From the Chairman

Wow... The pandemic has presented unexpected challenges and a level of operating uncertainty to businesses that owners and operators have never faced before. What was expected to only last a few months has turned into a yearlong nightmare, taking a dramatic toll specifically on the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Never would we have imagined how hard we’d need to fight to protect our investments and the livelihood of our families. Never would we have anticipated how difficult it would be to protect our staff members and keep them employed. The restaurant and hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, hotels, motels, B&Bs, bowling alleys, banquet halls, and more, has been one of the hardest-hit industries and has lost so much. Yet, regardless of the tough times, I do not think there has been another industry that has given back as much as we have, proving yet again that our industry is the backbone of our local communities. Operators have gone above and beyond the call of duty many times to feed frontline workers, support COVID patients, provide PPE, and more. Over the past year, the industry united and fought harder than ever to keep their businesses’ doors open and to serve their communities.

I am grateful to be part of this industry and proud of what our team at NJRHA has done this previous year to help keep many businesses afloat. However, despite the Association’s many accomplishments in 2020, their work is not done. The restaurant and hospitality industry still has a long way to go to get back to any sort of normalcy. We will still face many obstacles and challenges this year and in the years to come, so we must unite and stay strong to persevere.

As an industry, we need to rediscover our voice and speak up. With your help, NJRHA will continue to give us that voice, advocating on all local, state, and federal issues and getting us through this pandemic. All I ask of you is to support NJRHA in every way you can. Let them know of any issues or concerns you face. Participate in the “Call to Action” initiatives, surveys, or other measures when you are called to help. Together we can have a tougher voice on behalf of the industry.

​As I always say, “teamwork makes the dream work,” and together we can achieve our dreams to bring back the hospitality industry—and to make it even stronger than it was before the pandemic.

Bhavesh Patel
NJRHA Chairman of the Board
ADM Hotels