Indian American women hotel owners come into their own

Thursday, 02 October 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW YORK: Indian American women hotel owners are moving away from the shadow of their spouses and families into a league of their own. Some 700 women came together at the Dayton Convention Centre in Dayton, Ohio, for the sixth annual Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Women's Conference. "Women are a growing force in hospitality," said Hitesh Bhakta, chairman, AAHOA. "I've seen their participation and power in the industry increase tremendously in my tenure at AAHOA. The annual women's conference provides a forum for women to gather, have some fun, talk and learn about both professional and personal issues that women face." The women's committee, headed by AAHOA directors at large Surekha Patel and Saroj Patel, planned a power-packed day that included as keynote speaker Iowa state Representative Swati Dandekar, and Dayton Mayor Rhine L. McLin. "We tried to plan an agenda that touches upon a variety of topics," explained Saroj Patel. "Women perhaps more than men have to find a careful balance between self, family and profession. We think it's important to blend all of those elements into the day." Educational topics included "Achieving Excellence In Our Lives" and "Family Wealth: Keeping It All In The Family". Deepa Patel, a doctor at the Mayo Centre, led a health panel discussion featuring specialists in women's health and internal medicine. "AAHOA has grown 30 percent over the last four months," said Fred Schwartz, president, AAHOA. "The addition of 300 new women members as a direct result of the women's conference is a testament to the hard work of the women's committee and board of directors." According to Surekha Patel, women have been showing more interest in educational opportunities and upper level management at their properties in the past few years. "We've always been the backbone of this industry. Now we want to encourage women to stay active and continue to make progress in a positive way," she said. Founded in 1989 and representing over 7,800 members, AAHOA has become the fastest growing organisation in the hospitality industry and one of the more powerful Indian American advocacy groups. According to AAHOA's estimates, together the members own over 20,000 hotels across the nation, which have one million rooms representing over 50 percent of the economy lodging properties and nearly 37 percent of all hotel properties in the United States.
Source: IANS
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