Rana is EVP of membership and events, Smith is EVP of business development
AAHOA named Geetika Rana, left, executive vice president of membership and events, and Dennis Smith, executive vice president of business development.
By Vishnu Rageev RFeb 11, 2025
AAHOA Elevates Geetika Rana & Dennis Smith to Key Leadership Roles
Geetika Rana is now AAHOA’s executive vice president of membership and events, while Dennis Smith is the new executive vice president of business development. Rana, with AAHOA since 2012, and Smith, who joined in 2022, were most recently SVP of membership and VP of business development, respectively.
"Geetika's extensive experience with our members and events, combined with Dennis's expertise in building strategic partnerships, will significantly enhance AAHOA's ability to meet the evolving needs of our members,” Blake said. “These leadership advancements position AAHOA for continued success in leading the hospitality industry forward."
Rana said she is honored to take on the role and continue serving AAHOA's members, partners and the hospitality industry.
"Our members are the backbone of this association, and I look forward to growing and strengthening the community through enhanced programs, events, and opportunities," said Rana, who previously served as general manager of two hotels.
Smith called this an exciting time for AAHOA and its partners.
"I look forward to taking on this expanded leadership role and fostering stronger connections that bring value to our members and partners,” he said.
Meanwhile, AAHOA also promoted Alyson Corey to vice president of conventions and Frederick Thompson to vice president of finance and strategic planning.
"I am thrilled about the promotions of Alyson and Frederick," Blake said. "Alyson's dedication to delivering exceptional conventions and Frederick's strategic financial expertise will further strengthen AAHOA's efforts to lead the hospitality industry into the future."
Blake and Neal Patel of Patel Partners were named among The Hill’s Top Lobbyists of 2024 for their advocacy for the hotel industry.
Hyatt Hotels Corp. marked 45 years of its Park Hyatt brand.
It recently launched “Luxury Is Personal,” its first global campaign in more than five years.
Its luxury hotel portfolio has grown 146 percent since 2017.
HYATT HOTELS CORP. marked the 45th anniversary of its Park Hyatt brand, launched in 1980 with Park Hyatt Chicago. It also introduced “Luxury Is Personal,” its first global marketing campaign for the brand in more than five years.
“The Park Hyatt campaign celebrates luxury not just as a grand performance, but as an intimate convergence of refined details that resonate long after the stay,” said Katie Johnson, Hyatt’s vice president and global brand leader for luxury. “As we celebrate 45 years of Park Hyatt hotels, we are proud of the personal touch we bring to serving our guests and members and can’t wait to breathe new life into the brand as we head into our next chapter.”
The campaign coincides with Hyatt’s expansion of the Park Hyatt brand across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, the statement said. Hyatt reports its luxury hotel portfolio has grown 146 percent since 2017 and includes Park Hyatt, Alila and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
A recent Hyatt Inclusive Collection survey found that most Americans define quality time as moments with loved ones, but 82 percent say they don’t get enough.
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President Donald Trump will meet Congress as a shutdown looms.
Democrats say they are ready to negotiate a bipartisan deal.
Thousands of federal jobs and the U.S. travel economy are at risk if a shutdown occurs.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP will meet Congressional leaders on Monday after Senate Democrats rejected a Republican stopgap spending bill to fund the government until Nov. 21. The U.S. Travel Association recently warned a government shutdown could cost the travel economy $1 billion a week.
Democrats want spending bills to reverse Trump’s Medicaid cuts, while Republicans want healthcare addressed in broader budget talks, according to Al Jazeera.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are expected to meet Trump at the White House.
“If it has to shut down, it’ll have to shut down. But they’re the ones that are shutting down government,” Trump told ABC News.
Democrats shifted the blame to Trump but also kept the door open to negotiations.
“President Trump has once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office,” the Democratic leaders said. “As we have repeatedly said, Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people. We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican healthcare crisis. Time is running out.”
The government will shut down Wednesday if Congress doesn’t pass a short-term spending bill. The Senate could vote Monday on an extension Democrats previously rejected, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The White House warned that thousands of government jobs could be at risk if the government shuts down at midnight Tuesday. In a memo to federal agencies, the administration said Reduction-in-Force plans would go beyond standard furloughs, according to POLITICO.
Trump reportedly warned Sunday of widespread layoffs if the government shuts down this week.
“We are going to cut a lot of the people that … we’re able to cut on a permanent basis,” he said.
More than 100,000 federal employees could lose their jobs as early as Tuesday if the government shuts down, India’s Times Now reported.
A shutdown would disrupt federal agencies, including the TSA and hurt the travel economy, USTA CEO Geoff Freeman wrote in a Sept. 25 letter to Congress.
