Joe McInerney, CEO/President of AH&LA, and a seasoned traveler with more than 45 years of hospitality industry experience, offers an inside look behind the scenes.

May 16, 2008
A Taste of San Diego

The majority of my week was spent enjoying San Diego and La Jolla, California, beautiful cities that not only have some of the country’s best weather, but also many restaurants serving the most delicious dishes. As I had a few days out on the west coast, I was able to sample some of the best, including Trattoria Fantastica, owned by Joe Busalacchi, a good friend who personally catered our 25th wedding anniversary party fourteen years ago.

May 9, 2008
Planning, planning, and more planning

This week was all about pulling together great minds of the industry and strategizing for the future. It began Monday morning when I was on the first flight from Washington, D.C., to Las Vegas. When I arrived at the Las Vegas airport, my bag was the first one off the conveyer belt, so, yes, I did get lucky in Vegas! I never check bags, but this time I had to since I was carrying a lot of materials for a crucial meeting.

May 2, 2008
Have Gas, Will Travel
Another eventful week comes to a close with the beginning of May. After spending some time in Chicago last weekend for my grandson's christening, I headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, on Monday to speak on AH&LA's green initiatives at the Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit. At this first-time event, I was impressed to see a large, enthusiastic crowd of professionals with a profound commitment to environmentally-friendly business.