Biran Patel elected AAHOA Secretary

April 20, 2017 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Tourism 0

SAN ANTONIO, April 14, 2017 — Members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) elected Texas hotelier and current North Texas Regional Director Biran Patel as the association’s new secretary today at the group’s annual convention and trade show. “This election was an exciting and very rewarding experience, and I am deeply honored to have been chosen to serve as an AAHOA officer for the next four years,” Patel said after the result was announced.

Patel defeated Cabot, Arkansas, hotelier and Director at Large Jayesh (Jay) Lallu in the election. “I would like to congratulate Jayesh Lallu, my extremely worthy opponent, on a well-run race, and to sincerely thank the AAHOA members for their confidence in my ability to one day lead this association as chairman,” said Patel.

Officers are elected to the position of secretary, and ascend through the treasurer and vice chairman roles before becoming chairman. Patel will become chairman at the 2020 AAHOA convention.

AAHOA hosted its largest annual convention to date last week while its leadership chronicled much of the association’s recent progress, which included continued membership growth, additional educational efforts and, most notably, substantial advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.

A second-generation hotelier, Patel began his career in the hotel industry as a teenager while his family lived at the hotel they owned. A member for more than 15 years, Patel has served on five AAHOA committees, was previously an AAHOA regional ambassador and has led North Texas as regional director since 2014. He lives in Irving, Texas.

“Biran has repeatedly proven his dedication both to AAHOA and to the hotel industry in general,” said AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “I am delighted to welcome him to the officer ranks and look forward to his continued invaluable contributions to our association.”

Other successful candidates at this year’s AAHOA elections include Piyush Patel (Director at Large); Lina Patel (Female Director at Large – Eastern Division); Purvi Panwala (Young Professional Director at Large – Eastern Division); Nitin (Nick) Patel (Alabama Panhandle Regional Director); Bharat Patel (Florida Regional Director); Girish (Gary) Patel (Gulf Regional Director); Naresh (Nick) Patel (North Central Regional Director); Sunil (Sunny) Patel (Northeast Regional Director); and Mayur (Mike) Patel (North Texas Regional Director). Georgia Regional Director Kapil (Ken) Patel, South Carolina Regional Director Mahesh (Mike) Patel, and Washington District Regional Director Vinaykumar (Vinay) Patel were re-elected.
Taking place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, the event drew some 6,500 attendees. AAHOA Chairman Bharat (Bruce) Patel, who is now Immediate Past Chairman, framed the group’s progress. “The position of AAHOA in our industry has never been higher, the relationship with AAHOA partners has never been stronger, and the value to AHHOA members has never been better. The records we achieved and the industry recognition that follows are a powerful reminder that AAHOA now has both strength and responsibility,” he said.

Patel continued, “Because of the incredible determination of your AAHOA Board of Directors; the dedication of more than 200 ambassadors; the hard work of the AAHOA staff; and most importantly, the support of over 16,500 members, we are realizing our dream. We’re accomplishing our mission, which is to be the voice of America’s hotel owners,” he said.

Patel noted one of the highlights of the group’s accomplishments is the fact that it raised $1,087,725 in PAC (Political Action Committee) donations for the two-year period. He further added that in 2016 more than 1,100 members contributed to the AAHOA PAC, more than 50 percent more than the year before.

Chip Rogers, AAHOA President and CEO, put the accomplishment into perspective for the association, which was founded in 1996. “One year ago Bruce Patel challenged the AAHOA Board and the AAHOA team to do something honestly none of us thought was possible at the time. We set that goal to raise $1 million in PAC donations for the two-year cycle. To put this into perspective if you take all the PAC money that has been raised since PAC was created in 1997 that total was about 938,000 dollars. The goal we were seeking to reach was to raise more in two years than the previous 18 years combined,” he said.

Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. For more information on the 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, please visit AAHOA.com.

“Hotel Management” Magazine and AAHOA Launch Hotel ROI Conference in Houston

April 10, 2017 Staff ReporterTourism 0

ATLANTA, April 5, 2017 – “Hotel Management,” in collaboration with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), will launch a new one-day conference in Houston on April 24, designed to offer immediately actionable, location-specific hotel-industry metrics for area investors and developers.

In a unique new format, hotel owners and investors will come together to review local market intelligence and operational best practices. Coming on the heels of lower demand caused by the oil crisis combined with rapid supply growth, this series launches in Houston to help the hospitality industry take advantage of the momentum generated by the 2017 Super Bowl.

To help kick off the series, AAHOA Treasurer Hitesh (HP) Patel will speak as part of the conference’s “Minimizing Costs” panel at 11:00 AM.

“With the city’s energy markets set to experience explosive growth over the next several years and tourism at an all-time high, Houston is rapidly becoming a magnet for hotel-industry investors and developers,” said AAHOA Vice Chairman Bhavesh Patel. “The city expects to welcome 20 million annual visitors by 2018, making its selection as a Hotel ROI location a no-brainer.”

The 2017 Hotel ROI series will also travel to Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Charlotte. The Houston event will be held at the Doubletree Suites in Greenway Plaza.

For more information on Hotel ROI and a list of 2017 locations, please visit aahoa.com. Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,000 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.

Stopped At US Airport, Omar Abdullah Resents ‘Tiresome Randomness’

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterTourism 0

Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, was subjected to a “secondary immigration check” upon his arrival in the U.S. due to which he had to spend two hours at the airport. “Another random secondary immigration check upon landing in the U.S. Thrice in three visits, the randomness is growing tiresome now,” Abdullah tweeted.

In another tweet he said, “I just spent TWO hours in a holding area & this happens EVERY time. Unlike @iamsrk I don’t even catch Pokémon to pass the time,” a reference to actor Shah Rukh Khan, who was “detained” in August at the Los Angeles airport, the third time in seven years that he had been stopped by U.S. immigration officials at the country’s airports.