A recent Ipsos survey cited in the USTA letter found 60 percent of Americans would cancel or avoid air travel during a shutdown. About 81 percent said shutdowns harm the economy and inconvenience travelers and 88 percent said Congress should act across party lines to prevent one.
USTA said the U.S. travel economy could lose $1 billion a week in a government shutdown.
White House reportedly ordered agencies to plan layoffs of nonessential staff.
Around 88 percent of Americans want Congress to prevent a shutdown.
A LOOMING U.S. government shutdown could cost America’s travel economy $1 billion a week, the U.S. Travel Association said. Federal funding runs through Sept. 30 and without a stopgap budget, many operations would halt on Oct. 1.
President Donald Trump blames Democrats for failing to reach a deal, while Democrats criticize him for canceling a negotiation meeting. Senate Democrats had previously resisted a shutdown over fears of mass firings and deep spending cuts, but a similar threat now looms, Fox News reported.
Meanwhile, the White House budget office is directing federal agencies to prepare layoff plans for nonessential employees in a potential shutdown, Politico reported. The Office of Management and Budget’s plan to permanently cut the workforce, detailed in a memo shared with POLITICO ahead of release to agencies, raises the stakes of a shutdown next week.
A shutdown would disrupt federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration and hurt the travel economy, U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman wrote in a Sept. 25 letter to Congress.
USTA called on Congress to act to prevent the looming threat.
“A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy—costing $1 billion each week—and affecting millions of travelers and businesses while straining an already overextended federal travel workforce,” Freeman said. “While Congress recently provided a $12.5 billion down payment to modernize our nation’s air travel system and improve safety and efficiency, this modernization will stop in the event of a shutdown.”
USTA said that halting air traffic controller hiring and training would worsen a nationwide shortage of more than 2,800 controllers and further strain the air travel system.
If the Federal Aviation Administration cannot hire or train controllers, longer security lines, flight delays and cancellations are likely, Freeman wrote in the letter. Programs for air traffic control, however, are slated to continue during a shutdown.
A recent Ipsos survey cited in the USTA letter found 60 percent of Americans would cancel or avoid air travel during a shutdown. Approximately 81 percent said shutdowns harm the economy and inconvenience travelers and 88 percent said Congress should work across party lines to prevent one.
About 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees, responsible for airport security, would work without pay, worsening staffing challenges, Reuters reported.
Shutdown losses would add to a projected $29 billion drop in visitor spending in 2025, driven by fewer international visitors and weaker domestic demand, according to Forbes.
The U.S. tourism industry entered 2025 expecting growth in travel demand and visitor spending. International arrivals, however, are down due to an eight-month Canadian travel boycott and a summer decline in Indian tourists amid disputes between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over tariffs, Russian oil and credit for an India-Pakistan ceasefire, Forbes said.
In December, President Joe Biden signed the American Relief Act, preventing a shutdown before Christmas and funding the government through March 14.
The H-2B visa program protects U.S. jobs and wages, according to AHLA citing a study.
It allows hotels and resorts to meet travelers’ needs while supporting the economy.
It provides foreign workers for seasonal jobs when domestic workers are unavailable.
THE H-2B VISA program does not harm U.S. jobs or wages but increases pay and supports the labor force, according to an Edgeworth Economics study. Citing that study, the American Hotel & Lodging Association said the program enables hotels and resorts to meet travelers’ needs while supporting the workforce and economy.
The Edgeworth study for the H-2B Workforce Coalition found the program allows businesses to hire foreign workers for seasonal jobs when domestic workers are unavailable. It showed no evidence that increases in H-2B visas reduce U.S. employment or wages. Instead, each H-2B worker supports three to five local jobs and areas with more H-2B workers saw wages grow 1.6 percent faster.
“Areas that hired more H-2B workers under the higher visa cap saw greater job and wage growth among U.S. workers,” said Steve Bronars, partner at Edgeworth Economics, citing findings consistent with an earlier analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Ashley McNeil, AHLA’s vice president of federal government affairs and chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition, said the new analysis underscores the H-2B program’s clear value to local communities.
“The hotel industry, which is still 200,000 workers short compared to pre-pandemic levels, relies on legal guest worker programs to augment our workforce, particularly to address seasonal demands,” McNeil said. “Access to the H-2B visa program has been critical in allowing hotels and resorts of all sizes to meet travelers’ needs, while supporting the local workforce and economy.”
The program has also helped businesses manage peak-season labor shortages, easing the workload for full-time employees. Landscaping accounts for nearly 40 percent of certified H-2B workers. Hotels and motels account for 8.67 percent, support activities for forestry 6.3 percent and seafood processing and packaging 5.65 percent.
