AH February 2024
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February 2024 Volume 23 #222
Hotel companies in the news include:
CitizenM, Wayside Investment Group, Noble Investment Group
Sleep on it
New tech brings new options
in hotel bedding choices
One more
time around
New Jersey law at center of franchising
reform dispute reintroduced after stalling
A ‘stellar’ week
New forecast, new brand and
new award winners premiere at ALIS
more value
Ashish Patel
Scottish Inns & Suites
Houston-Willowbrook, TX
New build opened in October 2020
delivers
This is not an offering. Federal laws and regulations and the laws and regulations of some states and provinces regulate the offer and sale of franchises. An offering
will only be made in compliance with those laws and regulations, which may require that we provide you with a disclosure statement. © 2024 Hospitality International
800-892-8405 • hifranchise.com • [email protected]
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that drives business to my hotel.”
Contents
Contents
COVER STORY
18 One more time around
New Jersey law at center of franchising reform
dispute reintroduced after stalling
NEWS
5 Choice names nominees for Wyndham’s board
Hersha Hospitality Trust’s Jay Shah is among
them, AAHOA reiterates its concerns
about the proposed acquisition
6 AAHOA introduces ‘Made in India’
partnership
The agreement provides members access to
Indian products and workforce training
7 Report: Travel demand stays steady, new
tech provides efficiencies
Technology improving efficiency for travel and
hospitality providers
8 House passes resolution to overturn NLRB’s
joint-employer rule
AHLA says the rule threatens the hotel
franchise model, Biden administration
threatens to veto the resolution
9 AHLA opposes new DOL rule defining
independent contractors
The department claims the change ensures
fairness, AHLA says it will limit hotels’ operations
10 UJA Federation to honor Wyndham’s
Ballotti
He will be recognized in June at the
federation’s Hospitality Division event
G6 Hospitality strengthens measures against
human trafficking
The training is mandatory at all Motel 6 and
Studio 6 locations
12 Celebrities promote India tourism after
Maldives swipe
Maldives deputy ministers suspended after
making derogatory remarks about India and
Narendra Modi
Taj's Chhatwal assumes FAITH chairmanship,
succeeding ITC's Anand
Nakul Anand concluded his distinguished 45-
year career with ITC
ALIS RECAP
13 A ‘stellar’ week
New forecast, new brand and new award
winners premiere at ALIS
DESIGN
16 A true citizen of the world
Netherlands-based citizenM opens at Meta’s
Menlo Park Campus, California
PRODUCT FEATURE
23 Sleep on it
New tech brings new options in hotel bedding
choices
Gujarati translation of top stories begins on
page 26
On The Cover
The New Jersey state legislature will once
again consider a bill to reform New Jersey
Franchise Practices Act to require more
transparency by franchisers to ensure that
their practices benefit franchisees. AAHOA
supports the bill while the American Hotel &
Lodging Association, Marriott International and
Choice Hotels International oppose it.
CONTENTS
ISSUE 222
FEBRUARY 2024
18
COMING
NEXT ISSUE:
FEDERAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS OFFER HOTELS
AN OPPORTUNITY
Contents
Contents
12
11
16
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33
FEBRUARY 2024 ASIAN HOSPITALITY
13
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The ticking clock, the
tolling bell
hey say time is the fire in which we burn.”
I’ve always loved that line from the 1994 movie “Star Trek: Generations”
where Malcolm McDowell’s character Soran chastises Patrick Stewart’s
Capt. Picard for not allowing him to do something he wants to do. I’ve
recently learned that it’s a shortened version of a line from the poem
"Calmly We Walk through This April’s Day" by Delmore Schwartz.
The complete four-line excerpt from the poem goes like this:
“What will become of you and me / (This is the school in which we learn ...)
Besides the photo and the memory? / (... that time is the fire in which we burn.)”
As of this month, I’ve burned 56 years in the fire. As birthdays do for many over
50, I find myself turning contemplative. Mostly, I’ve been thinking about all the
ways we talk about marking the passage of time and the inevitable approach of that
moment when our time is up.
Capt. Hook heard the telltale ticking of the clock in the stomach of the giant
crocodile that pursued him to his destiny. In another poem, John Donne instructs
us not to ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for us all.
In their song “Time,” Pink Floyd talks about running and running to catch up
with the sinking sun. When that sun comes back around, the song goes, it’s “the
same in a relative way, but you’re older, shorter of breath and one day closer to
death.”
