A conversation with AAHOA’s leadership ahead of AAHOACON26
By AAHOA Staff
As AAHOACON26 approaches amid the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, this year’s theme – “Liberty, Leadership & Legacy” – carries added weight. It reflects AAHOA’s commitment to supporting the freedom members have earned, the leadership they bring, and the legacy they’re building.
At a pivotal moment for the industry, those principles are being tested by rising costs, evolving brand demands, and an increasingly complex operating landscape.
We sat down with Chairman Kamalesh (KP) Patel, Vice Chairman Rahul Patel, Treasurer Pinal S. Patel, and Secretary Vimal (Ricky) Patel to discuss AAHOA’s most impactful decisions for members in 2025, the pressures hotel owners face today, and how bold leadership and engaged members will define the association’s year ahead.
Kamalesh (KP) Patel
Chairman
What is one decision AAHOA made this past year that will have a lasting impact on members’ businesses?
One of the most important decisions we made was to ensure members’ voices guide every initiative. That focus has driven us to build resources that owners can actually use to strengthen their operations and compete more effectively.
For example, the AAHOA Marketplace, powered by Avendra, gives members a centralized place to access trusted hotel products and services at competitive prices. AAHOA Lending, powered by Bridge, connects owners with a broad network of financing options. In partnership with Kalibri, we launched the AAHOA Profit Strategy Certification, which equips members with the skills to interpret market data, forecast more effectively, and enhance long-term asset performance. We have also launched the AAHOA PMS, powered by Mews – a profitability management system that gives owners access to integrated systems, real-time data, and modern tools.
What are you hearing most often from owners right now, and how is AAHOA responding?
Owners are telling me they’re facing rising costs, staffing challenges, and complex brand requirements. They want practical solutions, not just acknowledgement. AAHOA responds by listening first, then acting. Every decision we make is guided by one question: Does this help our members succeed?
Where does AAHOA need to be bolder in the year ahead to protect and advance members’ interests?
We need to be bolder in standing up for owners, pushing back when policies or brand mandates don’t reflect real-world challenges, and insisting on accountability and transparency. Bold leadership means taking action with conviction and purpose. By doing so, we ensure AAHOA continues delivering results that help members thrive.
Why does active member engagement matter more now than at any other time?
AAHOA only moves forward because members show up and participate. When owners engage, share feedback, and take ownership, they strengthen the foundation of member empowerment that guides everything we do.
Rahul Patel
Vice Chairman
What is one decision AAHOA made this past year that will have a lasting impact on members’ businesses?
The practical shift we made with AAHOA Lending. We’ve spent years talking about the “capital crunch,” but this year we built a tool to help fix it. Since launching, seeing more than $1 billion in financing requests move through that platform tells me we hit a real nerve.
What are you hearing most often from owners right now, and how is AAHOA responding?
I’m hearing about the “nickel and diming” that happens every day with the rising cost of labor, tech fees, and insurance premiums. Owners feel like they are running faster just to stay in place. AAHOA is focusing on the math of the business because at the end of the day, if the numbers don’t work, nothing else does.
Where does AAHOA need to be bolder in the year ahead to protect and advance members’ interests?
We need to be tougher about transparency around brand mandates. When an owner is told they have to spend money on a new requirement, we need to be the ones asking for the data that proves it actually drives guest loyalty or ROI. Protecting members’ interests means being the checks and balances for the industry.
Why does active member engagement matter more now than at any other time?
Because the challenges we’re facing, such as labor regulations and shifting franchise models, are too big for any one owner to tackle alone. When 20,000 of us stand together, people listen. Engagement isn’t about politics; it’s about protecting the investment you’ve spent your life building.
Pinal S. Patel
Treasurer
What is one decision AAHOA made this past year that will have a lasting impact on members’ businesses?
For me, it’s the launch of AAHOA Marketplace. AAHOA made a deliberate decision to create a member-first platform that delivers real, immediate value. By connecting hoteliers with vetted vendors, exclusive pricing, and solutions built specifically for the lodging industry, Marketplace helps owners protect their margins and operate more efficiently.
