Smith Travel Research Donates $2,500 To AH&LEF Annual Giving Campaign

Washington | Smith Travel Research (STR) contributed $2,500 to the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) 2007 Annual Giving Campaign which supports key research and workforce development initiatives for the hospitality industry. An active supporter of AH&LEF, STR has participated in the annual drive since 2002. This marks their second consecutive year of giving at the five-diamond level. In addition, STR was made a platinum key donor in 2002 for contributing $25,000 to AH&LEF’s Capital Giving Campaign, The New Century Fund.

The Annual Giving Campaign is the Foundation’s key yearly fundraiser that supports core missions, including providing scholarships to hospitality management students; funding important research in areas such as room tax, energy management, and ADA requirements; as well as promoting hospitality as a career of choice and workforce development initiatives. Initiated in 1997, the program has collected more than $626,000 in charitable donations from the industry. It is supported solely by progressive industry leaders and companies.

AH&LEF is the not-for-profit affiliate of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA).

Last year, AH&LEF disbursed almost $900,000 to prepare promising college students for a career in hospitality; attract and retain quality industry professionals; and fund valuable research for lodging properties. Since the Foundation’s inception, $10 million has been disbursed through

its scholarship, education, outreach, and research programs.

"Contributing to the AH&LEF is an investment in the future of our industry. With this investment comes new careers and opportunities for a wide variety of students,” said Randell A. Smith, president/CEO of Smith Travel Research. “New graduates and new research expands the knowledge base for the industry so that it remains exciting, vibrant and relevant in today’s changing economy, and the AH&LEF is in the forefront of this development."

Smith Travel Research is the recognized leader for U.S. lodging industry benchmarking. For more than 18 years, STR has collected monthly and daily operating data and reported on the state of the U.S. lodging industry, maintaining one of the world's largest lodging industry databases and publishing an array of valued industry research. With more than 23,000 lodging establishments reporting throughout North America, STR has become the industry's prime source for lodging data.

“Smith Travel Research recognizes the inherent value in supporting efforts to encourage the growth of the industry,” said AH&LA President/CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA. “STR's giving demonstrates their commitment to bringing the best and brightest into the field, and providing them with the tools, through AH&LEF research and education programs, to guarantee the future of the industry.”

All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information about donating, contact Michelle Poinelli, vice president of foundation programs at (202) 289-3181 or givingcampaigns@ahlef.org, or visit www.ahlef.org.