Khan, too, had tweeted that while he fully understood and respected security protocols, “to be detained at U.S. immigration every damn time really really sucks.”

Abdullah said he is in the U.S. to speak at an event at New York University “but almost wish stayed at home instead. Ah well, that’s two hours well & truly wasted!!” he said.

He is scheduled to speak at the event organized by the students of New York University on Oct. 21, which is expected to be attended by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy.

In August, the US had apologized to Shah Rukh Khan, 50, who had tweeted after yet another detention at a US airport: “Every damn time”. The actor has been held back at the New York and New Jersey airports before, because a man with the same name is on a US no-fly list of 80,000 people.

India inks pact with Metropolitan Museum

October 9, 2016 Staff ReporterTourism 0

India’s Ministry of Culture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, signed a Memorandum of Agreement to continue the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program after a pilot project proved successful. The pilot project conducted from 2013 to 2016, provided training for Indian personnel in the latest methods of conserving artifacts and planning exhibitions etc.

The agreement was renewed for the next five years until 2021, and under it the MET will work with the Ministry of Culture to impart a broad range of knowledge on modern operations of museums.

For marking this occasion, the Consulate General of India organized a small reception with the Met Museum officials on Sept 27, where India’s Consul General Riva Ganguly Das welcomed the initiative and hoped the learning would enrich both sides, and help Indian conservationists adopt scientific western methods of conservation and management.

Carrie Rebora Barratt, deputy director for Collections and Administration at the MET, spoke about the need to conserve the rich cultural heritage of India and the mutual learning that will result from the initiative. Mariët Westermann, executive vice president for Programs and Research at Mellon Foundation, the chief sponsor of the program, expressed the same thoughts.

Air India offers special fare to commemorate Newark-Ahmedabad Dreamliner service

July 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshTourism 0

Travelers booking Air India’s new direct 787 Dreamliner service from Newark Liberty International Airport to Ahmedabad can take advantage of the airline’s special Introductory Fare of $787, round trip. The special economy class fare includes all government taxes and fees, including the 9/11 security fee, and fuel surcharges. Tickets must be purchased by July 31. Air India Regional Manager Americas Vandana Sharma told the media.

Giving details of the flight schedules, the District Sales Manager of Air India, Mohan Kothekar said that the flights will operate three times a week, Monday, Thursday, and Friday, starting August 15, 2016, and make a stop in London, enroute. The special fare is good for outbound travel from August 15 to September 30, 2016. There is a $25.00 weekend surcharge for return travel on Fridays, a minimum stay through the first Sunday, and maximum stay of three (3) months. All travel must be completed by December 28, 2016 to qualify. No stopovers are permitted in London, and cancellation and ticketing change fees apply.

Air India’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliners feature a best-in-class Economy class service and a state-of-the-art Business Class service with 180-degree reclining flat beds. As on all Air India flights to India, superb Indian cuisine, including a special Gujarati meal (upon request), is served in both cabins.

Air India has received Global Traveler corporate segment magazine “Best airline of Central/South Asia and India” award on December 16th night at Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel at Los Angeles. This is the second reader selection award received by Air India.

Earlier, on December 4th, 2015, Air India bagged Premier Traveler corporate travel magazine Award for “Best airline to India”. Recently Air India also won the Quality Diamond award at London.

Air India, in a recent report, said, “Our message of nonstop to India from US, UK, Europe and most global markets, the convenient timings, good service and membership into Star Alliance is reaching discerning audiences.”

Air India, India’s national airline, has been in operation since 1932. Today, the airline serves 35 international destinations on four continents, and 66 cities across India. The airline’s fleet of 118 aircraft, including B787 Dreamliners and B777LR’s and ER’s, is one of the world’s youngest. Air India is also a member of the Star Alliance.

Air India occupies a special place in the global and Indian aviation scenario. It pioneered the aviation in India and its history is synonymous with the history of civil aviation in India. Air India is not a mere airline that transports passengers, baggage and cargo. It is a multi-faceted organization. The aviation infrastructure it has created over the years is a testimony of its contribution. Apart from servicing of all its aircraft in-house with its own engineering facilities,

Air India also undertakes ground handling services of many airlines in many cities in India. Air India has grown to become a mega international airline with a network of 34 destinations across the USA, Europe, Australia, Far-East and South-East Asia and the Gulf. The airline’s domestic network covers 52 destinations, including far-flung areas of the North-East, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Air India, today, flies one of the youngest, state-of-the-art, fleet of aircraft comprising a mix of the wide-body Boeing B777s, B747s, its latest acquisition- the B787 Dreamliner and the narrow body Airbus A321s, A320s and A319 aircraft. For additional information visit airindia.in and/or follow us on Facebook/airindia and on Twitter – @airindiain.

Kids’ ‘State Dinner’ hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama has 3 young NRI chefs

July 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshTourism, Youth 0

Three Indian American kids were invited to the White House: the Kids’ ‘State Dinner’ hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama recognizing winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe contest for children to promote cooking and healthy eating on Thursday, July 14^th.

Shakthi Ramachandran, 8, from Indiana, Abhijith Jenkins, 11, from Missouri and Priya Patel,10, from Texas were the three Indian Americans among 56 kids representing each U.S. state, five territories, and the District of Columbia, who were invited for the annual ‘State Dinner’ hosted by First Lady.

These young chefs were winners of a nationwide recipe challenge for U.S. students that promoted cooking and healthy eating. The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, part of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative, selected the winners for their original recipes that included fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.

