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.
AT A TIME when so many people are avoiding contact with each other to slow the spread of COVID-19, hoteliers Raju and Dharmistha Patel of San Antonio, Texas, drove six hours round trip to save the life of a stranger with a plasma donation. And they did it a couple of weeks after they had recovered from the disease.
“We feel so blessed to be recovered and be able to help out,” Dharmistha said.
The story began on March 14, when Dharmistha first started showing symptoms of the disease that has killed more than 170,000 people worldwide, including more than 42,000 in the U.S. It would be about 10 days before she was finally tested for the disease.
Passing through the dark valley
“I started vomiting and then had a fever that night,” Dharmistha said. “We were in Houston and we drove home. I felt ill a couple of times on the road and then I was fine when I got home. I ate my dinner with my family, but again at night I was throwing up.”
She called the doctor in the morning, but because she had a fever, he sent her to the emergency room. The doctor there did not test her for coronavirus, though.
“The doctor said I had food poisoning and I was dehydrated,” she said.
He sent her home after an IV and medicine for the dehydration. Her symptoms went in and out over the next few days until she reached a point where the symptoms, including chills, were wearing her down.
“Crazy chills, I never had that kind of chills,” she said. “I was wearing four jackets, four blankets and said let me have one more.”
Then she was fine for a couple of days, then back with body aches and chills. She lost her appetite and sense of smell and was very week. At one point she blacked out.
Raju called their daughter, a nurse practitioner in San Jose, California, and told her what was happening.
“She kept on telling me mom, I don’t know why they’re not checking and I don’t want to scare you but I think you’ve got it,” Dharmistha said.
She went to the doctor again with a fever of 104, too tired to sit up, and was once again denied a test by a doctor citing a shortage, and instead sent her home with a B12 ejection. She was fine for a day but then the fever returned.
This time she called a new doctor who said he would see her right away.
“They tested me and sure enough, I was positive,” she said. “But, fortunately, I was over all my symptoms when the doctor called [with the test results].”
Then it was Raju’s turn.
“Raju was with me the whole time so he knew he is, too,” she said.
Raju suffered similar symptoms after taking his wife for the test.
“So, I called Dr. Patel and he said you have to come in, we have to test you too,” he said. “I came out positive.”
His symptoms lasted a week. They self-isolated in separate rooms as friends kept checking and bringing food. During isolation they walked and did yoga in their rooms.
Dharmistha is 53 and Raju is 57, and while their kids have all moved out Raju’s parents live with them. They were not infected, however.
They were recovered by April 10, and now they feel fine. Then came a call from their friend, Houston hotelier Samir Patel.
“He said one of his friends needed plasma,” Raju said.
Bringing the light with them
Samir, chairman at Wayside Investment Group and a leader in the Houston Indian American community, had been contacted by the family of a man who was in critical condition with COVID-19 at Houston Methodist Hospital.
“Somebody reached out to Samir Patel asking if we knew of somebody who was positive for the coronavirus. If they recovered, giving plasma could save a life,” said Dina Patel, another Houston hotelier who is a partner with Samir’s son Miraj Patel, president of Wayside.
Houston Methodist is undertaking an experimental treatment for COVID-19 that involves transfusing critically ill patients with plasma from the blood of those who had been infected and recovered.
Samir reached out to Dharmistha and Raju and asked them to help. The first step was a blood test to confirm that they were negative for the coronavirus and a match for the transfusion.
“It’s so lucky that they matched,” Dina said. “It just took a phone call and they didn’t even hesitate.”
Raju said they drove to Houston the next day after the call.
“We had to drive three hours there and to come back three hours,” he said.
It didn’t matter to them that they didn’t know the patient, whose name was not released but who is now recovering from the virus at home.
“We didn’t know the person, we did not know his name until after,” Dharmistha said. “We just did it because somebody, some person, a human being, needed it. We would have done it for anyone.”
The patient actually got Raju’s plasma, she added.
Generosity is contagious, too
Another striking aspect of the story, Miraj said, is that Raju and Dharmistha were willing to face the disease and their recovery openly.
“A lot of people have been hiding from it. They don’t want to tell anybody,” Patel said.
His father’s search for a donor was at first hindered by that reticence from other recovering COVID-19 patients.
“For the last four days he’s been on phone calls, reaching out to people and seeing if somebody could please help this individual, and a lot of people hid the fact that they’d had it,” Miraj said.
Now that the story is out, though, it has brought out the best in the community.