Like the sands in an hourglass, so are the days of our lives. Dali shows us clocks
melting in a nightmare desert, representing … something. Then there’s “kala,”
the Indian concept of time that I’m only recently familiar with but which seem
incredibly diverse.
The overarching theme of all these time references is that we appreciate time
because we know it’s limited. Sure, the sound of the tolling bell is still pretty distant
for me, but it’s also a fair bit closer than 24 years ago when I was a little more
than halfway to this point, and I am well aware that that urgent clanging can grow
suddenly louder at a moment’s notice.
So, to close, let’s return to Schwartz’s work:
“What am I now that I was then? / May memory restore again and again
The smallest color of the smallest day: / Time is the school in which we learn,
Time is the fire in which we burn.”
Edward J. Brock, Senior Editor
Follow Asian Hospitality online...
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Editor's Letter
Editor's Letter
www.asianhospitality.com
4 ASIAN HOSPITALITY FEBRUARY 2024
“
News
News
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55
FEBRUARY 2024 ASIAN HOSPITALITY
hoice Hotels International has named
its eight nominees for the board
of directors for Wyndham Hotels
& Resorts to be voted on in Wyndham’s
2024 shareholder meeting. The nominees,
including Jay Shah, executive chairman at
Hersha Hospitality Trust, are expected to
support Choice’s bid to acquire Wyndham
despite multiple rejections by the latter.
In response, Wyndham said it will
evaluate the nominees as part of its due
diligence, but it also said the nominees were
“hand-picked to push through their offer.”
Along with Shah, Choice’s nominees are:
Barbara Bennett, founder and principal
executive of business consulting firm
Bennett West LLC.
Emanuel Pearlman, founder, chairman
and CEO of investment management
and financial consulting firm Liberation
Investment Group.
Fiona Dias, digital commerce consultant
who served as the chief strategy officer of
online shopping service ShopRunner from
2011 to 2014.
James Nelson, CEO of real estate
investment trust Global Net Lease, Inc.
Nana Mensah, founder, chairman and
CEO of food packaging and processing
equipment exporter 'XPORTS Inc.
Susan Schnabel, founder and co-
managing partner of buyout fund advisor
aPriori Capital Partners.
William Grounds, principal of his
advisory business Burraneer Capital
Advisors LLC.
"These nominees are proven leaders
with wide-ranging expertise across relevant
industries, including deep proficiency in
the hospitality and franchising sectors,”
said Stewart Bainum, chairman of Choice's
board of directors.
Choice, which previously accused
Wyndham of spreading misinformation
about the deal’s likelihood to pass the
Federal Trade Commission’s approval for
the deal, said its nominees “understand the
nuances of the franchising model and the
increasing pressure franchisees face from
rising operating costs, larger hotel chains
and dominant online travel agencies.”
"With this slate of independent, highly
qualified candidates for election to the
Wyndham board, Wyndham shareholders
will have an opportunity to be represented
by a board that will fulfill its fiduciary duty
to act in the shareholders' best interests and
consider any and all paths to create value,”
said Patrick Pacious, Choice president and
CEO.
Shah only made a brief statement on
his naming as a nominee, saying “given
where we are in the process I can’t go into
detail about my candidacy or the proposed
merger at this time.”
Wyndham, AAHOA not moved
Wyndham’s board acknowledged receipt of
the list of Choice’s nominees but said it still
recommended that shareholders not tender
their shares toward the merger.
"This action is yet another attempt by
Choice to advance its inadequate and
risk-laden hostile exchange offer, which the
Wyndham board unanimously determined
is not in the best interests of shareholders,”
the board said. "Choice's proxy contest is a
blatant scheme to mislead shareholders into
packing the Wyndham board with nominees
hand-picked to push through their offer.”
In its original proposal, made public in
October, Choice said it sought to acquire
all the outstanding shares of Wyndham at
a price of $90 per share and shareholders
would have received $49.50 in cash and
0.324 shares of Choice common stock for
each Wyndham share they own. Choice
claimed that is a 30 percent premium to
Wyndham’s 30-day volume-weighted
average closing price ending on Oct. 16,
an 11 percent premium to Wyndham’s 52-
week high, and a 30 percent premium to
Wyndham’s latest closing price.
Wyndham’s board unanimously
rejected Choice’s proposal, calling it
unsolicited, “highly conditional” and not
in the best interest of shareholders. On
Nov. 14, however, Choice sent a letter to
the Wyndham board with an “enhanced
proposal” intended to address Wyndham’s
concerns about clearing federal regulations.
