New speakers, programming announced for The Hospitality Show 2024
The Show will highlight innovations from more than 400 tech and operations vendors
By Vishnu Rageev RJun 22, 2024
THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Questex recently updated the lineup of speakers and events for The Hospitality Show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, Texas. The Show will offer networking opportunities and showcase new products from more than 400 technology and operations vendors, AHLA and Questex said in a joint statement.
Confirmed speakers include Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Liam Brown, group president for the U.S. and Canada at Marriott International; Kevin Jacobs, CFO and president of Global Development at Hilton Hotels & Resorts; Brian Kirkland, chief information officer of Choice Hotels International; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of KSL Resorts; Kevin Korab, president of Guest Worldwide; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Greg Land, global segment leader for travel and hospitality at Amazon Web Services.
NFL reporter and TV personality Erin Andrews will lead a discussion titled "Game Changers: Power Plays in Sports, Media, and Hospitality," the statement said. The speakers and attendees will join famed chef and humanitarian José Andrés for an Oct. 28 keynote session titled “Changing the World Through the Power of Food.”
The Hospitality Show 2024 will include a welcome reception sponsored by DIRECTV Hospitality at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 28, the Block Party on the River Walk on Oct. 29, and a VIP Owners’ Reception exclusively for owners, facilitating networking and industry insights exchange.
DIRECTV Hospitality, sponsor of the opening reception, will also host an in-room/hotel entertainment activation within The Show’s Expo, offering hands-on tours of the latest guest entertainment. The event will also introduce several new activations, including Smart Outdoors, which will demonstrate how technology and design can enhance revenue generation in outdoor spaces.
“Last year, in its inaugural debut, The Show set the mark for delivering compelling content and actionable insights from the industry’s top influencers and executive decision makers, convening the major brands and market leading service providers and suppliers on a vibrant tradeshow floor that offered an unmatched experience for conference attendees,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA’s interim president and CEO. “This year, The Show will be bigger and deliver even greater value for owners, operators, brands and sponsors/exhibitors.”
Early Bird pricing for the Expo Pass starts at $299 and the All-Access Pass starts at $649, valid until June 28.
AHLA recently rebranded its regional On the Road series to The Hospitality Show, providing networking opportunities and industry updates for hospitality professionals nationwide.
Howard Johnson is marking its 100th anniversary with fried clam–shaped soaps.
The soaps pay homage to an iconic HoJo menu item.
Available at select hotels and for online purchase starting Oct. 3.
HOWARD JOHNSON BY Wyndham marks a century with one of its most famous menu items, the fried clam strip. The brand is introducing limited-edition HoJo’s Original Fried Clam Soap, available at select Howard Johnson hotels across the U.S. and for online purchase beginning Oct. 3.
Designed to resemble the original food item, the soaps are infused with lemon, sea salt and butter in a nod to the butter-soaked rolls that once accompanied the fried clams, according to a statement by Wyndham.
“Howard Johnson is a brand woven into America’s cultural fabric and beloved by millions for generations,” said Marissa Yoss, HoJo’s head of marketing. “As we celebrate 100 years, our limited-edition fried clam soap is a fun, nostalgic tribute to the brand’s storied past and a playful nod to the retro-modern, family-friendly spirit that continues defining our hotels today.”
For World Waffle Day celebrations, Comfort Hotels hosted a one-day Waffle Lounge in New York City on Aug. 21.
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More than 70 percent expect a RevPAR increase in Q4, according to HAMA survey.
Demand is the top concern, cited by 77.8 percent, up from 65 percent in spring.
Only 37 percent expect a U.S. recession in 2025, down from 49 percent earlier in the year.
MORE THAN 70 PERCENT of respondents to a Hospitality Asset Managers Association survey expect a 1 to 3 percent RevPAR increase in the fourth quarter. Demand is the top concern, cited by 77.8 percent of respondents, up from 65 percent in the spring survey.
HAMA’s “Fall 2025 Industry Outlook Survey” found that two-thirds of respondents are pursuing acquisitions, 80 percent plan renovations in the coming year and 57 percent are making or planning changes to brand affiliation or management strategies.
“With hopes high for a stronger fourth quarter, hotel asset managers continue to maintain an optimistic outlook,” said Chad Sorensen, HAMA president. “More than 70 percent of our members expect RevPAR to increase 1 to 3 percent and two-thirds are pursuing acquisitions. With 80 percent planning renovations in the coming year, we see an engaged community focused on performance.”
Conducted among 81 HAMA members, about one-third of the association, the survey reports expectations for revenue growth, property investments and acquisitions.
However, the top three most concerning issues were demand, ADR growth and tariffs, HAMA said.
RevPAR growth forecast
Looking into 2026, 72.8 percent expect 1 to 3 percent growth, 18.5 percent expect 4 to 6 percent, 7.4 percent anticipate flat results and 1.2 percent project a decline. Full-year RevPAR projections versus budget are more mixed: 49 percent expect 1 to 3 percent growth, 17 percent expect flat results, 12 percent expect 4 to 6 percent growth, 2 percent expect 7 percent or more and 19 percent expect declines.
Hotel asset managers note several market pressures, the report said. Other concerns include ADR growth at 51.9 percent, tariffs at 34.6 percent, wage increases at 33.3 percent and potential Federal Reserve rate changes at 32.1 percent. Management company performance at 25.9 percent, immigration and labor trends, union activity and insurance costs were also mentioned.
“The industry is at its highest level of concern around maintaining or increasing rates,” Sorensen said. “There’s pressure to build on the P&L going into 2026.”
Performance projections
Confidence in the broader economy has increased since spring, the survey found. Only 37 percent of respondents expect a U.S. recession in 2025, down from 49 percent earlier in the year.
