What is Asian American Hotel Owners Association’s (AAHOA) mission?
AAHOA’s mission is to ‘advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.’ But more simply, it’s to be the voice of America’s hotel owners. We advocate for their best interest in the federal, state, and local government, including involving our members in meeting directly with their lawmakers.
How did your time serving as Georgia State Senate majority leader aid you in your role as president and CEO of AAHOA?
I represented the constituents in my district, and it’s the same way with the AAHOA members. When outside of the organization, I know that I don’t only speak for myself or AAHOA; I speak on behalf of 16,500 business owners who collectively represent half of the hotel industry.
What are the hospitality industry’s current concerns?
One of the most critical issues facing the industry today is the growing number of laws, rules, and regulations coming out of the federal government but also misguided ideas on the state and local level that are obstacles in the hotel industry. AAHOA is working to educate and inform lawmakers of the real-world impact of bad laws. One example is the federal joint employer standard, which is poised to completely upend the franchise model.
What core components make a business thrive?
It’s people, process, and product—but the greatest is people. On a pure numbers basis, hiring someone is a very expensive investment. But it’s all worth it because people are what make a business succeed, especially in the hospitality industry.
What can we expect from AAHOA in the future?
We’ll continue 2017 with regional and special tradeshows; specialty conferences for independent hoteliers, women hoteliers, and young professionals; and dozens of local meetings and events. We’re also excited about one of our newest programs, Hotel ROI. This series was created to give hotel owners deep insight into how to better manage their investment in the hotel industry.
