“We are incredibly excited about the Convention and celebrating AAHOA’s 30th anniversary,” said AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel. “AAHOA continues to take a leading role in the hospitality industry, and we proudly serve as the voice of America’s hoteliers. With record membership and the highest attendance at an AAHOA Convention & Trade Show ever, AAHOA is at the strongest point in our thirty-year history.”

 

Thursday marked the opening of the Convention’s general session that featured AAHOA co-founder and hospitality industry legend Mike Leven, the first AAHOA Chairman HP Rama, and a panel discussion where some of AAHOA’s top-performing members shared their stories of realizing the American Dream. Former White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah spoke about the lessons he learned as one of the highest-ranking spokespeople in the United States government. Khan Academy founder Sal Khan delivered the session’s first keynote address.

 

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and former U.S. Navy Captain Mike Abrashoff will deliver the keynote addresses on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, respectively.

 

The trade show, one of the largest in the industry, features more than 800 booths.

 

The Convention & Trade Show will also feature numerous educational sessions such as Human Trafficking Awareness Training, Certificate in Hotel Ownership (CHO) recertification, Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Program (MIPP), and Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA).

 

“Providing industry-leading opportunities for professional development is yet another way that AAHOA delivers for our members,” said AAHOA Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey. “Our world-class educational offerings began several years ago with the creation of a course in multi-property management. Since then, we’ve rapidly expanded our offerings to meet our members’ needs as we work to provide them with the knowledge and networking to continue growing their businesses.”