Ramachandran made ‘Chicken Tikka Pita’ with cucumber raita, Jenkins prepared ‘Tropical Vacation with Catfish and Quinoa’ and Patel cooked ‘Tex-Mex Veg-Head Lasagna.’ The kids, who got a tour of the White House kitchen garden, were also entertained with a performance by the cast of Walt Disney World Resort’s “The Jungle Book.”

Over 1,200 entries were submitted to this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. The winning recipes were selected based on their healthfulness, taste, originality, affordability, and following USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guidance. In addition, the challenge encouraged entries to include local ingredients grown in the entrant’s state, territory, or community.

PTI adds: “Since 2012, as part of Let’s Move!, we’ve hosted five of these Kids’ State Dinners here at the White House. And altogether, we’ve reviewed over 6,000 recipe submissions. We’ve welcomed more than 270 young people and their families. And, of course, we ate a whole lot of good food,” the First Lady said in her address to the kids.

The event is not just about eating well today, she said. “It’s setting kids like all of you up for a lifetime of healthy choices. Because here’s what we know: Eating healthy foods can affect how well you do in school. That’s right,” she said.

According to Ramachandran, one day she asked her father how she could make her favorite food, chicken tikka masala, into a sandwich. “I love chicken and I also like to eat a lot of vegetables,” she said. “This recipe combines all these things and is very tasty and delicious. In the summer most of the vegetables we eat are from our garden. The cucumber raita dressing makes it delicious.”

Patel said she was inspired by her mom to make this recipe. “She always tells us to add vegetables to everything we make and to experiment,” she said. “I love Tex-Mex food and also lasagna, so we thought this was a good way to combine both. My mom also tells us to be flexible so we use canned or frozen vegetables if we’re out of fresh,” she said. “You can substitute any veggies and fruits you like. The possibilities are endless. My mom says not having or liking one ingredient is not an excuse to not try a recipe or to buy fast food!”

Since 2012, under this initiative, the First Lady has hosted five Kids’ State Dinners and welcomed more than 270 young people and their families to the White House, and over 6,000 recipe submissions have been reviewed. “And, of course, we ate a whole lot of good food”, she said, to cheers from the 2016 gathering. “That’s a good thing”.

Camellia Panjabi: The Queen of Indian Food

July 10, 2016 Ajay GhoshProfiles, Tourism 0

A dream can change one’s life. But with Camellia Panjabi, her dream was to prove to the world that Indian cuisine is as sophisticated and as advanced as French, Japanese, Thai or any other. “We should be proud,” she says, “to be Indian and to be inheritors of such a rich legacy.”

Camellia Panjabi is one of India’s leading culinary personalities, known for her innovative contribution to popularizing Indian regional cuisines within India and London, through trendsetting Indian restaurants. She is also known for having brought the street foods of India from the pavements into plush restaurants both in India and abroad.

It was her passion for learning and popularizing the authentic Indian food that made her dedicate her entire life, sharing of the broad spectrum of Indian cuisine to the rest of the world. In researching the project Camellia was aware of- and succeeded against- certain practical challenges: India was a country with around 1.2 billion people, 14 different languages, 29 States, 7 Union Territories, not to mention various cultures – thereby demonstrating contrasts at least as stark as those found between countries across a varied continent like Europe.

Camellia Panjabi: The Queen of Indian Food — Camellia Panjabi

Little surprise then, to find that a national identity of cuisine was not something originally found in India. Camellia found that recipes were the closely guarded secrets of families across the country. To expand her knowledge of regional Indian cuisine, she embarked upon a project that sought to seek information from those families, private chefs and home cooks, a corollary of which was her publication ‘The 50 Great Curries of India’, which has sold 1.5 million copies, and is probably the best selling cookbook on Indian cuisine outside of India.

In the 1960s when Camellia came down from Cambridge, UK and applied for and was able to join the Tata Administrative Service, which was, in those days was an entirely male bastion. After a stint with Tata Oil Mills, Camellia ended up at Indian Hotels, then no more than a company that managed Bombay’s Taj, which was in a state of decline. Camellia has been credited with innovative ideas that changed the Taj and its success story has come to be admired. From just one Hotel, the Taj group in a span of few years, opened several top notch hotels in major cities across India. The marketing campaigns she launched positioned them as the country’s leading luxury chain.

Until Camellia came along, Indian hotels were not known for their food. It was the Taj that changed all that. Shamiana, the coffee shop at the Bombay hotel, was the first to put things like pao bhaji on the menu and the first 5 star posh hotel in India to offer idlis and dosas on the breakfast menu. When Machan opened in Delhi in 1978, the prices were kept low so that younger people could sample the hotel’s unusual fare – one reason why the old Machan still evokes so much affection in people of my generation.

Camellia was also instrumental in introducing the newly discovered Sichuan Chinese cuisine into India, with The Golden Dragon and The House of Ming which opened in Delhi in 1978. Both changed the way in which Indians looked at Chinese food, and swept India leading to the creation of Chindian food or Sichuan / Ludhianvi cuisine, as India’s leading food critic calls it. Her love of Far Eastern food which led to the opening of Paradise Island restaurant in the Eighties at Taj West End hotel and introduced Indians to the cuisines of Thailand.

Celebrating Queen’s 90th Birthday, Veeraswamy in London Attracts Indian Food Lovers to Join In Its Own 90th Anniversary — Namita & Camellia receiving award for best restaurant London for Amaya

Another contribution that Camellia has been credited with is the Taj’s success in persuading north Indians that there was more to south Indian food than idlis and sambar. It was Camellia who pushed the Taj to explore the cooking of India’s west coast: Goa, Mangalore and Kerala and set up the Karavalli restaurant at Taj Gateway Hotel in Bangalore. It was her love for the peppery hotness of Chettinad food that popularized the cuisine first within Chennai and then it spread all over India and the world. Taj chefs were dispatched to private homes in Karai Kudi district of Tamil Nadu to learn how to cook the best dishes and to learn ancient family recipes. Then she launched ‘the Raintree’, the first Chettinad restaurant in India at the Taj Connemara hotel in Chennai. But till the Taj took the plunge in the 1980s, the food of the south remained restricted to the south.

