The three-day convention offered sessions in yoga and meditation, music and mixed cuisine for 3,000-odd delegates and their families

NASHVILLE: From April 24-26, close to 3,000 hoteliers and their families, who gathered at the tropical wonderland of Gaylord Opryland Hotel at Nashville for the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) annual convention, not only talked business, but also enjoyed Gujarati Garba and Indian music in the middle of ‘Music City,’ the home of American country music.

Each day began with yoga and meditation to brace the senses, a hearty breakfast given by various big-name sponsors like American Express, lunches that were a mix of Gujarati and other Indian food, topped off by a dinner of authentic Indian cuisine.

The convention and trade show was kicked off with former U.S. vice president Al Gore’s speech, which he gave free, unlike his other addresses around the country where he commands fees in six figures.

But then, the AAHOA, founded in 1989, is the fastest-growing organization in the American hospitality industry.

Every morning, the general session discussed issues uppermost in the minds of hoteliers, with experts and top executives of various firms debating what franchisors did or did not want to do for franchisees, and speeches by noted personalities like Bill Bennett, former Reagan-era secretary of education and Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), Mira Nair, independent film director and founder of Mirabai Films, Inc., and Keshavan Nair, author of ‘A Higher Standard of Leadership: Lessons from the Life of Gandhi.’

The conference also featured a variety of educational seminars, breakout sessions and evening entertainment.

Alongside, close to 350 vendors selling everything from airconditioning units to exercise machines exhibited their wares in a large hall. Evening entertainment had Raas Garba featuring singing duo Preety Pinky on theng day.

“The Raas Garba is a traditional, celebratory dance and is always a highlight of the convention,” said Dan Patel, former chairman, AAHOA. “It is a great way to relax after a busy day and reconnect with your friends, family and culture.” And that’s what everyone did.

Udit Narayan with his songs was a hit at the closing gala dinner on April 26, where officeholders gave farewell speeches and welcomed those who would take their place this year.

“This was one of the most successful annual conventions to date,” said Mike Amin, who became AAHOA’s chairman on April 26 and served as the 2002 AAHOA annual convention chairman. “Not only were the speakers on-target and well-received, but the educational seminars proved timely.”

Topics discussed in each afternoon’s concurrent educational seminars included ‘Sales Success or Survival During the Hotel Crisis,’ ‘Learn How You Can Make the Most of Hotel Technology’ and ‘Translating a Good Manager into a Good Leader.’

The convention also featured several panel discussions, including ‘Extended Stay Hotels: The Strong Market;’ ‘The Franchise Partnership: More Important than Ever;’ and the ‘Industry Issues Forum.’

“The industry issues forum is a much-anticipated event each year. This year was no different,” said Fred Schwartz, president, AAHOA. “And while a little firework was inevitable when you put a group of savvy hoteliers in a room with top franchising executives, I think it provided positive learning opportunities for all involved.”

The AAHOA industry issues panel discussion, one of few public forums where franchisors are put together with franchisees, was moderated by Robert Nozar of Nozar Communications, and included: Stephen Holmes, vice chairman, Cendant Corp.; Tom Keltner, president, Brand Performance & Franchise Development Group, Hilton Hotels Corp.; Charles Ledsinger, Jr., president and chief executive officer (CEO), Choice Hotels International; Georges Le Mener, president and CEO, Accor Lodging; Michael Leven, president and CEO, U.S. Franchise Systems; and Ravi Saligram, brand president, Americas Division, Six Continents Hotels. During this discussion the brand executives were surprised by some negative franchisee reactions.

“Clearly, franchisee-franchisor relations are more challenging in times of economic downturn,” said Schwartz, judging from the lively and sometimes-acrimonious debate that took place.

“However, I think AAHOA has made great progress in this area over the last 12 years, and we will continue to address issues of concern.”

It was full-house at the passionate discussions that characterized the women’s panel, the youth panel, and the independent hoteliers’ meetings. “The turnout at these sessions was remarkable this year,” Amin noted.

“We were very pleased to see men at the women’s conference, parents at the future hoteliers’ conference and franchise owners at the independent hoteliers’ conference. Having people there, able to present different sides of the issues discussed, really allowed these forums to be both productive and exciting.”