“Everybody who’s heard about this story has pitched in to give [Raju and Dharmistha] food. After giving blood you have to eat food,” he said. “Everybody was trying to make them food and they were going to leave it outside their home.”
IHG launched its 20th global brand, Ruby, in the U.S.
The brand offers serves city-centers and urban locations with restrictions.
It focuses on major urban markets with new-build, conversion, and adaptive reuse.
IHG HOTELS & RESORTS introduced Ruby Hotels, its 20th global brand, to the U.S. It is designed to fit in city centers and urban locations with entry barriers and space constraints.
The company’s growth plan will focus on major urban markets and include new-build, conversion and adaptive reuse projects, IHG said in a statement.
“Ruby is a brand built for the future of hospitality,” said Jolyon Bulley, IHG's CEO for the Americas. “Its success in Europe speaks to the growing demand for flexible, lifestyle-focused hotels in highly traveled locations. Ruby’s U.S. introduction will complement our premium portfolio and offer owners a differentiated product with strong economics and scalable growth potential. We’re encouraged by the initial interest and buzz around Ruby, which reinforces our confidence in its appeal and ability to thrive in this market.”
Ruby, founded in Germany in 2013, joined the IHG portfolio earlier this year and has 34 open or pipeline hotels in European cities. The U.S. launch reflects IHG’s plan to grow the brand to more than 120 hotels in the next decade and more than 250 in 20 years.
Lauren Krostue, Ruby's vice president for global brand management, said Ruby allows IHG to connect with a new type of traveler—those who value unique stays at an accessible price point.
"In bringing Ruby to the U.S., we will retain what’s made the brand so special in Europe—including its unique design and operating model—while localizing certain elements to reflect market needs," she said. "We look forward to introducing the Ruby experience to a new group of owners and guests and showcasing what sets the brand apart in the increasingly popular ‘urban micro’ segment.”
IHG nearly doubled global conversion signings from 2023 to 2024, with conversions representing about 60 percent of openings and 40 percent of signings in the first quarter of 2025.
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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.
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.
The use of AI agents hotels must rethink customer loyalty, a FAU study finds.
The paper proposes strategies as AI becomes the main booking channel.
Researchers warn of ethical and privacy issues.
HOTELS MUST RETHINK how they build and maintain loyalty as artificial intelligence systems make travel decisions and bookings for consumers, according to a study by Florida Atlantic University. The rise of artificial intelligence agents will complicate hotel customer loyalty management.
“AI agents will be the new gatekeepers of loyalty,” said Anil Bilgihan, FAU College of Business professor of hospitality management. “The question is no longer just ‘How do we win a customer’s heart?’ but ‘How do we win the trust of the algorithms advising them?’ Hotels need to prepare for a future where a guest’s preferred brand may be decided before they even open their phone.”
As consumers use AI agents to search for hotels, check availability, compare prices, analyze reviews and make bookings, decision-making will shift to the algorithm, creating loyalty to the agent or its ecosystem rather than to the brand, the report said.
Bilgihan said AI is not influenced by traditional advertising and sorts options based on algorithmic criteria.
“Imagine a traveler asking their AI agent to book a hotel in Miami within a certain budget, with a pool and strong reviews,” he said. “If your hotel doesn’t appear in that recommendation set, you may never be considered. Hotels must design loyalty programs, digital visibility and service experiences that appeal to both human guests and the AI systems filtering choices on their behalf.”
The paper proposes a framework for hotels to rethink loyalty strategies as AI agents become the main channel for travel bookings. While emotional branding still matters for humans, marketers should focus on loyalty programs that engage both humans and AI systems, using customer data to tailor experiences, improve algorithmic visibility and design programs appealing to both, the study said.
Researchers also warned of ethical and privacy concerns, including algorithmic bias, limited consumer understanding of how AI agents work and challenges in brand visibility.
“At the end of the day, technology doesn’t replace the fundamentals,” Bilgihan said. “AI may shape how guests discover and book, but the foundation of loyalty will always be the experience once they arrive.”
The paper in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management was authored by Max Ostinelli, assistant professor of marketing; Ye Zhang, associate professor of hospitality management; Melanie Lorenz, associate professor of marketing and Bilgihan.
New York University’s State of Distribution 2025 found a gap between AI potential and hotel operational readiness, as teams are still developing training, systems and workflows. In May, India’s International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) Kolkata launched ‘NamAIste – IIHM HospitalityGPT,’ the first generative AI platform for the global hospitality industry.
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.