“This study reaffirms what our members have long recognized: despite extensive recruitment efforts, there remains a critical shortage of U.S. workers willing or available to fill temporary positions that are currently being filled by H-2B workers,” said Arnulfo Hinojosa, COO of the Federation of Workers and Employers of America and vice chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition. “H-2B workers allow seasonal businesses to operate at a higher capacity and create more U.S. jobs.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump recently signed a proclamation raising the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 annually, a move that could affect Indian professionals in the U.S.
AAHOA’s FNAC focused on SBA loans, visa fees and Brand USA funding.
The association hosted a reception for members who donated $1,001 or more to its PAC, which supports advocacy on Capitol Hill and in state capitals.
The event featured SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia.
AAHOA’s FALL NATIONAL Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 16 to 17 focused on expanding Small Business Administration loan access, repealing the Visa Integrity Fee and restoring Brand USA funding. The biannual conferences bring hotel owners together each spring and fall to meet lawmakers and advance their priorities in federal policymaking.
The members engaged lawmakers to ensure hotel owners’ views were included in federal decision-making, the association said in a statement. This year’s event featured SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, home to AAHOA’s headquarters.
"Our members operate in every congressional district and their impact is felt in communities nationwide," said Kamalesh “KP” Patel, AAHOA chairman. "FNAC is about ensuring lawmakers understand what hotel owners are experiencing on the ground—what's working, what's not and what's urgently needed. Whether expanding SBA loan access through the STRONG/LIONs Acts or supporting tourism, we advocate for policies that strengthen small businesses and support long-term industry growth."
The association also hosted a reception for members who donated $1,001 or more to its political action committee, which enables AAHOA to advocate for members on Capitol Hill and in state capitals nationwide.
Patel said the PAC gives AAHOA members influence where it matters most—in Congress and state legislatures nationwide.
"Every dollar contributed strengthens our ability to protect hotel owners' interests, shape smarter policies and ensure our industry continues to thrive for years," he said.
Day 1 – Advocacy education
Loeffler outlined the SBA’s role in providing loans, counseling through 1,000 Small Business Development Centers and federal contracting.
"I thank you for what you do in your local communities," Loeffler said. "It's jobs, it's opportunity, it's economic growth, it's also the cultural heartbeat that's small business, so thank you for your leadership."
She also discussed efforts to combat fraud, improve loan programs, reduce regulations and highlighted $4 billion in disaster recovery loans and initiatives supporting manufacturing and innovation.
"Thank you for being in Washington to make sure people hear your voice and appreciate the work you all do," she said. "The Small Business Administration is here for you. We're going to be stronger. We already are stronger and we will be offering more programs that help real growth, whether it's around technology, lending, business counseling, or disaster loans. We're focused on all aspects of making small businesses stronger. That's a commitment you have from President Trump, me and our entire team, SBA."
The evening concluded with a Congressional Reception, where AAHOA members had the opportunity to engage directly with lawmakers. Attendees included Democratic Rep. Judy Chu of California, Republican Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida, Republican Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan. The event provided a forum for discussions on key industry issues, policy priorities, and ways to strengthen collaboration between hotel owners and legislators.
Day 2 – Pushing for reforms
AAHOA members met with members of Congress and staff to discuss industry priorities on the second day, focusing on stability, competition and support for small business owners.
Top policy priorities:
Support H.R. 4153, the STRONG Act and S. 901, the LIONs Act, to increase SBA 7(a) and 504 loan limits from five million to ten million dollars.
Repeal the Visa Integrity Fee to boost international tourism and economic growth.
Restore and expand Brand USA funding to drive tourism, revenue, and job creation nationwide.
Additional priorities included S. 1838 and H.R. 3881, the Credit Card Competition Act; H.R. 4366, the Save Local Business Act; H.R. 4393, the Dignity Act; H.R. 4323, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025 and H.R. 4442, the CHARGE Act, Catalyzing Housing and American Ready Growth and Expansion Investments.
"Our nearly 20,000 members own 60 percent of U.S. hotels and contribute over $370 billion to the national GDP—proof that when hotel owners speak, they are speaking for our economy," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA President & CEO. "Advocacy is not just talking—it is our economic footprint in action. By engaging directly with policymakers at FNAC, we're ensuring hotel owners not only survive but thrive. That's a win for communities across the country."
In March, AAHOA’s Spring National Advocacy Conference focused on raising SBA loan limits through the LIONs Act, supporting tax reforms, advocating for the Credit Card Competition Act and addressing the labor shortage.