On Dec. 12, Choice launched its public
exchange offer to acquire Wyndham and
on Dec. 19 the Wyndham board officially
rejected the offer and urged shareholders
not to tender shares for the deal.
In response to Shah’s nomination and
statements supporting the deal by Mike
Leven, AAHOA co-founder, the association
released a statement saying Leven and
Shah’s opinions did not represent AAHOA’s
official position on the acquisition.
“AAHOA remains highly concerned
about the significant impact this proposed
merger will have on the industry, and we
strive to always represent the best interests
of our members,” said Laura Lee Blake,
AAHOA president and CEO.
Wyndham has not yet set a date for its 2024
shareholder meeting, a spokesperson said.
Choice names nominees for
Wyndham’s board
Hersha Hospitality Trust’s Jay Shah is among them, AAHOA reiterates its concerns
about the proposed acquisition
Choice Hotels International continued its efforts to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in January by
naming eight nominees for the Wyndham board of directors. However, the current board said Choice
has not adequately addressed its concerns about the proposed acquisition of the company and the
nominees for the board are meant to rubber stamp the deal.
News
News
www.asianhospitality.com
6 ASIAN HOSPITALITY FEBRUARY 2024
AHOA members in the U.S.
will now have access to more
workforce training opportunities
and products from India under the
new “Made in India” agreement made
with that country. The agreement came
about as a result of meetings between a
delegation of AAHOA board members
and Indian officials.
Bharat Patel AAHOA chairman,
Treasurer Kamalesh “KP” Patel and
others met with the Chief Minister of
Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel to
discuss the partnership, AAHOA said
in a statement. It includes:
Partnering with India-based
educational institutions to implement
training programs and skill-
development initiatives that will equip
young individuals to pursue successful
and global careers in hospitality.
Actively promoting, prioritizing and
providing support for the sourcing of
“Made in India” products, including
textiles, furniture, and plumbing
fixtures, for U.S.-based hospitality
businesses.
“With strong family ties and a
significant footprint in the United
States encompassing more than 36,000
properties, the AAHOA community
is uniquely positioned to showcase
the best of India to the world,” said
Bharat, who mentioned the program
in June when Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi visited the U.S. “Our
new initiatives aim to not only fuel
economic and workforce development
and progress, but to create a stronger
platform for the exchange of ideas and
innovation between the world’s leading
democracies.”
AAHOA’s statement cited reports
from S&P Global Ratings that India
will be the fastest-growing major
economy for at least the next three
years and could become the world's
third-largest economy by 2030. The
association said the partnership
“capitalizes on India’s growth and
influence in ways that provide
mutually beneficial outcomes for both
the U.S. and India.”
“As the world’s largest hotel
owners association, and with the
anticipated explosive growth of the
Indian economy, AAHOA continues
to expand its influence onto the
global stage,” said Laura Lee Blake,
AAHOA president and CEO. “AAHOA’s
extensive network and influence in
India create an ideal environment
to build upon trade and workforce
development initiatives that further
support our vibrant community of
Indian-American entrepreneurs,
providing them with resources and
solutions that will meaningfully impact
their businesses.”
AAHOA introduces
‘Made in India’ partnership
The agreement provides members access to Indian products and workforce training
AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel and Treasurer Kamalesh “KP” Patel, seated in the foreground, met
with the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel and other Indian officials to produce the
association’s “Made in India” agreement that provides access to Indian products and workforce training.
During Indian Prime
Minister Narendra
Modi’s state visit to the
U.S. in June, AAHOA
Chairman Bharat Patel
and other officers
discussed increasing
ties with India with
Indian officials.
News
News
www.asianhospitality.com
77
FEBRUARY 2024 ASIAN HOSPITALITY
onsumers are expected
to reprioritize travel in
2024, albeit with demand
fluctuations for various products
and amenities in 2024, according to
Deloitte's 2024 Travel Outlook. The
report says hospitality providers
need to enhance the experiences
they offer or risk losing travelers'
attention and Those adept at
applying technology to create
personalized and flexible services
will do better than others this year.
The pent-up demand seen
following the pandemic that led
to travel surges in the prior two
years is dwindling, the report said.
It’s being replaced, however, by
a steady increase in traveling for
experiences, aided in some cases
by the increased prevalence of remote
working, meaning travel remains a priority
for many consumers.
An economic downturn could dampen
that enthusiasm, according to the Travel
Outlook. However, technology can help
provide the flexibility to offer affordable,
personalized packages that may compensate
for consumers’ responding parsimony.