When asked about properties exceeding gross operating profit forecasts, 59 percent of managers expect 0 to 25 percent of their hotels to surpass targets, 25 percent expect 26 to 50 percent, 10 percent expect 51 to 75 percent and 6 percent expect 76 to 100 percent. Additionally, 20 percent reported returning hotels to lenders or entering forced sales since the spring survey.
Peachtree launched new DST with 131,040‑square foot industrial facility in Mansfield, Texas.
The property was acquired at $180 per square foot.
Peachtree completed $320M in debt-free transactions across multiple markets since 2022.
PEACHTREE GROUP LAUNCHED its latest Delaware Statutory Trust with the acquisition of a newly built 131,040-square-foot industrial facility in Mansfield, Texas. The company has completed about $320 million in debt-free transactions since launching its DST program in 2022, according to its statement.
The rear-load building, completed in 2025, features 36-foot clear heights, a three-acre outdoor storage yard and room for future expansion. The property was acquired for $180 per square foot, below market comparables, and is fully leased to Ferguson, a distributor for professional contractors in North America, Peachtree said in a statement.
“In today's higher-rate environment, where tighter credit and volatile valuations challenge traditional ownership, DSTs have emerged as a compelling alternative,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree’s managing principal and CEO. “They deliver attractive cash flows backed by institutional-quality assets, while also offering tax advantages, professional management and diversification.”
Ferguson signed a 10-year corporate lease beginning in March, with 3 percent annual rent escalations, two five-year extension options and limited landlord obligations, the statement said. With investment-grade credit ratings from S&P BBB+ and Moody’s Baa1, the tenant supports the trust’s income stability and risk profile.
Peachtree’s DSTs, Opportunity Zones and REIT structures form a platform aimed at tax efficiency, compounding benefits and risk-adjusted returns, supported by Peachtree’s integrated asset management.
“Expanding into the industrial sector is a step toward building a diversified DST platform that can perform across cycles,” said Tim Witt, Peachtree’s president of 1031 Exchange and DST Products. “DSTs turn a looming tax bill into compounding wealth, keeping money in commercial real estate, but their true strength is pairing tax efficiency with investments that stand on their own merits.”
Atlanta-based Peachtree is led by Friedman; managing principal and CFO Jatin Desai and principal Mitul Patel. In July, Peachtree added the 128-key SpringHill Suites Phoenix West Avondale in Arizona as its ninth Delaware Statutory Trust offering since launching the program in 2022.
House introduces AFA to boost franchise model and hotel operations.
The act establishes a joint employer standard.
AHLA backs the bill, urging swift adoption.
THE HOUSE Of Representatives introduced the American Franchise Act, aimed at supporting the U.S. franchising sector, including 36,000 franchised hotels and 3 million workers nationwide. The American Hotel & Lodging Association, backed the bill, urging swift adoption to boost the franchise model and clarify joint employer standards.
The AFA amends the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, which since 2015 have created uncertainty for franchisors and franchisees, AHLA said in a statement.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) and Don Davis (D-North Carolina) introduced the AFA.
“Hotel franchising is a pathway to the American Dream for many entrepreneurs,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO. “It is a proven win-win business model that enables partnerships between franchisees and franchisors. The American Franchise Act codifies a clear joint employer definition and is essential to protecting this framework.”
AFA aims to protect the franchise model, which has long enabled women and minority entrepreneurs to run their own businesses with support from larger brands, the statement said. It will clarify the employment relationship by establishing a joint employer standard that protects workers and preserves franchisee autonomy.
Mitch Patel, AHLA board chair and Vision Hospitality Group CEO, said that as a hotel franchisee, he has seen how the model enabled him and others to achieve the American Dream.
“Throughout my career, my hotel business has employed thousands of people who have built lifelong careers in our industry,” he said. “The American Franchise Act is essential to preserving this foundation. For the benefit of both employers and employees, we strongly encourage the swift passage of this critical legislation.”
"As one of the few franchisees in Congress, I understand how damaging an ever-changing joint-employer rule is to the franchise business model,” said Hern. “I'm pleased that we were able to come together in a bipartisan effort to create legislation that safeguards small businesses and individuals working to achieve the American Dream across the country."
Davis said changes to joint-employer rules have created prolonged uncertainty in the industry.
“The American Franchise Act aims to restore stability by clarifying that franchisors and franchisees operate as independent employers while safeguarding workers through established labor standards,” he said.
Separately, a petition for a referendum on Los Angeles’s “Olympic Wage” ordinance, which sets a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers by the 2028 Games, fell short of signatures. The ordinance will take effect, raising hotel wages from $22.50 to $25 next year, $27.50 in 2027 and $30 in 2028.
Noble broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park.
The 10th StudioRes expands Noble’s long-term accommodations platform.
Noble recently acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions.
NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park, a retail center in Mobile, Alabama. It is Noble’s 10th property under Marriott International’s extended stay StudioRes brand.
“Noble is institutionalizing one of the most resilient and undersupplied segments at the intersection of hospitality, mobility and how people stay,” said Shah. “We are scaling a branded platform to capture secular demand that creates stable cash flow and long-term value.”
In May, Noble acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions, expanding its platform in branded long-term accommodations.
Noah Silverman, Marriott International’s global development officer, U.S. & Canada, said breaking ground on the 10th StudioRes with Noble reflects the brand’s growth and the companies’ three-decade partnership.
“With both companies’ expertise in long-term accommodations, Marriott’s distribution channels, and the power of our nearly 248 million Marriott Bonvoy members, we are confident StudioRes is uniquely positioned to generate customer demand at scale, drive performance and sustain long-term growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marriott has more than 50 signed StudioRes projects, about half under construction, the statement said. The first StudioRes opened in Fort Myers, Florida.