For Manav Shah, the road to professional golf began long before his first tournament tee time. It started at his family's hospitality business in Bakersfield, CA, where his parents – AAHOA Members Sanjay and Bela Shah – have owned and operated hotels since the 1980s.

Shah is one of the few players of Indian heritage competing in the U.S. Open from June 18–21. In an exclusive interview with AAHOA, Shah discusses his upbringing in the hotel business and how it instilled the discipline, drive, and work ethic that have taken him to a new height in his professional golf career.

The Small Business Administration recently amended its guidance to combined 7(a) and 504 lending limits. Under the new guidance, effective July 4, a borrower's outstanding SBA 7(a) loan balance will generally no longer be counted when determining borrowing capacity under the SBA 504 program. As a result, qualified borrowers may be able to access up to $5 million through the SBA 7(a) program and up to $5 million through the SBA 504 program, allowing the two financing tools to be used together more effectively.

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.

Join hospitality attorney Pooja Patel-Mehta, Esq., on Thursday, June 11, at 2 p.m. EDT for a practical discussion on how to legally protect yourself when entering into a hotel lease or third-party management agreement. Learn strategies to shield your investment, reduce risk, and negotiate stronger contracts.

As AAHOA Members navigate another busy Hotel Owners Conference & Trade Show (HOC) season, staying connected has never been easier. The AAHOA App brings events, education, advocacy updates, member resources, vendor partners, and real-time notifications together in one convenient platform designed for hotel owners.

With the app, members can browse upcoming AAHOA events, filter by region or event type, register quickly, and access their personal event schedule – finding and attending an HOC near you is simpler than ever. Download the AAHOA App today on the App Store or Google Play Store and take AAHOA with you wherever you go.

On Monday, June 15, AAHOA Members and vendor partners will come together for a cause at the AAHOA Washington DC Area Charity Golf Tournament in Ashburn, VA, at Belmont Country Club. We look forward to a great day on the course, connecting with fellow attendees, and supporting local charities and the AAHOA Charitable Foundation.

At Mews Unfold, one topic put hoteliers on the spot: Tapping into the local community. Right now, speakers said, hotels are not doing enough to unlock revenue that's made available through local partnerships and elevated food and beverage options that are rooted in place. Panelists also discussed the importance of guest data. AAHOA Immediate Past Chairman Kamalesh (KP) Patel spoke at the conference and emphasized that hoteliers must learn to read data to understand why guests choose their properties.

Lifetime Members, this one’s for you! Register and attend an AAHOA Hotel Owners Conference & Trade Show (HOC), and you’ll receive an exclusive AAHOA quarter-zip pullover as a token of our appreciation for your continued support. Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis – register today!

Turnover in hotels rarely shows up as a single dramatic event. Instead, it reveals itself quietly through overtime, retraining, slower service, and small service failures that chip away at guest satisfaction scores. A recent article in Today's Hotelier highlights the hidden costs of turnover and how hoteliers can move from reactive to proactive and prevent employee churn.