In 1983 Camellia opened the Bombay Brasserie restaurant in London, which introduced regional Indian cooking to the UK for the first time and changed the way Indian cuisine was perceived in London.

Panjabi’s real passion though is a variation on Indian street food. “Street sellers depend on word of mouth. So they have to make it taste the best,” she says. “My mother who was a doctor, did everything in her power to stop us eating it with reasons of hygiene, but with children there is always a way. That love of the taste of street food stays with us through to adulthood.”

After leaving The Taj, in 2001 Camellia Panjabi joined her family’s restaurant company Masala World in London, which owns Chutney Mary in Chelsea, Veeraswamy, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant and Masala Zone throughout London. Amaya, their latest venture, winning several awards. In 1989, Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani formed Chelsea Plaza Restaurants which was later renamed Masala World. The company was formed to create top end restaurant Chutney Mary as an outlet for fine Indian food. The restaurant immediately won accolades and audiences in London. They then bought the ailing Veeraswamy, and turned it around to have a new life as London’s best Indian restaurant, given the award by London’s Time Out magazine.

Camellia Panjabi joined the group as a director in 2001 and together the team of 3 set about the project of Amaya restaurant, which after opening in October 2004 gained a nomination by 7 top food writers of UK as ‘London’s Best Restaurant’ across all cuisines. This was the first city in the world outside India where an Indian restaurant was judged the Best Restaurant. Amaya was also awarded a Michelin star in 2006.

In 2001 they created a new Masala Zone concept and launched it in the colorful Soho district, providing a fresh new approach with Indian street food and the Thali way of eating, including non-vegetarian thalis. The décor of the restaurants is full of spirit using tribal and popular folk art. Now there is a collection of seven restaurants across London.

In 2012, the company as a whole was renamed MW Eat. Most recently, MW Eat moved the iconic restaurant Chutney Mary to beautiful upscale premises on St James’ Street, London and opening Masala Grill on its former site.

Veeraswamy, UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, has been the rendezvous of rich, famous, fashionable lovers of Indian food since its inception in 1926. It celebrates 90 years in 2016 and is credited with being the oldest Indian restaurant in the world. The luxurious, chic, and exotic décor evokes Maharaja’s palaces of the 1920s. A menu of top flight classical dishes from throughout India is combined with more contemporary creations. National Geographic, the highly respected travel magazine, has ranked it as one of the 10 Best Destination Restaurants in the World. No other UK restaurant is in the top 10. Voted “Indian Restaurant of the Year” by them.

Veeraswamy is one of the leading fine dining restaurants serving Indian food in the world today.

For more information go to: http://www.fineindianrestaurants.com/

Celebrating Queen’s 90th Birthday, Veeraswamy in London Attracts Indian Food Lovers to Join In Its Own 90th Anniversary

July 10, 2016 Ajay GhoshTourism 0

We are proud to join in the grand celebration to mark the milestone event in the life of Britain’s longest – serving monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as the world celebrates her 90^th birthday,” declared Camellia Panjabi, co-owner Camellia Panjabi, a world-renowned expert on Indian food. “It’s another milestone for us as the prestigious Veeraswamy restaurant in London, the oldest Indian Restaurant in the world, turned 90-years-old this year.”

Situated in a prime location overlooking London’s Regent Street, Veeraswamy has been offering the finest classical Indian cuisine since 1926. As the first of its kind, it is celebrated as a great historical restaurant of London and certainly as the grand dame of Indian restaurants and is known for its refined cuisine and opulent Raj-inspired style. It has always exuded a great deal of glamour.

Veeraswamy Old Photo - 1920s — Veeraswamy Old Photo – 1920s

Opened by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of an English military strategist and an Indian exotic Mughal princess, Veeraswamy, in its early years, served cuisine of the entire Indian sub-continent. Palmer himself was a retired British Indian Army officer and in 1924 – 5 had run the Indian section at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, where his company, E.P. Veeraswamy & Co., Indian Food Specialists, sold spices, chutneys and curry pastes and ran an Indian café.

A few years later the restaurant was taken over by Sir William Seaward in 1930, an English Member of Parliament. Throughout the 1930s during the Great Depression trade was very difficult, but the owners used great resourcefulness and came through the challenging times. In the 1940s and 1950s the restaurant became a great success.

From then on, the Veerasawmy was wildly successful and continued to attract a celebrity clientele until the 1960s when it started to decline.

The first ever curry in a can was introduced under Veeraswamy Food Products brand in the early 1950s. The restaurant was sold by Sir William in 1967. The food products business under the Veeraswamy name continued to be owned by the couple into the 1990s.

In 1996, the restaurant was bought by Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani, then owners of a successful Indian restaurant called Chutney Mary in Kings road Chelsea. The next 18 months were to see more changes than during the previous 70 years. The restaurant décor was completely updated and adopted an ultramodern theme in the late 1990s; however for its 80^th anniversary in 2006, it was redecorated in the opulent 1920s motif.

Veeraswamy is currently owned by the Chutney Mary group whose owners’ profile now includes Chutney Mary, Amaya and Masala Zone chain. The Company bought back the brand Veeraswamy of pickles, curry pastes and chutneys which is now marketed in the UK and worldwide by BARTS U.K.

In recent decades, based on the popularity of authentic Indian food in the UK, Veeraswamy serves a menu of regional Indian cuisines, including dishes from Punjab, Lucknow, Kashmir, Kerala and Goa. “You can taste all varieties of freshly made food under one roof, elegantly served,” says Panjabi.

