What are the advantages/disadvantages of becoming a PAII member?

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Proud Texan

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I see a lot of mention of PAII, but as a relative newbie to innkeeping I'm somewhat in the dark about what it is. What is it exactly and what are the advantages of being a member? I had looked at our state and regional B&B associations and the only advantage I saw was to the associations as they siphoned money away from my business.
 
I originally joined as an aspiring to get the innside scoop. I liked the forum they had and getting info related to innkeeping. Then I found another forum and realized I was paying PAII just to talk so I dropped my membership. I rejoined last year because they were offering interesting webinars and also because I liked what Jay was doing for the industry.
 
I joined last year for the special $79 rate. I like Jay Karen a LOT, but honestly I haven't seen/used any of the member benefits...their forums were tiresome with too much corporate input (you know who I mean).
 
For me, same as Mort. Plus I went to the PAII conference last year, and plan on going this year, so the discount for registration as a member helps pay for the annual fee.
P.S. I view my state association in a totally different light than PAII. For me, the state association is mainly (not entirely) about marketing my B&B, while PAII is about education and advocacy. Sometimes they cross over, but not frequently.
 
I just joined. I think the best thing to do is join find out for yourself if it is something that would help your with your business. If not then don't renew next year. Try it you might like it!
 
Joined for the 1st time this year... I have been like you PT - I felt like my money could be spent in far better ways.
Our state association is a far cry from being used as a marketing venue, although I do see it improving. The way our state association 'sells' itself to the industry is primarily based on keeping an eye on legislative issues, laws, etc. as to how they affect our industry. Generally they do not get into matters on the local front - at least that I have heard. For the cost of membership, I felt like I was not getting any value from this at all. And given the vast numbers of B&B's across this state, I would say they have a very small percentage as members. Several of us have commented on the fact that they could grow their membership significantly if they would drop the fee to a resonable level...
And that is just what PAii has done, by dropping their annual membership fee they are raking in the new members by the droves and will be the voice of the industry! - Jay has finally brought a vital purpose to the association. He has taken on the task of discussions with Tripadvisor for our industry and has had some input with the latest NYC ban. They do provide some very interesting webinars and have some othe educational information available to their members. I have read many mixed reviews of their yearly conventions... most negative was that it was just a big sales event that cost an arm and a leg. But for those that really participated in the presentations, they really came away with some new and fresh ideas. I have not heard of any convention that does not have vendors showing off their products... that is how they are able to keep the cost down to what it is.
 
You have a great State B&B organization (or at least it was great when I was a member). I was a member of PAII also as an aspiring and got different things from each organization. I dropped out of PAII when I didn't see the value or that they were really moving along. I would have re-joined PAII had we not decided to close the business. We do not a have any kind of active State organization.
 
Joined for the 1st time this year... I have been like you PT - I felt like my money could be spent in far better ways.
Our state association is a far cry from being used as a marketing venue, although I do see it improving. The way our state association 'sells' itself to the industry is primarily based on keeping an eye on legislative issues, laws, etc. as to how they affect our industry. Generally they do not get into matters on the local front - at least that I have heard. For the cost of membership, I felt like I was not getting any value from this at all. And given the vast numbers of B&B's across this state, I would say they have a very small percentage as members. Several of us have commented on the fact that they could grow their membership significantly if they would drop the fee to a resonable level...
And that is just what PAii has done, by dropping their annual membership fee they are raking in the new members by the droves and will be the voice of the industry! - Jay has finally brought a vital purpose to the association. He has taken on the task of discussions with Tripadvisor for our industry and has had some input with the latest NYC ban. They do provide some very interesting webinars and have some othe educational information available to their members. I have read many mixed reviews of their yearly conventions... most negative was that it was just a big sales event that cost an arm and a leg. But for those that really participated in the presentations, they really came away with some new and fresh ideas. I have not heard of any convention that does not have vendors showing off their products... that is how they are able to keep the cost down to what it is..
copperhead said:
And that is just what PAii has done, by dropping their annual membership fee they are raking in the new members by the droves and will be the voice of the industry!
If you read the new IQ, I think Jay says they are NOT raking in the new members by the droves, but they are still keeping the membership level payments low this year.
To me this is both good and bad. Good because more innkeepers can join (even tho they didn't join last year); bad because it means that big corporations (think TA and BB.com) have way too much influence with their 'platinum key partnerships'. That just smacks of 'hostile takeover'.
Too many emails this year were 'sign up for TA!' or about 'our platinum key supporter- BB.com.'
 
