MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--She Has a Deal, an education and investment platform for aspiring women hotel investors and developers, announced today its first annual hotel pitch competition taking place on October 24 at the Hilton McLean in Virginia. During the competition, the five finalist teams consisting of 12 women will pitch their strategic hotel projects to industry experts and investors as they vie for $50,000 in deal equity.
In a male-dominated industry, She Has a Deal was founded to create hotel ownership pathways for women through education, networking, and mentorship. In its first year, the much-anticipated competition will be produced as a hybrid experience amid the coronavirus pandemic. The competition will reach an international audience as five teams pitch unique hotel projects representing five major US cities – Scottsdale, AZ, San Jose, CA, Detroit, MI, Nashville, TN and New Orleans, LA.
“Due to the global pandemic, our inaugural competition is not how we intended to launch it, but challenging times call for innovative measures,” says Tracy Prigmore, founder of She Has a Deal. “We are excited to host a hybrid event and share this experience with audiences around the world. We are also blessed to partner with Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International and other generous sponsors to launch this platform, which should have a transformative impact on the hotel industry.
“The advancement of female hotel owners has been and continues to be an important focus for Hilton, and that is why we are proud to support the She Has a Deal movement,” says Bill Fortier, Senior Vice President, Development – Americas at Hilton. “We are excited to hear from each of the finalists and to support their continued growth. And we look forward to the day when we hopefully welcome all of them as owners of one or more of our brands.”
Eric Jacobs, Marriott International’s Chief Development Officer, North America says, “We are proud to be a part of She Has a Deal to improve gender parity in the hotel industry. We understand the challenges many women face when seeking capital and gaining access to information. We are committed to helping close the gender wealth gap in hotel ownership.”
Viewers can watch the pitch competition live by registering at shehasadeal.com and can participate during the competition by voting for their favorite team. To learn more about the pitch competition, visit www.shehasadeal.com.
About She Has a Deal
She Has a Deal was founded in 2019 to create pathways to hotel ownership for women through education, networking, and mentorship. She Has a Deal offers educational opportunities for all kinds of aspiring hotel investors through a Masterclass series and its signature annual Hotel Investment Pitch Competition. Connect with She Has a Deal on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,200 properties with more than 983,000 rooms, in 118 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company, Hilton welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2019 World’s Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2019 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the 108 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including digital check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,400 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 135 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
