Dallas, Texas./WASHINGTON, D.C., November 26, 2007� 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 the third in a series of International Hotel Investment Seminars on December 3 and 4 at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas.  The Seminars Series, developed by HHOA, is designed to provide basic information to high-net worth Latino investors about the opportunities available for hotel ownership. 

Walter Barela, COO of Peak Hospitality, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico,  and Olivier Poirot, President of Accor North America will present keynote addresses. 

�Hotel real estate and investment is arguably one of the most complex of all real estate classes, but also one of the most profitable,� said Angela Gonzalez Rowe, founder and president of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association.  �The goal of the Hotel Investment Series is to outline the basics of hotel ownership from site selection to franchising, hotel management to financing.   This session is not a hard sell from hotel companies.  Rather, it answers the basic questions about hotel ownership in a series of very low key, informative sessions.�

�This is our third session this year and first in the Southwest.  Earlier sessions in Miami and San Diego far surpassed our expectations, with twice the anticipated attendance and growing numbers of participants from Latin America and the Caribbean,� said Omar Rodriguez, Chairman of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association.  �Hispanics represent a large percentage of the hotel industry, but account for less than one percent of the hotel ownership.  HHOA�s objective is to increase that percentage by giving Latinos with the financial resources the information they need to invest in a complex industry with high barriers to entry.� 

The Dallas Hotel Investment Seminar will focus on the basics of hotel investment, beginning with an overview of the hotel industry.  Topics include hotel development versus hotel acquisition; market, product and site selection; why invest in the hotel industry; hotel branding; and capital sources and financing.  Other sessions will discuss franchising, hotel management, property valuation, hotel management and investment exit strategies.  Participants will hear speakers from a broad cross-section of major hotel brands, management companies and consultants, as well as a number of Hispanic hoteliers.  

Corporate sponsors include Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, LaQuinta, Accor North America, Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotels, Hotel & Motel Management Magazine, Hotel World Network, Selther and Pan American Life.  American Airlines, the official airline of HHOA, is also a sponsor.  

�Since we began this series earlier this year, Latinos in the U.S. have invested more than $150 million in the hotel industry,� said Angela Gonzalez-Rowe.  �Latinos living in the U.S. have the financial resources to invest in hotel ownership, and with Latin America�s potential to be at the forefront of an industry expansion, we believe this is an opportune time to begin to harvest those resources, both financial and human.�  

HHOA will continue the seminar series into 2008, with seminars scheduled for February 12 and 13 in New York City, April 22 and 23 in Chicago and July 1 and 2 in Los Angeles.  The organization will hold its inaugural Hispanic Hotel Investment Conference in October 2008 in Miami, Fl.

About HHOA
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., HHOA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the number of Hispanic-owned, -developed and -operated hotels, further the participation of Hispanic-owned suppliers serving the hotel industry and increase executive level employment opportunities for Hispanics within the lodging industry.  The industry�s leading brands, including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Choice Hotels International, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and Global Hyatt Corporation have joined the organization and have become major corporate sponsors.  

HHOA membership is open to hotel owners, developers, investors, financiers, real estate executives, investment bankers, professional advisors, analysts, franchisors, management company executives, industry product and service providers, hotel general managers, hotel sales and marketing managers, government agencies for tourism and development, hospitality schools, hospitality students or anyone seeking to do business within the Hispanic market.   

HHOA
Angela Gonzales-Rowe
202-587-5707
www.hhoa.org