Camellia Panjabi, who is the author of “50 Great Curries of India,” which has sold over 1.5 million copies, which describes the secrets to creating authentic Indian curries at home, oversees the menu at Veeraswamy.

The menu is different from other Indian restaurants and really interesting. This is the place to experience classic Indian dishes that you may not even find easily even on restaurant menus in India; there are also some amazing modern creations as you relax in opulent Raj-inspired surroundings.

To celebrate its 90^th year, the menu has incorporated a few dishes from the Royal Palace Kitchens of India – from the Nizams of Hyderabad’s Palace kitchen and the Royal Palace at Patiala.

National Geographic claims that Veeraswamy is among the 10 best “destination and special restaurants” in the world. It’s high-class, high value fine dining right in London’s West End. Described as one of the least expensive restaurant on National Geographic’s list of the Top Ten Destination Restaurants on Earth, and as one of the most mind-blowing meals one has ever experienced in life. For more information and to visit the oldest and the finest Indian Restaurant in the world, please visit: http://www.veeraswamy.com

Jagruti Panwala Named Secretary Of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) During Convention In Tennesse

April 12, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness, Tourism 0

Nashville, TN: April 12, 2016: Jagruti Panwala was elected as the first ever female Secretary of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) during the four-day annual convention held March 29-April 1 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Bruce Patel has been elected as the new chairman of AAHOA, while Chip Rogers will continue to serve as the President of & CEO of the three decades long organization.

The election of the association’s first female officer, record turnout and the heightened fervor to play an active role in the nation’s political process with the aim to raise $1 million, were the highlights of the just concluded convention in Tennessee. The event drew a record turnout – 5,000 hoteliers, vendors and franchise CEOs and their cohorts.

“I am extremely honored and very humbled to be AAHOA’s new secretary,” said Panwala, soon after being elected as the first ever woman to raise to the ranks. All of AAHOA can benefit by electing its first female officer. The win is important, she said, for “women hoteliers, young hoteliers, independent hoteliers and small mom-and-pop owners.” Officers hold each post for one year after being elected secretary.

Jagruti Panwala will succeed to chair of AAHOA in 2019, a first for the 27-year-old organization founded by hoteliers to fight ethnic and racial discrimination in the U.S. hospitality industry. Begun by fewer than 100 hoteliers in 1989, AAHOA has more than 15,000 members and ended 2015 with $11.4 million in revenue.

AAHOA officially kicked off its 2016 convention and trade show in Nashville with a packed-house at the opening general session on March 29th. This year’s sold-out conference theme was “Success by Design.” The general session began with an all-star panel of industry CEOs, which included Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels, Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western, Elie Maalouf, CEO, the Americas, IHG, and Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International.

The panel discussed the current state of lodging and hospitality, new technology, the importance of making hospitality visible on Capitol Hill, and disruption in the industry.

Following the panel, Tennessee governor Bill Haslam took to the stage to talk about the growth of travel and tourism in the state, and the opportunities that the hospitality industry presents for business-minded individuals in both Tennessee and all over the country. In closing, Haslam expressed his gratitude to AAHOA for choosing Nashville for its 2016 conference.

A hot topic of the morning general session was the importance of the hospitality industry to the overall U.S. economy. Chip Rogers spoke passionately about AAHOA’s role in lodging. “As the largest hotel owners’ association in the world, we, all of us, are in a unique position of leadership and responsibility. You see we made an industry that is thriving. And it is thriving in no small part because of the incredible efforts made every day by the very people in this room,” Rogers said. “However, we also share a responsibility. An obligation to serve millions of Americans every day in their home away from home. By every measure, we are meeting and exceeding our obligations.”

Citing the latest industry data—like the fact that the travel and tourism industry is responsible for over 8 million jobs in the United States—Rogers detailed how the lodging industry helps to prop up the country as a whole. “While these numbers are impressive, think about what it means in the lives of those who actually make our industry what it is,” he said. “You see the millions of jobs it helps create, and the billions of dollars of economic effect. It ultimately means that kids get to go to college, families get to take vacations, and the American Dream is realized in all corners of our country.”

Rogers also took an opportunity to introduce the inaugural issue of Today’s Hotelier magazine, AAHOA’s new official publication, as well as an upgrade to the AAHOA website. The magazine was completely redesigned from its last iteration. The morning general session closed with a keynote speech from recently retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.

Jimmy Patel ended his year as chairman, sharing with the audience what AAHOA had accomplished during the past 12 months. Membership increased by 1,000 to 15,175; Revenue grew by 20 percent, surpassing the $10 million budget by $1.4 million; The political action committee (PAC) fund grew to $450,000; and, Established a franchise department where members can directly take their concerns to attorney Rachel Humphrey.

Bruce Patel, chairman of AAHOA, in his address, informed the delegates that AAHOA will continue to charge full steam ahead on its mission as not only the largest hotel owner organization in the world, but the most powerful. Influencing elected officials in federal, state and local governments and educating them about the U.S. hospitality industry is crucial in warding off bad government laws and policies that will harm and eventually dismantle their businesses.

The 42-year-old hotelier from Dallas, Texas, joined the AAHOA officer ranks in 2013, when the membership (then around 11,000) elected him secretary. Over the next three years, the association expanded its office in Washington, D.C., and repositioned its strategy to become more than an Indian American social club – it intentionally morphed into a business organization intent on influencing change on behalf of its members, who own almost half of all the hotels in the U.S.; comprise more than $1.30 billion in real estate assets; and employ more than 600,000. Along the way, it found its voice as that of the hotel owner in America.

