Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently senior editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
A JANUARY TRADE mission to India will bring benefits to the California hospitality industry, said Bijal Patel, chairman of the California Hotel & Lodging Association. Now Patel is encouraging lodging associations in other states, and national organizations like AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, to attend similar trips.
Patel was one of 15 officials on the trip sponsored by California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and United Airlines, which had just launched new direct flights between San Francisco and New Delhi. Tourism promotion agency Visit California also participated in the delegation.
“They wanted to promote the new flights, they wanted to promoted tourism and trade between California and India,” Patel said. “It was significant because it was the first time really tourism [companies] rallied together as a whole to participate in something. Usually the hotel industry is on its own, the airline industry is on its own, we do things in parallel but separately.”
The delegation spent four days in India and participated in the Raisina Dialogue, a conference attended by the foreign ministers of countries including Australia, Russia, Iran, South Africa, Bhutan and Uzbekistan.
One of the immediate benefits of the trip was a deal between Visit California and the Producers Guild of India that provides incentives for filming in California for Indian movies and for television. For Patel, though, it’s all about promoting travel that benefits CHLA’s 3,000 members.
“In 2018, 350,000 Indians visited California and spent collectively $1.2 billion on our tourism industry,” Patel said. “We hope to increase that number to 450,000 by next year.”
The trip also is the first of many, he said.
“I think for many of us, we didn’t look at this as a sort of ceremonial one and done,” Patel said. “I think the opportunities here are endless in terms of how to continue and strengthen the partnership.”
Hospitality groups and associations in other states have participated in similar trips. In 2018, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner partially funded a trade mission to India with revenue from the city’s hotel tax. Among the 13 delegates on that trip was Hasu Patel of Unity Hotels Group, president of the Small Independent Motel Owners Association and the Indo-American Political Action Committee.
Hasu Patel also helped organize last year’s “Howdy Modi” event in which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to them at Houston’s NRG Stadium. That event also came about as the result of a trade mission by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Bijal said he encourages other associations to participate in other trade missions if they have a chance.
“When we’ve come back and seen the positive results of this, it is something I’d like to bring to AHLA and AAHOA,” he said. “Having a hospitality component to these trade and tourism delegations is extremely important. In the past, people haven’t realized the importance of hospitality. We’ve been in background, we haven’t been at the forefront. I think if we show the benefits of this trip and how successful it can be, I think it will change the mindset of how hospitality is viewed.”
Sonesta launched Americas Best Value Studios, an extended-stay version of ABVI.
The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping.
The brand meets demand for longer-term, value-focused stays.
SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. launched Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta, an extended-stay version of its franchised brand, Americas Best Value Inn. The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping, optional fitness center and lobby market along with standard brand requirements.
The brand aims to address the growing demand for longer-term, value-driven accommodations, Sonesta said in a statement.
"Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta represents a strategic evolution of our trusted Americas Best Value Inn brand," Keith Pierce, Sonesta’s executive vice president and president of franchise development, said. "We are expanding our offerings to directly address the increasing demand within the extended-stay segment, providing a practical solution for travelers seeking longer-term lodging at value. This new brand type allows our local franchised owner-operators to tap into a growing market while maintaining the community-focused experience that Americas Best Value Inn is known for."
ABVI has a majority presence in secondary and tertiary markets, the statement said.
The extended-stay brand’s operational model features a front desk, bi-weekly housekeeping, on-site laundry and pet-friendly accommodations, Sonesta said. Guests can also earn or redeem points through the Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program.
In August, Sonesta named Stayntouch its preferred property management system after a two-year review of its ability to support the company’s franchise model. The company operates more than 1,100 properties with more than 100,000 rooms across 13 brands on three continents.
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