U.S. travel industry resilience
According to the report, "revenge travel"
fueled demand for two years as Americans
sought escape from lockdowns and made
up for missed trips due to the pandemic.
In 2021, nearly half cited the need for an
escape, and by the 2023 holiday season, only
11 percent were compensating for missed
trips.
As Americans move on from revenge
travel, travel intent remains robust, the
report said. The interest in booking hotels
and domestic flights holds steady, with
more planned trips in 2023 compared to
the previous year during both summer and
holidays. While pent-up demand fades, the
desire to travel and the outlook for 2024
remains strong.
One in five individuals increasing their
travel budgets said travel spending has
become more important to them since the
pandemic, signaling a positive outlook for
2024, according to Deloitte. Even those who
stayed home or reduced budgets previously
said they had larger plans for the coming
year.
At the same time, concerns about an
economic downturn continue and that
event could slow consumer interest,
particularly among those in lower-income
households, according to the report. Effects
could include travelers curtailing the
number, distance or length of trips, and
some may also opt for staying
with relatives or friends rather
than paying for lodging.
Technology to the
rescue
Technology is affecting travel
trends in several ways, Deloitte
said. For example, the share of
travelers planning to work on
their longest leisure trip has risen
from about 1 in 5 in 2022 to 1 in
3 in 2023. The report found that
47 percent of “laptop luggers”
take more shorter trips and 27
percent took longer trips while
“disconnectors” mostly preferred
fewer, shorter trips or more
shorter trips.
The Deloitte report also
suggested the need by airlines and
hospitality providers to enhance the
experiences they offer travelers can be
aided by advances in marketing technology.
It also is likely to involve continued
investment in back-office technology and
generative artificial intelligence, or Gen AI,
to improve operational efficiency and better
align resources with demand.
Report: Travel demand stays steady,
new tech provides efficiencies
Technology improving efficiency for travel and hospitality providers
Leisure travel intent among U.S. consumers remains consistent across
most travel categories going into 2024, according to Deloitte's 2024
Travel Outlook.
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News
News
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8 ASIAN HOSPITALITY FEBRUARY 2024
he U.S. House of Representatives
recently passed a Congressional
Review Act resolution to overturn
the National Labor Relations Board’s
October ruling on its definition of
joint-employer status. The American
Hotel & Lodging Association welcomed
the resolution, but President Biden has
promised to veto it.
The NLRB ruling, issued Oct. 26
and due to take effect Feb. 26, defines
a joint employer to be any company
that shares or codetermines one or
more essential terms and conditions
of employment. Those include ages,
benefits, and other compensation;
hours of work and scheduling; the
assignment and supervision of duties to
be performed; work rules and tenure of
employment.
The final rule rescinds the 2020 rule
that was promulgated by the prior
board and applies the new definition
of joint employer to any entity that
can control the essential terms of
employment whether or not such
control is exercised and without regard
to whether any such exercise of control
is direct or indirect. House Joint
Resolution 98 would nullify the NLRB’s
rule.
A threat to the franchise
model
AHLA and others in November filed
a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Texas against
the NLRB and Biden administration to
stop implementation of the rule. The
association welcomed the House bill in
a statement that called the new NTSB
rule “dangerous.”
“Today’s House vote is a victory for
common sense. Neither companies
nor their employees want this job-
killing regulation, which will destroy
the franchise model that supports
millions of small business jobs,” said
Chip Rogers, AHLA president and
CEO. “The bipartisan nature of this
vote underscores how destructive this
misguided Biden administration rule
would be to our fragile economy, and
we thank Dr. Foxx, Rep. James, and
Speaker Johnson for making this a
priority. We urge the Senate to stand
up for America’s workers and pass this
resolution as soon as soon as possible.”
In its statement, AHLA claims the
NLRB’s joint-employer regulation is
meant to increase unionization.
“The regulation makes it easier for
the NLRB to declare joint employment
status in business relationships, such
as franchising, and it will enable
unions to organize by company rather
than property by property,” AHLA
said. “Joint employer will take a
wrecking ball to the franchise model
by classifying franchisors as a joint
employer of a franchisee’s staff, even
if the franchisor has no direct control
over workplace rules and conditions.”
The federal Congressional Review
Act allows Congress to repeal agency
rules within 60 days of their adoption,
according to Reuters. According to
the article, the resolution only needs
the support of a majority in the House
and Senate to pass, but would require
a two-thirds majority to overcome a
Biden veto.
The White House Office of
Management and Budget told Reuters
that the proposed bill would interfere
with workers' rights to bargain for
better working conditions.
