Hispanic Hotel Owners Association Announces Phoenix Hotel Investment Seminar
	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 part one of a three-session series of International Hotel Investment Seminars May 28-29 at the Wyndham Phoenix in Arizona.
The HHOA-developed seminars were created to inform high-net worth Hispanic investors about available hotel ownership opportunities. "This first part of our on-going series continues to draw attendance in numbers that surpass our expectations," said Angela Gonzalez-Rowe, founder and president of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association. "While the Hispanic community often provides the backbone for a hotel's behind-the-scenes operations, there has been a dearth of ownership opportunities. As more and more Latinos move into higher income brackets, that is rapidly changing. Our goal is to provide this financially capable group with information about the benefits of hotel ownership and investment." "With some experts suggesting that we are on the brink of a recession, it is becoming increasingly important for savvy investors to become knowledgeable about their investment options in all economic climates," said Omar Rodriguez, chairman of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association. "The hospitality markets continue to provide strong investment opportunities, and we wish to communicate this to the Latino community." Story continues below ↓ Advertisement The Phoenix Hotel Investment Seminar will focus on the basics of hotel investment, beginning with an overview of the hotel industry. Topics range from hotel segments and brands to investment strategies, from market, product and site selection to financing the deal. An overview of the industry will be given by John Keeling, Sr., vice president of PKF Consulting, specialists in the hospitality industry. Other speakers include Bill Hall of Wyndham Worldwide, Patrick Feltes of GE Capital Solutions, Carlos Rodriguez of Driftwood Hospitality, Harry Garewal, president & CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Juan Carlos Contalba of Benchmark Hospitality. Corporate sponsors include Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, La Quinta, Accor North America, Choice Hotels International, Hotel & Motel Management Magazine and American Airlines. HHOA will continue the seminar series in Los Angeles on July 1 and 2. The organization will hold its inaugural Hispanic Hotel Investment Conference in October 2008 in Miami, Fla.