Executives record an increase in attendance at The 21st Annual International African American Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit & Trade Show as hundreds of hoteliers from around the region gather to assess the industry and discuss the way forward.
Hotel and Tourism executives from around The Bahamas, the Caribbean and throughout the U.S. congregate this week at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay Resort to report and have exchanges on any new trends noted in the industry. The annual summit is hosted by the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD), Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine and Horizons International Group.
William Pickard, CEO of Global Automotive Alliance, reminded the attendees that minority pioneers in the hospitality industry dated as far back as the late 1800’s and he urged everyone to pick up a copy of Victor Hugo Green’s Greenbook, a 1930’s travel guide for African Americans that shed light on the history of African Americans in the hospitality industry.
“When black folks wanted to go on the road, they had nowhere to stay,” said the CEO. “Brother Green said I have to find a way to create [what is now known as] Airbnb in the 1930s, where colored folks can have a place to stay and a hot meal before they hit the road…out of that came the Green book. I beg of you to tell your children about the green book [because] we have always been in business.”
This year’s NABHOOD Chairman’s Award went to the Mayor of the City of Baltimore Catherine E. Pugh. The NABHOOD Trail Blazer Award went to Thomas Penny III, President Donohoe Hospitality Services. This year’s Asian American Hotel Owners Association Outstanding Hotelier Award went to Tracy Prigmore, Principal of TLT Solutions/Hampton Inn Waldorf.
“The NABHOOD awards are given to individuals who have the vision and the ability to make this industry grate,” said President of NABHOOD Andy Ingraham. “We are proud of the progress made each one of the awardees have made.”
NABHOOD's Ownership & Investment Summit accompanied by a Trade Show and Hospitality Student Leadership Summit takes place under the theme of “Creating a New Generation of Diverse Hospitality Leaders.”
In total, over 40 speakers will take part throughout the Summit including The Bahamas’ Hon. Travis Robinson, a 2015 alumna of the NABHOOD Hospitality Student Leadership Summit and the youngest serving Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Other speakers include Hon. William Marlin, Prime Minister, St. Maarten; Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism & Aviation, The Bahamas; Paul Pennicook, Director, Jamaica Tourism Board
The 3-day educational summit is designed to educate attendees on becoming hotel owners or investors, sharing minority investment trends, exploring supplier opportunities, learning how to market to minorities, creating employment and discussing diversity issues affecting the Hospitality and Tourism industries, all with a collective goal of strengthening and empowering the community economically and socially. This is an ideal opportunity to meet hotel owners and individuals seeking partners and investment opportunities, hotel companies interested in doing business with minorities and other experts to help achieve a path to joining the Hospitality industry.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT: The summit is designed to educate attendees on how to become a hotel owner or investor, share minority investment trends, explore supplier opportunities and decide how to market to minorities and diversity issues affecting the industry. For live updates, follow us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter at: @NABHOOD.
Investment Summit attendees look on as William Pickard gives keynote address.
