From coast to coast, AAHOA advocacy furthered industry interests By Almario Duehart, MPA, & Ryan Albers In 2026, AAHOA continues to deliver meaningful advocacy victories at the state and local levels that directly strengthen the business environment for hotel owners across the country. Through coordinated engagement with lawmakers, coalition-building, and grassroots … [Read more...] about Making Hotel Owners’ Voices Heard
Imesh Vaidya’s American Dream
A life built one hotel at a time By Nicole Needles From a modest 26-room motel in southeastern New Mexico to leading a growing hospitality company and serving as one of AAHOA’s most respected leaders, Imesh Vaidya understands the American Dream not as a destination, but as a responsibility. For Vaidya, success was built long before he ever entered the hotel business … [Read more...] about Imesh Vaidya’s American Dream
From Humble Beginnings
How Indian Americans built the American hospitality industry By Cathleen Draper When Kanji Manchhu Desai of Digas, D. Lal of Orna, and Nanalal Patel of Butwada left their villages in Surat, they didn’t dream of America. Instead, Patel ventured to Panama in 1922, while D. Lal and Desai made the journey to Trinidad in 1930, all in the hope of providing for their families at … [Read more...] about From Humble Beginnings
Spreading the Risk
The future of ownership goes beyond hospitality By Cathleen Draper For decades, the playbook for hotel ownership was simple: Buy the box, flag it with a strong brand, run it well, and let the returns roll in. But for a growing number of owners, that strategy no longer plays out the way it used to. Margins have tightened, financing has gotten harder to come by, and the … [Read more...] about Spreading the Risk
The Responsibility of Representation
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam seeks to restore access to the American Dream By AAHOA Staff As the son of immigrants and one of six Indian American members of Congress, Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) acutely understands the importance of representation. He also understands the daily challenges that small business owners face – before his time in Congress, Rep. … [Read more...] about The Responsibility of Representation