FT. LAUDERDALE, FL— A number of key hotel companies— including Cendant, Choice, US Franchise Systems, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Best Western— reportedly will not have representation at the this year’s AAHOA conference taking place here. The brand presidents reportedly made the decision this morning in response to AAHOA’s decision to videoconference in Chief Narendra Modi of Gujaret, India. Modi had his visa denied by the U.S. government. He was expected to address attendees on the business opportunities in Gujaret at the upcoming convention. The hotel companies were scheduled to attend the presidents panel and to have booths at the event. American Express and Home Depot have also reportedly pulled out of the event. AAHOA Chairman Nash Patel issued this statement: “I made the decision with the officers last night for Modi to address the members and talk about opportunities in Gujaret and that is the only reason we decided to let the videoconference go on. The decision that was made by some of the vendors to pullout, we respect that, and I have also had the opportunity to speak to all the brand presidents and we have to respect the decision of our board and its membership.” He went on to say that the state department has not issued any alerts, and the FBI is in the convention center and there still have been no alerts. “Whoever is stirring the pot is doing it for their own reasons,” he said. In other news, AAHOA will be announcing on Friday morning AIRS, An Independent Reservation System, it will have its own GDS and will be powered by GenaRes, a joint venture by Vantage Hospitality.
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