AAHA Monthly News & Updates
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Our Mission
Working alongside our hospitality partners to communicate the impact of the hospitality and tourism industry and encouraging the high standards of professional conduct among all people engaged in the hospitality industry.
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Letter from the President
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It is that time of the year as we not only reset membership, but also renew a commitment to our AAHA organization and the industry it supports. I joined AAHA in late 2014 because of the friendliness of the members and the depth of their relationships both professionally and personally. I wanted to be a part of that experience and have that connection. I was inspired to join, engage with other members and become part of the board. I wanted to expand my awareness about our hospitality industry and its impact on our city. Even more important, was to know how it affects me—and how I can affect it.
We all play a role and the result of our efforts and influences are both seen and heard professionally and personally. I can‘t imagine where I would be personally and professionally without the influence of AAHA, its members and the relationships that have been formed. Inspiration led me to step up, join membership, the board, and now lead the organization for 2019 and the 24
th
year of the association as your president. We have had many great members and leaders that have helped AAHA achieve its current state. We would not be where we are without you. I look forward to your continued support for a successful 2019.
Link to Rejoin AAHA Membership for 2019:
As a side note, we will be voting on a position for a Student Membership Director and we are still in need of a Director for Membership and a Treasurer. Please let me or any board member know if you are interested.
Happy New Year,
Chris Koval
2019 President
Alamo Area Hospitality Association
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Texas Wedding Guide & Bridal Extravaganza
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it's not too late to get in the January 13th Bridal Extravaganza and that the deadline to get in the April Issue of our Magazine is January 15th.
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UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures
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Celebrate the Cultures of Asia
The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures celebrates the annual Asian Festival, observing the Lunar New Year and celebrating the many rich cultures of Asia.
The daylong event features authentic foods, music, dance, martial arts, shopping, games and entertainment from China, to the Indian Sub-continent, and the island nations of the Pacific.
The Festival features two stages, a martial arts demonstration area, children’s hands on crafting area, anime activities, bonsai and ikebana displays, mahjong table and more.
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Recently engaged?
Hotel Valencia Riverwalk
takes great pride in making sure that your wedding day is as memorable, and as unique as you are. We would love to customize your experience and bring your vision for your big day to life!
Hotel Valencia Riverwalk is the ideal location for your wedding event. We can accommodate the intimate wedding group beautifully as well wedding groups as large as 120 in our beautiful ballroom overlooking Houston Street. Our courtyard is the perfect spot for any ceremony! When you book your wedding event at Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, be assured that you will experience exceptional customer service and personalized attention to every detail to make your dream wedding come true. What’s more, all of Hotel Valencia Riverwalk’s spaces feature windows to let in the natural light. Our ideal location on the more tranquil part of the River Walk offers your attendees a relaxed and comfortable setting. We can even offer overnight accommodations for your guests. Please contact Shelly Cantu at
scantu@valenciagroup.com
for more details, we would love the opportunity to show you our spaces.
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Artemisia's at St. Philip's College
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Artemisia's is a classroom-restaurant of the Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts (THCA) department at St. Philip's College. It features various groups of students who collaborate to prepare, coordinate and serve meals of various styles and cuisines. Venture up the stairs in the Campus Center and see what our students are preparing!
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2019 New AAHA Board Members
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Thank you to the AAHA members who attended the October luncheon at Range to cast their votes! The ballots have been tallied and we are proud to announce the new 2019
Alamo Area Hospitality Association
Board Directors. It is a true honor to welcome these members to the AAHA team and congratulate them on their new positions within the organization.
Community Outreach:
Ashley Verzijl
, Hard Rock Café
Registration:
Debbie Arnold
, Holiday Inn Downtown Market Square
Website & Social Media:
Monica Nicole Vargas
, Ripley Entertainment
Fundraising:
Charlie Young
, Caprice Productions
Treasurer:
Alex Amaro
, Phillips Entertainment
2019 Vice-President:
Rebecca Newman
, Institute of Texan Cultures
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AAHA will move to a rolling membership calendar beginning January 1, 2019 and membership approved the addition of a new board position for
Director of Student Engagment.
AAHA is
now accepting nominations
and will hold a special election to fill this new vacancy aimed at encouraging more involvement from local high schools and universities with programs that develop hospitality industry peers and future leaders.
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January Member Luncheon - Dave & Busters RIvercenter Mall
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Join AAHA and celebrate the New Year! at Dave & Busters Rivercenter Mall for our first luncheon of 2019. Our first guest speaker will be Julia Murphy with Breath,SA to educate us on the City of San Antonio’s award-winning public awareness campaign, Breathe Today. SA Tomorrow. Let's start the year educated about ways to reduce air pollution.
We will also announce the 2018 winners of the AAHA "A-List" Awards. Make sure your votes are in for Best Venue, Best Menu and Best Happy Hour. Our host members worked hard to put on great events for all of us and we want to show them our appreciation!