Joined for the 1st time this year... I have been like you PT - I felt like my money could be spent in far better ways.
Our state association is a far cry from being used as a marketing venue, although I do see it improving. The way our state association 'sells' itself to the industry is primarily based on keeping an eye on legislative issues, laws, etc. as to how they affect our industry. Generally they do not get into matters on the local front - at least that I have heard. For the cost of membership, I felt like I was not getting any value from this at all. And given the vast numbers of B&B's across this state, I would say they have a very small percentage as members. Several of us have commented on the fact that they could grow their membership significantly if they would drop the fee to a resonable level...
And that is just what PAii has done, by dropping their annual membership fee they are raking in the new members by the droves and will be the voice of the industry! - Jay has finally brought a vital purpose to the association. He has taken on the task of discussions with Tripadvisor for our industry and has had some input with the latest NYC ban. They do provide some very interesting webinars and have some othe educational information available to their members. I have read many mixed reviews of their yearly conventions... most negative was that it was just a big sales event that cost an arm and a leg. But for those that really participated in the presentations, they really came away with some new and fresh ideas. I have not heard of any convention that does not have vendors showing off their products... that is how they are able to keep the cost down to what it is..
copperhead said:
And that is just what PAii has done, by dropping their annual membership fee they are raking in the new members by the droves and will be the voice of the industry!
If you read the new IQ, I think Jay says they are NOT raking in the new members by the droves, but they are still keeping the membership level payments low this year.
To me this is both good and bad. Good because more innkeepers can join (even tho they didn't join last year); bad because it means that big corporations (think TA and BB.com) have way too much influence with their 'platinum key partnerships'. That just smacks of 'hostile takeover'.
Too many emails this year were 'sign up for TA!' or about 'our platinum key supporter- BB.com.'
.
I haven't seen the IQ yet. Sort of suprising that they are not seeing a large increase, too bad as I believe if they did we could see our industry really take shape... Right now there are so many different directions, states set different requirements than others, etc. that people still wonder what a B&B is..and when they hear (read) horror stories of other places - they then are less likely to allow them in their neighborhoods or want to test the waters an try one out.
And the numbers would also keep the corporations at bay instead of them ruling the roost.
 
So in a bulleted list, what are your TOP reasons for staying with PAII?
 
So in a bulleted list, what are your TOP reasons for staying with PAII?.
Joey Bloggs said:
So in a bulleted list, what are your TOP reasons for staying with PAII?
  • The industry needs someone looking out for B&B's on a national basis. They need money to do that.
.
The industry needs someone looking out for B&B's on a national basis. They need money to do that.
I wholeheartedly agree. Before Jay became CEO, I was not impressed that B&B's had any voice at all. There are enough issues that need a spokesman that I will continue to pay my dues as long as I feel that is one of their major efforts. I attended one national meeting (before Jay) as an aspiring, and I was not impressed with the education... fellow innmates gave me the info I needed to start up. Let me add a second bullet:
  • Trade Show
Actually I enjoyed seeing the whirpool tubs I was going to buy in action on the floor of the trade show. It also helped to hold one of those fab coffee mugs in my hands to understand why they were so dang expensive. Also could look at the quality of customization on several different lines of amenities, and look at the various reservation software and like stuff. Some vendors also give convention discounts. For an aspiring those things were very valuable for me. Probably that aspect is now less valuable because I'm pretty set on most of that stuff.
 
I also found them valuable as an aspiring...I started getting the Yellow Brick Road newsletter years before we bought the house. I dropped them a few years ago, as saw no value in membership anymore.
 
