest Regional Director
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“I have the desire to help others succeed. The hospitality industry has given me so much, and to be in a position where I can give back and make an impact is rewarding.”
WHAT CHANGES DO YOU FORESEE IN OUR INDUSTRY IN 2023?
“Our industry is quite resilient, and while labor has been one of the greatest challenges in 2022, I don’t anticipate that changing. Our industry will look to evolve in a creative way, allowing our hotels to operate successfully with a leaner staffing model. Whether it be via technology, enhanced training, or greater brand support, our industry will navigate through labor shortages.”
Harikrishna (HK) Patel
Mid South Regional Director
WHAT DO YOU THINK AAHOA COULD BE DOING MORE OF?
“AAHOA could work more strategically to put this great association in front of more legislators. As I travel across the U.S., I’ve realized that outside of our industry, not many people know the power that we, as an association, hold.”
CAN YOU SHARE A TIME YOU OFFERED HOTEL ROOMS TO A PERSON IN NEED IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
“There was a family who had a fire in their house, and this happened in the middle of winter on a snowy night. The police department brought the family to my hotel and asked to accommodate them in a room so they could have a place to stay. After we learned their house was on fire, we did not charge the family for their entire stay. The family stayed at our hotel for two weeks until they found a place to stay.”
Bhavik Patel
Young Professional Director Eastern Division
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“I strongly believe that hotel owners need a voice in the industry and that without representation, we will be left behind. Profit margins for owners continue to decline, and large companies continue to cannibalize in every opportunity they receive.”
WHERE WERE YOU BORN; WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
“I was born and raised in Florida. I grew up in a little town called Wauchula, and then my family moved to Punta Gorda when I was eight or so. I spent the rest of my childhood in Southwest Florida until I went to college in Gainesville. At a young age, I learned the day-to-day hotel operations with my family. I started folding towels at the age of five, serviced rooms at eight, worked the front desk by 14, and helped manage properties at 16 years old.”
WHAT IS YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROPERTY, AND WHY?
“Our most successful property is our independent hotel. It is the easiest to operate and has by far the highest NOI margin. We will always hold onto this hotel, and it is the hotel that I grew up in.”
Rahul Patel
Florida Regional Director
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“I am what I am today because of the State of the Industry when I immigrated to the U.S. I want to protect the free enterprise system, which makes the American Dream possible, so I invest my time in AAHOA to protect the hotel business environment.”
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EVENT WITH AAHOA?
“My first AAHOA event was an AAHOA Regional in Tampa, FL. I remember attending that Regional event with all my local friends from the Sarasota area, including our current Vice Chairman Bharat Patel.”
CAN YOU SHARE ANY ACTS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE HERE IN THE U.S. OR ABROAD?
“Time and again, as needs arise, we volunteer and raise money for the needy and distribute funds as it may best suit the situation. During COVID, we raised about $20,000 and distributed half of the money to food banks in Manatee County and Sarasota County, and the rest of the money was sent to India to feed needy people. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, we were able to collectively fundraise more than $100,000 and distributed it to local charities.”
Vimal Patel
Gulf Regional Director
MANY THINGS CHANGED IN THE WORLD DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE?
“Our clientele has shifted how they spend their money on travel. Many see how much they can save with a Zoom meeting, but the same money spent before may go toward face-to-face conferences and conventions.”
WHAT ADVOCACY TOPIC OR ISSUE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY?
“Fair franchise agreement. For example, there used to be a phenomenal brand. Post acquisition with a larger brand, we saw an immediate decrease in revenue and corporate culture. The option to leave the brand was not there. Otherwise, I would have. Franchisors seem to care most about their stock value as the numbers are more in favor that way.”
Fenil Desai
South Carolina Regional Director
WHAT CHANGES DO YOU FORESEE IN OUR INDUSTRY IN 2023?
“In 2023, I see corporate travel coming back. To prepare for this, hotels will have to continue improving their operations to welcome guests, while knowing that there is a shortage of staff. Hotels will have to find unique ways to address the problem by becoming more autonomous.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR AAHOA MEMBERSHIP, WHETHER YOU’RE BRAND NEW TO AAHOA OR AN INDUSTRY VETERAN?
“AAHOA provides 100+ webinars on how to improve your operations. I take advantage of these webinars as they educate me on how I am able to make the most out of my portfolio.”
Naresh (ND) Bhakta
Greater Los Angeles Area Regional Director
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HOSPITALITY AND AAHOA?
“Study anything you sign. Read properly. Consult other people. Communicate with the AAHOA office for the guidance, especially on the 12 Points of Fair Franchising. It’s about knowing before investing.”
YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AAHOA DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES. WHY DO YOU INVEST SO MUCH IN AAHOA AND SERVING OUR 20,000+ MEMBERS?
“I love to serve our fellow hoteliers. I want to protect them from false claims and wrongful investments, and guide them wherever they can be successful. Seeing them succeed gives me joy. I like to share my experience and knowledge for the betterment of others. I am blessed with support from my family.”
Pinal Patel
Director At Large Eastern Division
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN HOSPITALITY AND AAHOA?
“I can truly say that AAHOA’s tools and resources were part of what helped me become a multibranded hotel operator today.”
WHAT’S THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE IN YOUR BUSINESS TODAY? DO YOU SEE THIS AS A SHORT-TERM CHALLENGE OR LONG-TERM, AND WHY?
“The pandemic has taught many people that the job does not have to be the way it was.”
WHAT IS YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROPERTY AND WHY?
“Red Roof Inn. The brand cared for my success. Location and growth in the area exploded.”