WHEN: Thursday, January, 17, 2019
TIME: 11:30a-1:00p
Dave & Busters Rivercenter Mall
849 E Commerce St, Ste 740
San Antonio, TX 78205
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Thank you for hosting (December Luncheon - Sheraton Gunter Hotel)
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We want to thank evreyone for coming to our spectacular December meeting. Thank you all for the wonderful toys that were given to Blue Santa and the SAPD. The toys are sure make any child smile on Christmas Day. We especially want to thank the Sheraton Gunter Hotel team, Dru Photo with our fun photobooth, and Nerdy By Nature entertaining us with great music.
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CALL TO ACTION
Speakers for U of H Needed
U of H just started their new fall semester and are interested in creating a Speakers Call List for when they would need speakers for the classroom and outside projects.
The goal is for you to tell your story. Students are inspired to hear how you found your way in our industry. If interested in being a speaker for U of H please send your bio, headshot and current contact information to Molly Hernandez (Secretary of AAHA).
Molly Hernandez
619.861.4364
mnhernandez@therkgroup.com
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Got News?
We would love to help you highlight what's going on at your business. Please send us anything you would like us to include by the last week of the month to be included in the next month's newsletter.
Here are some ideas of content to send to our Newsletter Director
Tim Lippard
:
• Promotions, new employees, retirements, etc.
• Announcements about your staff for our "Awards and Accolades"
• Updates on new attractions, products, and hotels, or new additions to existing ones
• Events that visitors should attend
One of our favorite things is getting to share all the news and updates happening with our members, so let us hear from you. Remember, your deadline is COB on the last Friday of the month to be included in the next month's newsletter. Also, please note. If your event is in the early part of the month, you may want to consider having your post ready and published a month early when possible. Below is the "projected" date of publishing the newsletter for the remainder of the year.
Please submit your newsletter submissions in a finished format; either PDF, PNG or JPG with complete information contained in the email. Thank you.
TENTATIVE Newsletter Publishing Schedule for 2019
January - January 14, 2019
February - February 4, 2019
March - March 4, 2019
April - April 8, 2019
May - May 6, 2019
June - June 3, 2019
July - July 8, 2019
August - August 5, 2019
September - September 2, 2019
October - October 7, 2019
November - November 4, 2019
December - December 2, 2019
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Join or Renew Your 2019 Membership
As of December 31st all 2018 AAHA Memberships officially expired.
We are now accepting 2019 memberships. As a member, you enhance your position in your company and within the community.
Exclusive benefits to AAHA Members include:
- Invitations to monthly luncheons featuring informative and educational speakers
- Discounted $30 member luncheon rate
- Enhance relationships with theme parks, lodging, attractions, cultural sites, restaurants & retailers
- Receive the current Alamo Area Hospitality Association Membership Directory upon request via e-mail
- Get your company featured in the newsletter and on social media
- Receive invitations to special events throughout the year
For a full list of member benefits please visit the membership page on our website
here
.
If you cannot pay online and require a personalized 2019 Membership Invoice, please send an email to our Treasurer, Alex Amaro at
treasurer@alamoareahospitalityassociation.com
. Please include your name, company name and method of payment to be included on the Membership Invoice.
If you ARE able to pay online using the Membership link, please do not request a personalized 2019 Membership Invoice as your receipt will be emailed to you automatically upon completion of your registration.
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AAHA Newsletter Update for 2019
We're looking to increase the readership of our newsletter. In January of 2018, we had a 24% open rate and a 9% click rate. Our monthly newsletter is the primary means we have to get a large amount of information to each of you. Our goal was to increase the readership and interactive nature of our monthly content.
For the entire year, we ended up with an average Open Rate of 30%, up 6% from the beginning of the year. We increased the interaction within the newsletter by almost double from previous efforts. Thank you all for that effort.
Newletter Open Statistics (December 2018)
December 2018 - 34% Opened, 12.2% Clicked On
Newsletter Open Statistics (November 2018 - Oct 2017)
November 2018 - 34% Opened, 11% Clicked On
October 2018 - 34% Opened, 11% Clicked On
September 2018 - 37% Opened, 12.5% Clicked On
August 2018 - 30% Opened, 25% Clicked On
July 2018 - 40% Opened, 25% Clicked On
June 2018 - 28% Opened, 12% Clicked On
May 2018 - 28% Opened, 11% Clicked On
April 2018 - 23.1% Opened, 12.2% Clicked On
March 2018 - 23.1% Opened, 12.2% Clicked On
February 2018 - 25.4% Opened, 11.8% Clicked On
January 2018 - 24% Opened, 9% Clicked On
December 2017 - 29% Opened, 6% Clicked On
November 2017 - 28% Opened, 3% Clicked On
October 2017 - 29% Opened, 7% Clicked On
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GET SOCIAL WITH AAHA SOCIAL MEDIA!
What can you do right now?
- Like us on Facebook - AAHA Facebook Page (912 likes) +1
- Follow us on Instagram - AAHA Instagram Page (499 followers) +22
- Follow us on Twitter - AAHA Twitter Page (1,658 followers) -1
- Follow us on LinkedIn - AAHA LinkedIn Page (528 members) 0
- Remember to TAG us with the hashtags #AAHAMoment and #AAHAGivesBack
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Alamo Area Hospitality Association
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