Why ALIS starts hotel investment year

LOS ANGELES — Even if the calendar says it’s already near the end of January, hotel investors know that the year doesn’t really start until the week of ALIS, with many telling Hotel Investment Today just that.

In discussions with hotel investment experts over the past few years, many have mentioned that in the U.S., hotel deals are typically not announced until the event begins in late January, marking the real start of deal activity for the year.

Why is that? It could be that companies want to wait to announce a high-profile deal in front of all of their peers. Maybe, sellers want to “take the temperature” of the market and see how deals are being valued versus other asset classes before making final annoucements.

Whatever the reason, it’s almost a certainty that there will be a lot of deals and news coming out of the conference.

The 25^th annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) by Northstar kicks off this week in Los Angeles. The week of events, which begins on Sunday with ALIS Law at the Courtyard/Residence Inn Los Angeles L.A. Live (which runs through Monday), continues with ALIS on Monday through Wednesday at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. live. The week concludes with ALIS DESIGN + on Wednesday and Thursday. The events are expected to draw more than 3,000 attendees in various hospitality-related industries to the area.

Hotel Investment Today will be covering the event with panel stories and video interviews from the floor of the event, and with reports about those making news and deals at ALIS.

Highlights of ALIS 2026

The 25^th annual version of ALIS kicks off on Monday, with a full day of sessions with a number of CEOs taking the stage to talk about strategies and trends. Among the highlights will be James (Jim) Burba, a longtime industry veteran and ALIS founder, being presented with the ALIS Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the hospitality industry through their actions, deeds, and great accomplishments.

On Tuesday the late Bruce White, founder of White Lodging, will be posthumously presented with the International Society of Hospitality Consultant’s 2026 Pioneer Award. The award, established in partnership with ALIS in 1996, recognizes an individual each year who is considered a pioneer in their field by making an outstanding contribution, achievement, or improvement in the hospitality industry. The presentation will include an interview with Beth White, chair, White Lodging, and Conner White, vice chairman and chief investment officer.

That same day, Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the way the healthcare system addresses and treats substance use disorders, will honor Marriott International President and CEO Anthony Capuano as its 2026 Shatterproof Hospitality Hero. Capuano is being recognized for his leadership, advocacy, and compassion in raising awareness of substance use disorders and in supporting efforts to end addiction stigma across the hospitality industry.

On Tuesday, the winners of the ALIS Awards will be announced on stage, including the hotels, companies, and executives who are responsible for the most influential hotel industry deals in 2025. Nominees are evaluated based on outstanding business performance in various industry sectors.