Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. It is also a wonderful reminder of the values at the heart of hospitality: Bringing people together, creating meaningful connections, and making everyone feel welcome.

As AAHOA celebrates the spirit of Diwali, we recognize the many hoteliers and hospitality professionals whose dedication, entrepreneurship, and commitment to service strengthen our industry and communities every day.

May this Festival of Lights bring joy, prosperity, new opportunities, and continued success to all who celebrate. Happy Diwali from AAHOA!

Are you eligible to vote in AAHOA’s 2027 Elections? To be eligible, become a Lifetime Member by December 31, 2026. Annual Members must have paid dues at least twice in the last three years and renew their 2027 membership by April 22, 2027.

Renew your membership now to ensure eligibility. Check your status or renew today at MyAAHOA.com. For more information, refer to the AAHOA Elections FAQ.

On Tuesday, voters decided all 435 U.S. House seats, 35 U.S. Senate races, 36 governor’s races, and 30 state attorney general races. Some races are still too close to call, and though votes are still being counted, the House and Senate have flipped to a Democratic majority. There will be more Democratic governors than Republicans, as well.

With this current outlook, federal priorities such as increasing access to capital should not be impacted. In the immediate term, AAHOA expects Congress to focus on advancing government funding legislation, debt-limit reconciliations, and the approval of appointments. AAHOA will continue to work with both sides of the aisle to advance our legislative priorities.

Labor costs are rising, and independent hotel owners are looking for smarter ways to maximize efficiency. Join AAHOA and Mews, the Official Property Management System (PMS) of AAHOA, for an upcoming Hotel Owners Academy virtual learning session on Thursday, December 3, at 2 p.m. EST. Discover how automation and streamlined processes can reduce manual work, free up staff time, and help your team focus on what matters most: Delivering exceptional guest experiences and driving revenue.

AAHOA Regional Director Anant (Andy) Patel and his Ambassadors recently hosted the North Texas Hotel Owners Conference & Trade Show. AAHOA welcomed Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), who has a longstanding relationship with the association. The General Session covered key issues facing hotel owners, and additional speakers included AAHOA Ambassador Darshna Patel, founder of OrqaaS; AAHOA Ambassador Mihir (Mark) Pankaj, mayor of Paris, TX; Scott Joslove, president & CEO of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association; and Michael Rudowski and D. Bradley Kent Sr. of Visit Dallas.

AAHOA South Florida Regional Director Meghna Patel, AAHOA Past Chairman Bharat Patel (2023–2024), AAHOA Lifetime Member Divyang Patel, AAHOA Ambassador Vraj Patel, and AAHOA Senior Legal Counsel Nevriye Davis met with Florida Chief Deputy Attorney General Ryan Newman and Special Counsel Rita Peters to discuss human trafficking prevention, awareness, and collaboration with Florida’s hospitality industry.

Does your company offer internships? The AAHOA Internship Program is a directory where Industry Partners can list their internship opportunities for emerging hospitality professionals to discover. Listing is free, and it’s a simple way to reach students and early-career talent, build relationships with future hospitality leaders, and start a pipeline of potential employees.

Last week, Kabani Hotel Group hosted its 10th Annual Hotel Investment Forum in Miami. More than 300 hotel owners, operators, lenders, investors, and brand representatives attended the event, which featured more than 20 speakers and sponsors, respectively. AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake sat on the "Hospitality 2030" panel, which examined how the industry must adapt to compete and grow through 2030.

AAHOA is developing an insurance program built specifically for hotel owners – with the goal of stronger coverage, better pricing, and institutional-quality solutions tailored to our industry.

Your participation is critical to helping shape the future of this program, which will target approximately 20 percent premium savings. We're inviting members to authorize the release of their current insurance information to help guide the development of this new program. All participation data is collected by a third-party law firm, is confidential and privileged, and is not accessible to AAHOA internally. Learn more here.