ATLANTA, GA.—AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton issued the following statement in response to the murder of Elkton, Md. hotel owner Ushaben Patel and the wounding of her husband Dilipbhai Patel:
“America’s hotel owners are shocked and outraged by this senseless act of violence against two small business owners doing their jobs. We offer our deepest sympathies to Dilipbhai Patel and his family, and our community is mourning with them today. Attacks against hoteliers continue to increase, and this is yet another horrendous episode of violence against Asian Americans that is plaguing our society. It must stop now. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hoteliers have worked to ease the tensions of everyday life for their guests. The past year placed undue anxiety, pain, and uncertainty on our nation, yet hoteliers continue to welcome guests into their hotels and their communities. This crime compounds the anxieties hotel owners face. Every hotelier knows that something like this could happen to them at any time. Service to others defines the spirit of hospitality, and that is what makes a loss such as this so tragic. We are confident that Maryland authorities will help the Patel family find justice.”
