Nadiad-Born Hotelier Has Plans To Tackle Downturn At Home And Homeland
The US hotel and motel industry leadership baton currently rests on his shoulder.Native of Sojitra in Nadiad,Alkesh Patel,who owns eight branded and boutique motels in the Pacific North West region of the US,has taken over as chairman of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA).At a time when US hotel industry is facing the worst economic downturn in over 70 years,Patel is determined to tackle some pressing issues both at his homeland US and motherland Gujarat.
His priority is to implement AAHOAs new governance model in its totality and get the sagging US motel market into shape.With this,he also desires to form new business ties with India and has fruitful strategic plans.
Patels sharp business sense has directed him to cater to the needs of his motherland. Gujarat needs low priced, decent, one flag hotels at various holy spots in the state. There is minimal supply of new standard hotels coming up at these spots while the demand for them continues to increase. To fill this gap of demand, we have right experience and ability to set up hotels within short time frame of 6 to 8 months, explains Patel.
AAHOA has already mooted a detailed business proposal to state authorities to enter into public private partnership. If local authorities sanction, we can upgrade existing government hotel facilities into one flag branded hotels. These hotels will have four category rooms ranging from $ 80 to $ 10.
This wide a range available at a decent branded hotel will change the holiday experience for pilgrims. Such facility will boost the customary trend of doing pilgrimage together as one large group of friends or as extended joint families because it will allow them to stay together at one standard place at different budgets.
Many NRGs want to take their extended families to holy places in their motherland like Ambaji, Somnath, Pavaghad, Palitana but due to lack of decent hotels, they put off their travel plans, explains Patel.
New generation kids first look at the type of hotel and then make up their minds whether they want to go for pilgrimage. To create and sustain the new generation’s bond with our local holy places, we need to offer them attractive, modern facilities, he says.
AAHOA is determined to push forward for developing religious tourism infrastructure in Gujarat, says Patel. And determination is the key strength for which AAHOA is known in the US. It is the organisations lobbying efforts that have resulted in increased capital outflows to its members in the past, even during the worst downturn in the US.
This firm will that AAHOA has, is often thought to have been derived from Indian Americans, especially Gujaratis who own more than 40 % of the hotel businesses in the US, says Patel who went to the US as a SSC pass out in 1986 following lure of the American Dream.
But today, he is feeling a pull towards his motherland. “We are currently expanding our operations in India in the hospitality sector. At present, we are converting an engineering college in Chankheda into a branded hotel under a partnership with a US company,” he says.
Besides AAHOA, Patel has served for US Gujarati Samaj Board and is also serving as a trustee of Kalyan Seva Ashram of USA. He is a member of Washington Lodging Association’s Board,Lodging Tax Advisory Board and Congresswomen Jamie Herrera Buetlar’s business advisory committee. Patel currently resides in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Bindiya, son Parth, daughter Dipali,and mother Lila.