So in a bulleted list, what are your TOP reasons for staying with PAII?.
Joey Bloggs said:
So in a bulleted list, what are your TOP reasons for staying with PAII?
  • The industry needs someone looking out for B&B's on a national basis. They need money to do that.
.
Morticia said:
The industry needs someone looking out for B&B's on a national basis. They need money to do that.
And if it's not an organization like PAII, it'll be a corporation like bandb.com. They have been well on their way to fulfilling that role before Jay stepped up to deal with TA, and talk to reporters from USA Today about the industry. I feel more comfortable now that there will be a true voice for the industry in PAII. Although this whole key sponsorship thing has me concerned - I would like to understand what bandb.com bought with that a little better.
From the PAII conference I attended - only one, and last year in Austin - I would NOT characterize the workshops as shilling for the vendors. There were a lot of technology and operations workshops which were presented by innkeepers, and the ones I went to by vendors (like Lisa Kolb from Acorn) were not sales jobs at all.
 
I also found them valuable as an aspiring...I started getting the Yellow Brick Road newsletter years before we bought the house. I dropped them a few years ago, as saw no value in membership anymore..
Little Blue said:
I also found them valuable as an aspiring...I started getting the Yellow Brick Road newsletter years before we bought the house. I dropped them a few years ago, as saw no value in membership anymore.
I really liked that Yellow Brick Road newsletter!
 
I am so tight, I can be called CHEAP! I had always said, "I do not see what an International organization can do for me that my State Association can't." That was befor Jay took over.
When I found out the 1000 lb gorilla sat down and at least SAT DOWN with Jay, I was impressed. I do not care if I EVER get another benefit, PAII is getting a gorilla that has much too much influence in our industry (mainly because innkeepers gave that influence by not saying to post it!) to at least listen - far more than we had before. I will hand over my minimum dues because that is all I can afford, but I give it willingly. I am a bit leery of PAII crawling in bed with the 800 lb gorilla - I personally do not think that is a wise move and surprise folks, it has nothing to do with my distaste and disgust with that particular gorilla. It is because it smacks of favoritism of one vendor over any of the others. it smacks of a "sell-out" to the high bidder. In the vendor field, all is not level and as a vendor I would be looking at this really hard.
I favored PAII over some other places a vendor should list - BUT there is the question in my mind now, will PAII favor the arm of the gorilla that vendor is in competition with over the small vendor because the gorilla has more money? Until that happened, I looked at PAII as being neutral and that is where they should have stayed - IMNVHO.
For now PT, I would say give them the minimum membership to show support. We have to support with our dollars or we are the biggest losers.
 
  • A professional voice for our industry
  • Lobbying efforts on behalf of our industry
  • Conferences - I've been to 4 in the past 8 years and have learned a tremendous amount which has allowed me to grow our business. As Muirford said, the workshops "are not shilling for vendors". I have always left the conferences with a few nuggets of information or ideas that I would never have thought of but can easily incorporate into the business.
  • Vendors
  • Industry Studies that can be used by aspirings and innkeepers who are applying for loans to expand. The banks take these numbers seriously.
  • PAII is attempting to get a national ad campaign launched for our industry. Without a national organization, we would never have the numbers to ever attempt this.
  • At a $89 membership entry level, it's worth supporting our industry even if you never use their services for the educational opportunities.
 
I'll chime in here only if you guys want me to.
teeth_smile.gif

The original post wanted input from peers.
Jay
 
I'll chime in here only if you guys want me to.
teeth_smile.gif

The original post wanted input from peers.
Jay.
jkarennj said:
I'll chime in here only if you guys want me to.
teeth_smile.gif

The original post wanted input from peers.
Jay
I'd be happy to hear what you have to add. We are a small two room B&B. Literally a mom and pop operation.
We don't make so much money that we can afford to join every organization that presents itself. Just paying our membership to the local Chamber of Commerce is a deal for us, so we have to be very careful where our money goes.
 
I'll chime in here only if you guys want me to.
teeth_smile.gif

The original post wanted input from peers.
Jay.
jkarennj said:
I'll chime in here only if you guys want me to.
teeth_smile.gif

The original post wanted input from peers.
Jay
I'd be happy to hear what you have to add. We are a small two room B&B. Literally a mom and pop operation.
We don't make so much money that we can afford to join every organization that presents itself. Just paying our membership to the local Chamber of Commerce is a deal for us, so we have to be very careful where our money goes.
.
I think others have commented enough but I will chime in. PAII didn't use to be as pro innkeeper as they are now. And with the various rate levels, anyone can afford to join them. We need a voice for our industry and Jay has made his mark. We need to be supportive and show we are professionals as well.
 
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