The 2024 Georgia Hotel Conference, hosted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA), took place on Thursday, February 15, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
Part of the AHLA On The Road event series, the informative event attracted over 300 attendees and provided a valuable platform for industry professionals to gain insights, network with peers, and stay updated on the latest developments impacting the hotel sector.
Insightful Sessions and Notable Speakers
The AHLA Foundation hosted a special morning program, ForWard@Atlanta, which focused on advancing women leaders in hospitality and provided inspiration, networking opportunities, and valuable insights for professional growth.
Chip Rogers, President & CEO, AHLA, kicked off the afternoon session, welcoming attendees and introducing the impressive lineup of speakers.
Attorney General Chris Carr highlighted Georgia’s commitment to safety by tackling issues such as human trafficking, gang activity and cyber-crime to help drive economic development.
Jim Sprouse, Executive Director, GHLA summed up the current business environment in one phrase, “The State of Georgia is booming!” The attendees couldn’t agree more with Georgia attracting business and hotel development, not to mention 8 FIFA World Cup matches to be held in Atlanta in 2026.
Jennifer Foster, Sales Executive, STR, shared several interesting findings in the session, “Navigating Change: Unpacking the Impact of the Latest Industry Data on your Business”, covering the overall US hotel market and the Georgia and Atlanta markets.
The Industry Outlook: Buying and Selling panel was comprised of Lori Celniker, Director of Capital Markets, IHG, Bill Grice, President, CBRE, Steve Nicholas, Managing Principal, Noble Investment Group and Michael Harper, Executive Vice President, Peachtree Group.
All agreed that 2023 was a rough year for transactions but expect the number to increase when interest rates start to fall. Until then, there is an expectation that brands and banks will not be as flexible as they were during the pandemic, leading to an increase in forced transactions.
The conference also covered the latest policy issues affecting the hotel industry. Chip Rogers, along with Jay Morgan, Founder of JL Morgan Company and Senator Bo Hatchett, provided updates on various policy issues and bills that were currently in play and encouraged communication with government officials.
Anna Blue, President of AHLA Foundation, shared the many ways the Foundation is helping the industry, including an Apprenticeship Program, Academic and Professional Development Scholarships, Mentorship opportunities, ForWard Leadership Programs, and No Room For Trafficking, among others.
Helpful Products and Services
Several suppliers were also in attendance, helping participants learn about many useful products and services. Among them:
- Amy Infante, Founder & CEO of GitGo, highlighted that hotel sales teams need to get “out of the doomed commoditization zone and into the influence zone” and how conversational AI can be used for lead generation.
- Clarisa James, Business Development Manager, Kings III Emergency Communications, educated participants on code requirement changes affecting property elevators and how to ensure guest communication is maintained when problems occur.
- Raymond Schruijer, VP of Sales – Hospitality, Amadeus, explained how they can assist hoteliers in managing relationships from pre to post-guest stay.
- Paul Bennie, VP, Strategic Accounts, Actabl provided interesting findings on hospitality talent, including the impact increased turnover at higher roles has on property financials.
- Tarla McCord explained how Progressive Office Cabling could help clean up the spaghetti mess found in hotel utility closets.
- Aaron Charles, Business Development Manager, Diversey, can help hoteliers save money on cleaning and hygiene products.
- Joel Rosen, Sales Development Representative, Relay, informed attendees about how Relay products provide team communications and staff safety in one platform.
Worth Your Time
The key takeaways from the 2024 Georgia Hotel Conference included insights into policy issues impacting Georgia hotels, workforce challenges and solutions, best practices for revenue generation, and key national and local industry initiatives.
The event provided an opportunity for attendees to network with local hoteliers and industry leaders, learn about the latest recruitment practices, hear from VIP speakers, including elected officials and tourism executives, and gain policy updates on issues impacting their hotels.
The conference also offered valuable information on industry outlook, legislative insights, financial transaction outlooks, and workforce challenges and solutions from a range of prominent speakers and industry experts.
Several stops remain ahead as AHLA On The Road continues across the United States. Plan on attending one of the regional sessions. It will be time well spent.
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