AHLA shares priorities with lawmakers

AHLA Members Unite on Capitol Hill to Advance Hospitality Legislation

MORE THAN 250 American Hotel & Lodging Association members met with lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House to discuss legislative priorities critical to the hospitality industry. They raised concerns about tax and trade policies impacting hotel operating costs and travel demand amid ongoing budget reconciliation and tax negotiations.

Members also discussed expanding and upskilling the hospitality workforce through measures such as adjusting the H-2B visa cap and protecting the franchise model, which supports more than half of all U.S. hotels and 2.8 million jobs, the association said in a statement.

“AHLA members flooded Congressional offices this week to share their on-the-ground insights and advocate for legislation to bolster the hotel industry,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO. “Over the course of our meetings across the House and Senate, we conveyed the implications of tax, trade, and labor policies lawmakers are considering. It’s clear that a strong tourism sector is on the radar of both Congress and the administration.”

Legislative priorities to support small business hotel owners, jobs and economic activity include tax provisions in the House Ways and Means Committee’s section of the Budget Reconciliation bill, the statement said. These include making the Small Business Tax Deduction permanent, extending Bonus Depreciation, preserving Like-Kind Exchanges, reinstating Expanded Business Interest Deductibility, launching a second round of Opportunity Zones and implementing “No Tax on Tips” to help hotel employees keep more of their income.

During the fly-in, AHLA presented its Spirit of Hospitality Award to several officials for their efforts to advance travel and tourism: Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg and National Labor Relations Board Chairman Marvin Kaplan.

Moody said no state appreciates the hotel industry more than Florida, and its economic impact cannot be overstated.

“It was an honor to receive the Spirit of Hospitality Award from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, which plays a key role in facilitating tourism across the country so people can experience the greatness and beauty of America,” said Walberg, who also is chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee. “We must work together to roll back regulations that create uncertainty for the industry, such as the joint employer rule, which threatens job creation and limits entrepreneurship.”

“We also need to strengthen workforce development to meet the demand for skilled workers in industries like travel and tourism,” he said. “By addressing these challenges, we can help the travel and tourism industry continue to grow and thrive.”

Recently, nearly 1,000 hospitality professionals gathered at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta for the AHLA Foundation’s two-day ForWard Conference, focused on elevating women in hospitality through professional development and networking under the theme of recognizing, accessing and amplifying power.