Patel told the Gala audience: “While it’s not always clear what this industry has in store for us, especially over the next few years with an uncertain global economy, bad laws and regulations, and even unconventional competitors in an ever-changing landscape; what is clear is that our voice in this industry and in this country has to be louder; our presence has to be stronger; and our influence has to be greater.”

Bruce Patel told the hoteliers that AAHOA must transform its financial power into political power. The goal for 2016 is to increase the PAC fund to more than $1 million. The push is significant for the fall political season, which will see nearly 90 percent of congressional seats open for election. Two years ago, almost every candidate that AAHOA backed through PAC funds and public endorsement won the General Election. “You can see that voters across the country are upset with the political gridlock in D.C., and something has to change. We absolutely have to shake things up,” he said.

Panwala is a businesswoman in Ivyland, Pennsylvania, where she is part of a family hotel company and president and CEO of Wealth Protection Strategies, an investment management business she founded in 1999. She has been active in AAHOA for more than a decade, holding leadership positions since 2011 when first elected female director at large, eastern division. Re-elected in 2014, she has also co-chaired the Women’s Hotelier Committee for five years and served on the strategic planning committee for two years. She testified to Congress against proposed harmful labor laws. Her focus repeatedly has been getting more women, independent and young hoteliers involved. In 2011, she received the prestigious AAHOA Chairman’s Award of Excellence.

She is a second-generation hotelier who migrated from Surat, India, with her parents when she was a teenager. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. Panwala said the message she wants to AAHOA members to hear is that getting involved in the association can make a difference in their lives and in their businesses. “I want all of our members to value their membership and to get meaningful benefits from AAHOA. But to get more out of AAHOA, you must put more into AAHOA – not just by attending meetings, but by taking courses, by serving on committees, and by being an ambassador, for example. I learned that first-hand.

“It’s why I want more members to participate; it’s why I will continue to champion those things that make it worth both your time and your money to be an active member of AAHOA. My new position represents trust by the members that is special and sacred, so I intend to serve in a way that justifies this faith in me – serve in a way that makes all of us proud to be part of the hospitality industry and to be members of AAHOA.”

Chip Rogers, former Georgia State Senate majority leader, has been serving as the President of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) for over one year. Rogers was named interim president of AAHOA last year and has been with the organization nearly five years after having previously served as the association’s VP, government affairs and public relations. Rogers took over from Fred Schwartz, who stepped aside as president in December 2014 after 18 years with AAHOA. Rogers previously served in the Georgia General Assembly, and was elected to six terms, serving two as Senate majority leader.

AAHOA in recent years has leveraged its power and influence on Capitol Hill and is expanding its legislative advocacy to state and local levels. Rogers is well versed in government affairs, having served as a lawmaker in the Georgia State Legislature from 2003 to 2012. He was first elected to the House of Representatives, and in 2004 was elected to the Senate. A Republican, Rogers also elected as the Senate Majority Leader in 2008 and 2010. He resigned from the Senate in 2012.

Rogers, began working with AAHOA in 2009 and previously served as the association’s Vice President of government affairs and public relations. As a lawmaker Rogers earned more than two dozen Legislator of the Year awards, including twice from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and was a three-time winner of the Golden Peach award given to the lawmaker most dedicated to digital learning in Georgia.

In the private sector Rogers has been a long-time small business owner with interests in broadcasting, marketing and real estate. He founded and led Rogers Communications for two decades. He earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in metro Atlanta.

Rogers said, his vision is, when it comes to Congressional influence in the case of laws and policies that impact the lodging industry, that AAHOA be the most powerful lobbying group on Capitol Hill, in state capitols and on the municipal level.

2016 AAHOA Annual Convention & Trade Show In Nashville, TN

March 29, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Tourism 0

Washington, DC: March 28, 2016: Peyton Manning, the NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, who has earned his place among the greatest quarterbacks in league history, and Kevin O’Leary, Entrepreneur, Investor, Journalist, Commentator and TV Personality, currently serving as the chairman of O’Leary Funds and the Manager of the publically traded family of O’Leary Global Equity and Income Funds, are the keynote speakers at the 2016 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show being held in Nashville, TN from March 29th to April 1st.

Expected to have over 4,000 in attendance, the 2016 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show offers something for everyone. From the trade show floor that offers one-stop shopping for every hotelier to the educational programs and esteemed guest speakers, this is sure to be an experience you’ll never forget. As always, the entire event also will feature authentic Indian cuisine, world-class entertainment, thrilling Bollywood performances, and much more.

Sunidhi Chauhan, Kumar Sanu, Karan Patel, M0uni Roy, Rithvik Dhanjani, Sanjeeda Shaik, Gunjan Singh, Rishikeash Ranade, and Torsha Sarkar are among from the Bollywood world, who will be performing on stage to entertain the packed audience from around the world.

The Convention is one of AAHOA’s most exciting events of the year. With more than 4,000 attendees per year, the AAHOA Annual Convention is the largest convention and trade show in the industry. At the convention, the Government Affairs team will host a number of seminars to discuss key issues facing the hospitality industry in state capitals and on capitol hill. Additionally, the Government Affairs team will have a booth where attendees can stop by, and find out what our team is doing for you.

In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act created the opportunity for more than 300,000 Asian Indians to come to the United States over the course of the succeeding two decades. Many of these new immigrants arrived in America with backgrounds as entrepreneurs and business owners. During the 1970s, Indian Americans saw tremendous opportunities for prosperity in the hospitality industry, and many began to save their money in order to purchase hotels. Word quickly spread throughout the community about the potential of the hotel industry as a niche market, and the Indian American influence in hospitality began.

These new hoteliers faced discrimination within the industry, particularly from banks and insurance companies. To overcome these obstacles, hoteliers collaborated to form various groups, culminating in the creation of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) in 1989.

