Hello, friends.

2010 is just about upon us and, as we plan the final details for our Annual Meeting on December 8, we are preparing invoices for 2010 AABBI membership dues.

2010 dues will remain the same as those for 2009 and will, again, include full membership in the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association for each AABBI member bed and breakfast, as well as for AABBI as an organization.

To be thoughtful of financial costs and those to our environment, your AABBI 2010 invoice will be sent electronically to the e-mail address that is registered for your inn on the AABBI website.  Look for an e-mail from our Treasurer, Richard Svendsen of Starlight Pines B&B, in the coming days.

I have greatly enjoyed being your President for the past two years and hope that you feel your investment in AABBI has been well-served.  Over the past two years your dues were strategically invested (often paired with matching grants from the Arizona Office of Tourism) to produce significant results for our organization and for each individual member inn.  These include:

• Launch of a new, more robust AABBI website in late January 2009 and subsequent improvements to our website.
• Design and printing of 90,000 two-sided, full color AABBI rack cards, distributed statewide.
• Development and launch of an interactive Calendar of Events for prospective tourists to plan their Arizona visit.
• Formation of a strategic partnership between AABBI and the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.
• Development and launch of a new electronic newsletter and news and information archive.
• Design and placement of a full color, 1/3 page ad promoting AABBI member inns in the 2010 Arizona State Visitors Guide.
• Hiring AABBI's first paid Association Administrator, Karen McClurg, who has provided incredible assistance to our organization.
• AABBI, with the help of AzHLA, successfully lobbied the Arizona State Legislature to extend residential propety tax rates to all inns of 6 rooms or fewer (formerly 4 rooms or fewer).

There are many other wonderful accomplishments that we all can claim as AABBI member innkeepers.  I appreciate all of the support you've shown me, our Board of Directors and your fellow members.  I do hope that you'll choose to continue onward with us to help raise visibility of our unique offering in the Arizona hospitality industry.

If I may be of any assistance, as always, please ask.

Many thanks to each of you.

JEFF

Jeff DiGregorio, President
Arizona Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns
c/o The Royal Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast Inn
204 South Scott Avenue, Tucson, Az. 85701
(520) 670-9022
stay@RoyalElizabeth.com