"Reversing this rulemaking will
prevent workers from exercising their
right to bargain for higher wages,
better benefits, and safer working
conditions," the OMB said. "Too often,
companies deny workers this right by
hiding behind subcontractors, staffing
agencies, and temporary agencies."
House passes resolution to overturn
NLRB’s joint-employer rule
AHLA says the rule threatens the hotel franchise model, Biden administration threatens
to veto the resolution
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution to overturn the National Labor
Relations Board’s October ruling on its definition of joint-employer status. The American Hotel &
Lodging Association welcomed the resolution, saying the NLRB rule threatens the franchise business
model and forces unionization, while President Biden has promised to veto it.
News
News
www.asianhospitality.com
99
FEBRUARY 2024 ASIAN HOSPITALITY
he U.S. Department of Labor’s
definition of who qualifies as
independent contractors, due to
take effect in March, is meant to ensure
that workers are treated fairly, according
to the department. However, the
American Hotel & Lodging Association
says the new rule limits independent
contractors to work and impact hotels’
ability to find workers.
The new rule under the Fair
Labor Standards Act aims to prevent
misclassification of workers that can
affect workers’ rights to minimum wage
and overtime pay, “facilitates wage theft,
allows some employers to undercut their
law-abiding competition and hurts the
economy at-large,” the Labor Department
said in a statement. It uses a multifactor
analysis of six factors defining a worker’s
relationship with an employer, such as
the worker’s opportunities for profit or
loss; the financial stake and nature of any
resources a worker has invested in the
work; the degree of permanence of the
work relationship; the degree of control
an employer has over the individual’s
work; how essential the work is to the
employer’s business; and the worker’s
skill and initiative.
“Misclassifying employees as
independent contractors is a serious
issue that deprives workers of basic
rights and protections,” said Julie Su,
acting secretary of labor. “This rule will
help protect workers, especially those
facing the greatest risk of exploitation, by
making sure they are classified properly
and that they receive the wages they’ve
earned.”
However, AHLA said in its statement
that the new rule, which rescinds the 2021
Independent Contractor Rule, will limit
some individuals’ opportunities to work
as independent contractors and hurt
hotels’ ability to maintain operations.
“We are extraordinarily disappointed
that the Labor Department dismissed
the concerns of the thousands of small
business owners AHLA represents and is
insisting on making it harder for hotels
to maintain operations in what is already
one of the toughest labor markets in
recent history,” said Chip Rogers, AHLA
president and CEO. “In the face of a
nationwide shortage of workers, hoteliers
need maximum flexibility to hire
independent contractors, and contractors
often prefer the flexibility of being
classified this way. Despite this reality,
the Labor Department is focused on
making it harder, not easier, for hoteliers
to hire the workers they need.”
Rogers also said AHLA is reviewing
legal options to challenge the new
regulation. Its other arguments against
the new regulation center around
complications that it presents to the
worker classification process.
“The regulation invites confusion
and litigation by establishing a test
where any of six different factors
could be determinative of employee
status, as opposed to DOL’s prior
regulation, under which two core factors
guided classification determinations.
Additionally, the regulation introduces
a vague mandate forcing businesses to
consider the ‘economic realities’ of the
relationship between a worker and a
company as well as an undefined set
of ‘additional factors’ that must also be
considered,” AHLA said in its statement.
“The regulation will increase liability
for businesses and reduce opportunities
for those interested in working as
independent contractors, a status many
workers prefer because it gives them
more flexibility and autonomy over their
work. This will make it more costly
and time consuming for hoteliers to
hire the independent contractors they
need, harming the industry’s ability
to maintain operations and reducing
business opportunities for independent
contractors.”
AHLA opposes new DOL rule
defining independent contractors
The department claims the change ensures fairness, AHLA says it will limit hotels’ operations
The American Hotel & Lodging Association says the U.S. Department of Labor’s new rule for defining
whether a worker is an independent contractor or a regular employee complicates the process, will
limit opportunities for workers and impact hotels’ ability to find workers.
n recognition of National Human Trafficking
Prevention Month in January, G6 Hospitality,
the parent company of Motel 6 and Studio
6, has intensified efforts to combat and raise
awareness about human trafficking. In January,
the company introduced an updated mandato-
ry training program, “The Room Next Door,” to
identify signs and response protocols for human
trafficking within the lodging industry, G6 Hospi-
tality said in a statement.
“G6 Hospitality remains committed to
combating human trafficking across the country
and maintains a zero-tolerance policy against
it,” said Julie Arrowsmith, CEO of G6 Hospitality.
