By Rahul Patel, AAHOA Chairman (2026-2027)
There is a difference between reading about a new policy and sitting at your kitchen table trying to figure out what it could mean for your business.
As a hotelier, I know the challenges our industry is facing right now. Rising costs. Workforce pressures. Increasing insurance expenses. The constant need to protect profitability while continuing to invest in our properties, our employees, and our communities.
For hotel owners, these are not abstract issues. They are the conversations happening in our homes, in our offices, and at our front desks every day.
Our Stories Belong in the Room
Last month, I traveled to Washington, D.C., for the AAHOA National Leadership & Advocacy Conference with hundreds of hoteliers. We met with members of Congress and their offices to discuss the issues affecting hotel owners and our ability to operate successful businesses.
When lawmakers hear from a hotelier about the difficulty of accessing capital, managing rising costs, or navigating new regulations, the conversation changes. It’s no longer just about a bill number or a policy proposal, but about the real people and businesses that will live with the outcome.
AAHOA will continue to do its part by monitoring legislative and regulatory issues that could affect our members and keeping you informed about developments. But advocacy can’t belong only to the people who travel to Capitol Hill.
So I will ask you directly: Are you paying attention?
Are you staying informed about the issues that could affect your business? Are you opening the emails, following the updates, and paying attention when AAHOA asks members to take action?
AAHOA works hard to monitor the issues affecting our industry and keep members informed about what is happening in Washington and beyond. But advocacy starts with an informed and engaged membership. We can share the information and create opportunities to make your voice heard, but ultimately, it’s up to each of us to stay involved and take action when it matters.
Don’t Sit This One Out
On November 3, Americans will head to the polls for the midterm elections.
As business owners, we spend a great deal of time making decisions about the future. We evaluate risk. We make investments. We plan ahead.
Voting should be no different.
The people elected this November will make decisions that can affect the environment in which we operate our businesses. Your vote is your opportunity to help shape who is making those decisions.
I understand that hotel owners are busy. But I also know this: If we don’t participate, someone else will make decisions for us.
We have a voice. We have a story. And we have a responsibility to use both.
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