In 2014, AAHOA celebrated its 25th anniversary and is currently one of hospitality industry’s most respected and influential organizations. AAHOA represents more than 14,000 members nationwide, who own more than 20,000 properties, amounting to more than 40% of all hotels in the United States. AAHOA members employ nearly 600,000 American workers, and account for nearly $10 billion in payroll annually. AAHOA truly represents America’s hotel owners.

AAHOA promotes and protects the interests of its members by inspiring excellence through programs and initiatives in advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, membership benefits and community involvement. The Convention is the premier event of the year by AAHOA that one can’t afford to miss. For more details on AAHOA and the 2016 convention, please visit: www.aahoa.com

PlanMyMedicalTrip.com Helps Foreign Patients to Get Best Deals in India

March 16, 2016 Ajay GhoshHealth, Tourism 0

Medical tourism to India has grown many folds in the past few years. The surge in foreign patients seeking Indian health facilities for specialized and cost-effective medical care has resulted in the mushrooming of online start-ups that help foreign nationals find the best treatment in the country. One such medical tourism start-up, PlanMyMedicalTrip.com, which was started nine years back, is now serving as a one-stop solution provider for foreign medical tourists.

“We have patients coming in from all over the world. However, Africa, GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) regions contribute towards the sector by as much as 30 percent of the total inflow,” said Anurav Rane, CEO, PlanMyMedicalTrip.com.

“There are a lot of different medical and surgical options for medical tourists coming to India. Primarily, medical tourists get elective procedures done such as cosmetic surgery, hip and knee replacements, dental procedures and infertility treatments,” he told IANS.

According to a white paper by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Grant Thornton, the Indian medical tourism market is set to touch $8 billion by 2020, up from the current $3 billion.

Saed Saber from Egypt recently came to India for knee replacement. “I wanted to get my knee replacement done but was confused as to how I should go about it. Since options in my country are limited with a high price tag for treatment, I started exploring for options, that is when I came to know about PlanMyMedicalTrip.com,” he said.

Saber visited PlanMyMedicalTrip.com to get his queries answered. “I got to know several options for hospitals across India and also got all the necessary procedures sorted for me in no time,” he told media.

IndiaHealthCareTourism.com, inaugurated recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is an initiative by the government to boost healthcare tourism. It is a web portal that helps and guides the patients who are looking for treatment options in India. It lists 93 topmost medical centers, 30 ayurveda and wellness centers and one special category center.

Another online venture, Medi Connect India, deals with the latest technologies like IVF (infertility), robotics surgeries, stem cell therapies, etc.

“The main reason behind India becoming a hub for medical tourism for foreigners is cost-effectiveness. Here in metro cities you would get world-class treatment under the best doctors in a much cheaper way than what they would end up paying in their respective countries,” Shalini, assistant team lead, Medi Connect India, told IANS.

“In countries like Africa, a lot of modern treatments and good doctors are not available and hence they find India a good destination for medical reasons. Here, the best treatments are available with no waiting time in the company of highly-qualified doctors,” she added.

Medi Connect India has won the “National Tourism Award” for two consecutive years for excellence in medical tourism. To serve foreign nationals better, most of the top-rated hospitals in India have also hired language translators to make patients, especially from Balkan and African countries, feel comfortable and help facilitate their treatment.

According to the CII-Grant Thornton white paper, Chennai, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi-NCR are the most favored medical tourism destinations for foreigners who avail treatments in India. Cost is a major driver for nearly 80 percent of medical tourists across the globe, it added.

The cost factor and availability of accredited facilities have led to the emergence of several global medical tourism corridors like Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico and Costa Rica — and India appears to have taken a lead.

5 Most Targeted Tourist Attraction in Kerala

December 7, 2015 Ajay GhoshTourism, Travel 0

One of the ten heavens of the world by National Geographic Traveler, the state Kerala is arranged on the tropical Malabar Shoreline of southwestern India. Considered as standout amongst the most popular tourist destinations in the nation, Kerala is celebrated particularly for its ecotourism activities.

Regularly alluded to as “God’s Own country”, the seaside state Kerala is rich in unique conventions and society and lavish unspoiled tropical excellence. Above all, Kerala is known for its elephants, elaborate sanctuary celebrations, and the peaceful backwaters. Kerala is not just some backwaters and hill stations as it is generally publicized however it has so much more to offer. Kerala is a standout amongst the most targeted tourist destinations in India. Kerala is often termed as paradise set in green.

Fort Kochi: Known as the “Gateway to Kerala”, Kochi is a charming city which encased reminiscent of Arabs, British, Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese building design. The chronicled destinations in Fort Kochi draw greater number of guests to the range where Fort Kochi is a territory in the city of Kochi. A hand sized scoop of water-bound locales at the south-west of the territory Kochi and by and large known as Old Kochi or West Kochi is a standout amongst the most tourist targeted place in Kerala.

Explore the universe of its own, discover the Fort Kochi glimpse of Fort Immanuel, Dutch cemetery, the ancient Thakur House, colonial structure; David Hall, Parade Ground, Church Road, the Bastion Bungalow, Vasco-da Gama square, the Pierce Leslie Bungalow, the Princess Street, the Loafer’s corner, the large wooden gate facing the Parade ground; the VOC gate, the Bishop’s house that was built in the year of 1506 and many more.

Kerala Backwaters: A standout amongst the most quiet and unwinding things one can do in Kerala is taking a trek in a houseboat at backwaters. The Kerala backwaters are a chain of salty tidal ponds, lakes, waterways where the framework incorporates five huge lakes joined by trenches, both artificial and characteristic and augments basically a large portion of the length of Kerala state.