“Our expanded anti-human trafficking program
will ensure that our team members, franchisees,
and hotel teams are educated advocates who
can help the industry move toward eradicating
human trafficking.”
The training is mandatory at every Motel 6
and Studio 6 locations, the statement said. The
company is also renewing ongoing partnerships
in 2024 with law enforcement agencies and sur-
vivor advocate organizations, including:
The AHLA Foundation: G6 Hospitality,
a longtime partner of AHLA and the AHLA
Foundation, was an inaugural donor to the AHLA
Foundation “No Room for Trafficking” Survivor
Fund. Farah Bhayani, G6 Hospitality general
counsel and chief compliance officer co-chairs
the advisory council championing the hotel
industry’s unified efforts to support human
trafficking survivors.
New Friends New Life: The company part-
ners with this survivor-focused organization,
providing access to education, job training,
interim financial assistance, and mental health
support for survivors of human trafficking and
exploitation. Adam Cannon, G6 Hospitality chief
brand officer, is a member of the organization’s
board of directors.
It’s A Penalty: G6 Hospitality continues its
support for the seventh-annual campaign around
the “Big Game,” Super Bowl LVIII, this February
in Las Vegas. The partnership aims to raise
awareness and prevent human trafficking in the
Las Vegas community through various initiatives
and events.
National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children: G6 Hospitality continues to partner
with NCMEC to send Amber Alerts through its
property management system directly to hotel
teams. 2023 marked the inaugural year of the
program, and it has already proven successful in
raising awareness of missing children.
Marinus Analytics LLC: G6 Hospitality uses
Marinus’ Traffic Jam software reporting, which
data mines and identifies advertisements for
adult services at hotels.
G6 Hospitality strengthens measures
against human trafficking
The training is mandatory at all Motel 6 and Studio 6 locations
eoff Ballotti, president and CEO of
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will be
recognized by UJA Federation of New
York at its annual Hospitality Division event
in June. The event is held in conjunction
with the NYU Hospitality Investment
Conference and will raise funds to support
UJA-Federation’s annual campaign, which
supports a wide network of nonprofits.
UJA Federation will hold the event on
June 4, at 4:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis
in New York City. The federation works
with a network of hundreds of nonprofits in
New York, Israel and 70 other countries to
provide $180 million in grants affecting 4.5
million people annually.
“For 15 years, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
has supported UJA and the vital work it
does caring for those in need while creating
and fostering diverse communities where
all are welcome,” Ballotti said. “Together
with my hospitality colleagues, we’ll
celebrate the extraordinary work of UJA
and how it improves lives in communities
across the globe.”
Ballotti was selected because he is “one
of the finest leaders and changemakers in
our industry, said Jonathan Tisch, executive
chairman of Loews Hotels and UJA’s
Hospitality Division chair.
“Geoff is passionate about ensuring all
people are treated with dignity and respect
and this honor reflects that commitment
in both his professional and philanthropic
efforts,” Tisch said.
The UJA Hospitality Division committee
members are Bruce Blum, Liberty Hotel
Advisors, LLC; Richard Born, BD Hotels;
Jonathan Falik, JF Capital Advisors; Mark
Gerstein, McKinsey & Co.; Mark Gordon,
Intrinsic Hotel Capital; Michael Lefkowitz,
Triumph Hotels; Michele Mahl, The Agency;
Gary Mendell, HEI Hotels & Resorts; David
Pepper, Choice Hotels International, Inc.;
Stacy Silver, Silver Hospitality Group LLC;
Brian Schwartz, The Elliot Group; and Evan
Weiss, LW Hospitality Advisors.
Last year, Ballotti became the second
recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social
Impact Leadership Award. The award is
presented by the American Hotel & Lodging
Association, the American Hotel & Lodging
Foundation and the BHN Group. The award
is named after Arne Sorenson, the former
president and CEO of Marriott International
who passed away in 2021, and in December
of that year David Kong, the recently retired
president and CEO of Best Western Hotel
Group, was the inaugural recipient.
UJA Federation to honor
Wyndham’s Ballotti
He will be recognized in June at the federation’s
Hospitality Division event
Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham
Hotels & Resorts, pictured here at the company’s
brand conference in September, will be
recognized by UJA Federation of New York at its
annual Hospitality Division event in June.
In recognition of National Human Trafficking
Prevention Month in January, G6 Hospitality,
parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6,
launched an updated training program targeting
the identification of human trafficking signs and
response protocols.
News
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