What are you hearing most often from owners right now, and how is AAHOA responding?
I’m hearing a lot of “realism over hope” right now. Owners are telling me that while travel demand is steady, the cost of doing business, specifically labor, insurance, and brand mandates, is eating away at the bottom line. They feel like they’re working harder just to stay in the same place. AAHOA is responding by shifting our focus. We’ve partnered with groups like Kalibri to give our members the data they need to fight back against rising costs.
Where does AAHOA need to be bolder in the year ahead to protect and advance members’ interests?
We need to be bolder in our advocacy at the local level. While we’ve made incredible strides in D.C. with things like the LIONs Act and tax reform, many of the biggest threats are happening in city halls and state houses – think about short-term rental regulations or sudden minimum wage spikes. We can’t just react when a bad bill is proposed; we have to be the ones in the room before it’s even written.
Why does active member engagement matter more now than at any other time?
Because our voice is only as loud as our membership is active. The industry is changing faster than ever. Tech is evolving, guest expectations are shifting, and the regulatory environment is a moving target. If you’re sitting on the sidelines, you’re letting someone else decide the future of your business.
Vimal (Ricky) Patel
Secretary
What is one decision AAHOA made this past year that will have a lasting impact on members’ businesses?
We put owner profitability and accountability first, pushed back hard on brands and bad policies, and delivered real results. That shift will protect members’ bottom lines for years.
What are you hearing most often from owners right now, and how is AAHOA responding?
Owners are saying the same thing: Costs are up, margins are down, and brands aren’t sharing the pain.
Where does AAHOA need to be bolder in the year ahead to protect and advance members’ interests?
AAHOA needs to be bolder in holding brands and policymakers accountable. That means challenging unfair franchise practices, pushing harder on insurance state law, tort reform, and cost reforms, and refusing to accept policies that hurt owner profitability. If it doesn’t help the owner’s bottom line, we shouldn’t support it.
Why does active member engagement matter more now than at any other time?
When members engage, AAHOA has real leverage – with brands, lawmakers, and regulators. Silence costs money; involvement delivers results.
A Seat in History: AAHOA and America’s Next 250 Years
By Laura Lee Blake, President & CEO
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, this is not merely a moment for reflection. It is a moment for positioning. History does not only remember who participated; it records who shaped what followed. AAHOA is doing precisely that. At a time when the nation is reexamining enterprise, labor, ownership, and opportunity, hotel owners are not spectators in the American story. They are architects of its next chapter.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s reminder that “the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena” captures this moment. Hotel owners are in the arena every day. They are investing capital, creating jobs, and strengthening communities across the country. At AAHOA, our power comes from engagement. When members engage, they are not simply participating in meetings; they are shaping outcomes, influencing policy, and redefining the industry’s future.
This shared purpose is especially consequential as we move toward 2026. What we establish today determines what becomes possible tomorrow. Over the past year, AAHOA has reinforced its role as a principled and unapologetic advocate for hotel owners at a pivotal point in our nation’s economic and social evolution. We are no longer asking to be included in conversations that affect our livelihoods. We are helping define them. That shift ensures every owner, from first-time entrepreneurs to multi-property operators, is positioned not merely to withstand change, but to lead through it.
Across the country, I hear a resolute optimism among our members. They believe in this industry and in the enduring promise of America, even as they navigate regulatory pressure, labor challenges, and shifting franchising dynamics. These realities do not dilute our resolve. They sharpen it. AAHOA is responding with clarity and confidence, articulating a truth that policymakers and industry leaders must recognize: Hotel owners are essential to local economies, job creation, and community stability.
As America reflects on 250 years of progress built by entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and builders, we must be bold in defining who we are. Hoteliers are often described as operators. In reality, they are investors, employers, and long-term stewards of American travel and commerce. Being bold means challenging outdated assumptions, strengthening owner influence, and asserting our rightful place in the industry ecosystem.
A seat in history is not granted. It is earned. In this defining chapter for our nation, AAHOA is earning it through unity, leadership, and action. The next 250 years of American enterprise will be shaped by those willing to step into the arena and lead with conviction. Our members are doing exactly that.
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