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Hispanic Hotel Owners Association News

Hispanic Hotel Owners Association To Host Hotel Investment Seminar in New York City

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 PRNewswire — The Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA), a rapidly growing non-profit organization that seeks to increase Latino ownership of hotels, today announced that it will hold the first session of a three-part series of International Hotel Investment Seminars on February 12 and 13 at the Marriott East Side Hotel in Manhattan. The seminars, developed by HHOA, are designed to provide basic information to high-net worth Latino investors about the opportunities available for hotel ownership.

"This is our fourth session and our first in the Northeast," said Angela Gonzalez-Rowe, founder and president of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association. "Attendance at our inaugural series last year surpassed our expectations, and we're looking forward to that kind of positive response this year. The fact that we consistently attract a greater number of participants than we expect tells me that we are successfully filling an information void.

"Our goal has been to demystify the process of hotel ownership and investment, particularly for Latinos who have the interest and the necessary financial resources to invest in hotels, but lack the information," she said. "Our sessions focus on the basics of hotel ownership, from site selection to franchising, hotel management to financing, and provide the kind of practical information a potential owner needs to get started."

"The hotel industry has been in a solid uptrend for the past few years, but the economy and credit markets will offer some unique challenges in 2008 for would-be hoteliers," said Omar Rodriguez, chairman of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association. "With the predicted economic slowdown and a more restrained lending environment, knowing how to deal with these conditions and how to avoid the pitfalls will be key. Having the right information can help turn today's challenges into opportunities. HHOA's objective is to provide the kind of information that will allow Latinos with the financial resources to take advantage of these opportunities."

The New York Hotel Investment Seminar will focus on the basics of hotel investment, beginning with an overview of the hotel industry. Topics include hotel development versus hotel acquisition; market, product and site selection; why invest in the hotel industry; hotel branding; and capital sources and financing. Other sessions will discuss franchising, hotel management, property valuation, hotel management and investment exit strategies. Participants will hear speakers from a broad cross-section of major hotel brands, management companies and consultants, as well as a number of Hispanic hoteliers, including Raul Leal, president of Tecton Hospitality, and the Desires Hotel Portfolio, a Miami-based hotel management company.

Corporate sponsors include Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, LaQuinta, Accor North America, Choice Hotels International, Hotel & Motel Management Magazine and Hotel World Network.

HHOA will continue the seminar series in 2008 in Chicago on April 22 and 23 and in Los Angeles on July 1 and 2. The organization will hold its inaugural Hispanic Hotel Investment Conference in October 2008 in Miami, Fla.

About HHOA

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., HHOA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the number of Hispanic-owned, -developed and -operated hotels, further the participation of Hispanic-owned suppliers serving the hotel industry and increase executive level employment opportunities for Hispanics within the lodging industry. The industry's leading brands, including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Choice Hotels International, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and Global Hyatt Corporation have joined the organization and have become major corporate sponsors.

HHOA membership is open to hotel owners, developers, investors, financiers, real estate executives, investment bankers, professional advisors, analysts, franchisors, management company executives, industry product and service providers, hotel general managers, hotel sales and marketing managers, government agencies for tourism and development, hospitality schools, hospitality students or anyone seeking to do business within the Hispanic market.

Additional information about HHOA is available at the association's Web site, www.hhoa.org. To learn more about the Hotel Investment Series, contact Angela Gonzales-Rowe at 202-587-5707, or www.hhoa.org.

Contact: Jerry Daly, Chris Daly Daly Gray Public Relations (703) 435-6293 jerry@dalygray.com

SOURCE Hispanic Hotel Owners Association