As we all realize that; the backwaters were framed by the activity of waves and shore ebbs and flows making low boundary islands. Enjoy the experience of freshly cooked Indian food and chilled beer on board where one can spend the night out on the middle of a lake too. Kerala backwaters are one of the most amazing sightseeing place as well as tourist most attracted place in Kerala.

Munnar: Lies 1,500 m to 2,695 m over the ocean level, Munnar is one of the most amazing place that surrounded by sprawling tea plantations. Represented with the common magnificence of slowing down, cloudy Hills and woods laden with colorful plants and untamed life, the spot likewise encased an acclaimed tea museum.

Munnar is a delightful Hill station and was the midyear resort of the British. The most astounding top in south India, Anamudi is a standout amongst the most popular spots for Adventure enthusiasts. Explore Eravikulam National park or go rock climbing and Para coasting. The mainstream place for Indian honeymooners and vacationers focused spot is the immeasurable tea estates territory arranged on the Kannan Devan Hills town in Devikulam Taluka and is the biggest panchayat in the Idukki locale in Kerala.

Varkala: The stunning shoreline with a long slowing down of precipice and perspectives that reach out over the Arabian Sea, Varkala shoreline is flanked by coconut palms, quaint shops, shoreline shacks, hotels and guest houses. Spotted 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city in Thiruvananthapuram locale and 37 km south of Kollam, south Kerala, the beach Varkala is a smooth and calm village, the Papanasam Beach which is likewise called as Varkala Beach is one of India’s best shorelines.

Investigate 2000 year old sanctuary; the Janardhanaswamy Sanctuary that stands on the bluffs neglecting the shoreline, the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the incredible Hindu reformer and logician Sree Narayana Master is simply close by. The Samadhi which is the last resting spot of the Guru is one of the tourist most targeted place in Kerala.

Wayanad: Secured with thick backwoods, stands 700 to 2100m above ocean level, the land of tribal’s with the highest concentration of tribal population in Kerala Wayanad is a bright green mountainous region that stretches along the Western Ghats. Inexhaustible coconut palms, thick woods, paddy fields, and grandiose tops structure the scene, Wayanad has a lot of beautiful advance because of its identity.

Enclosed countless number of ancient temples, rock caves relating to the stone-age era, churches, mosques and antique monuments , the place is an ideal terra firma for adventure enthusiasts, explore the popular attractions for trekking precisely; Chembra Peak and Meenmutty Falls, explore old Jain temples, climbing to Edakkal Caves and wildlife spotting at Muthanga and Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuaries. Another highlight of Wayanad is the many delightful homes stays in the area.

Chicago Community & AAHOA Support Raja Krishnamoorthi for US Congress

November 18, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Politics, Tourism 0

With several high profile endorsements already rendered, Raja is further bolstered with Chicago community leader Iftekhar Shareef and AAHOA [Asian American Hotel Owners Association] coming together to bring about greater national awareness of the candidacy of Raja Krishnamoorthi, a democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress from the eighth congressional district in Illinois at an event held on Friday, November 13, 2015 at India House in Hoffman Estate, IL.

Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked community leaders and AAHOA leadership for invigorating new enthusiasm and new excitement in the community in rallying behind his candidacy and added that this gives him a new momentum to his campaign. Raja said “I am running for congress for you and for your families and emphasized that he acutely understands the challenges the families are facing and will fight for their economic security. He pledged that when he goes to congress, he emphasized “you will go with me to congress to represent the dreams and hopes of each one of us.

Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked the leaders gathered at the event for extending a substantive and meaningful help and said he is deeply committed to working families’ agenda and he will employ his valuable experience both in the public and private sector to strengthen the working families.

Iftekhar Shareef, Principal Host, in his introductory address said Raja Krishnamoorthi bears tremendous promise as the next United States Congressman primarily because he is uniquely and exceptionally qualified as he deeply understands the issues and the challenges the nation and the local communities face. Iftekhar Shareef added that he will continue to strive to evoke collective community enthusiasm to deliver for Raja the victory he so tremendously deserves. Iftekhar Shareef pledged that our team will remain a driving force in helping put together many more events in order to bring energy and momentum to Raja’s candidacy.

Balvinder Singh another champion of Indian-American community offered his full support to Raja Krishnamoorthi, he endorsed Raja’s candidacy and said that he will work with Washington leadership in mobilizing support for Raja.

Kalpesh M. Joshi, Regional Director [Upper Midwest] of AAHOA and the event Co-Chair earlier welcomed the gathering of community leaders and outlined the commitment of AAHOA in throwing its far reaching robust support behind Raja Krishnamoorthi and added that AAHOA is deeply committed to backing Raja Krishnamoorthi with its resources and networking capabilities to help in reaching out nationwide to bring to bear the tools necessary for Raja to win the elections.

Earlier, Chirag Patel, AAHOA’s Vice President for Governmental Affairs outlined the strategy of AAHOA and its political action committee in channeling the support for Raja Krishnamoorthi because he understands the growing challenges and impediments the hospitality industry faces and the burdensome regulatory provisions which seriously impedes the business. Chirag Patel said AAHOA recognizes the potential in the candidacy of Raja Krishnamoorthi who can defend the goals AAHOA is committed to.

Keerthi Kumar Ravoori in his brief statement said Raja Krishnamoorthi is gaining momentum among the voters as he represents a new fresh invigorating voice for the Asians to help represent their dreams and hopes. Babu Patel appraised Raja Krishnamoorthi about the challenges business community is facing in the nation particularly the mounting untenable tax burden placed on them.

In conclusion, Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked and acknowledged the event hosts: Iftekhar Shareef, Kalpesh Joshi, Chirag Patel, Balwinder Singh, Ajeet Singh, Harish Kolasani, Keerthi Ravoori, Dinesh Gandhi, Babu Patel, Jagmohan Jayara & Mujeeb Ahmed.

Category: Tourism