Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Article: Federal stimulus speeds recovery

Proposed third package could help entire economy, helping travel return

Article: Federal stimulus speeds recovery

HOTEL OWNERS AND associations have been calling for more federal aid since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last March. The stimulus bills passed so far have had increasing impact on helping the hospitality and travel industries survive the downturn, and there is much to be looked forward to from President Biden’s proposed package, according to a report from consulting firm HVS.

The pandemic has impacted the entire economy and two relief packages have been passed since its beginning, according to the article from Thomas Hazinski, managing director of HVS convention, sports, and entertainment facilities consulting in Chicago, and research analyst Joseph Hansel. The first aid package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, provided the least amount of help for the hospitality and travel industries.


Travel alone lost around $500 billion since March, the article said citing data from the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics.

“The economic stimulus provided in the CARES Act did help state and local governments, but key considerations, such as excluding 501(c)(6) organizations like [destination marketing organizations] from receiving Paycheck Protection Program funding, left travel industry stakeholders without direct economic stimulus,” Hazinski and Hansel wrote. “Among the top 20 DMOs, on average, 81 percent of their funding comes from the public sector and in most cases, funding for public sector agencies relies on taxes on services related to tourism.”

While the CARES Act failed by leaving out parts of the travel and hospitality industries, the second round, the $900 billion Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in December. Among other things, that bill included $325 billion for small businesses, including $284 billion dollars for the Paycheck Protection Program that provides loans to struggling businesses, including hotels.

“In addition to solving individual and societal dilemmas, the second round of stimulus provides more direct assistance to the tourism industry,” the article said.

The second stimulus bill also expanded the PPP program to include DMOs to allow some of them to receive loans for operating expenses that will be forgiven later.

“The long-term viability of DMOs and other promoters of tourism will be vital for the rapid recovery of the tourism industry when public health measures allow for unabated travel and tourism,” The article said.

Now, for the third round of federal relief, President Biden has proposed an even more expansive $1.9 trillion package. That bill, which is expected to pass, includes another $50 billion for small business assistance.

“Combined with the prior $900 billion package, government spending would provide $2.8 trillion in economic stimulus. The greatest impact of this legislation on the hospitality industry would result from a faster economic recovery as the new government spending more than replaces the GDP lost due to the pandemic,” Hazinski and Hansel wrote. “Leisure and business travel is likely to resume faster in a healthy economy. Direct aid to state and local governments will allow them to continue or reinstate support for publicly funding convention centers and destination marketing organizations.”

Current projections are that the travel industry will start to fully recover in the second quarter, if the third federal stimulus package is approved and if the vaccine distribution continues successfully.

“Should President Biden’s proposed stimulus package, which includes $20 billion for a national vaccination program and $15 billion for additional small business grants beyond the PPP, pass, the travel industry may be able to recover through a return to normalcy, the return of large public gatherings, and sustained financial support for key industry participants,” the article concludes. “Of course, the future of economic stimulus for the travel industry lies in the hands of Congress. In the interim, travel industry stakeholders continue to wait, hopeful for a rapid return to health, travel, and normalcy.”

More for you

Exterior view of the modern eight-story MC Hotel in Montclair, NJ, with a curved glass facade and rooftop structure, located in a vibrant downtown area, 2025

Stonebridge adds MC Hotel to Autograph Collection

Stonebridge Cos. Welcomes MC Hotel to Autograph Collection

STONEBRIDGE COS. RECENTLY added the 159-room MC Hotel in Montclair, New Jersey, to its Autograph Collection portfolio. The property is owned in partnership with CSP MC Partners LP, an affiliate of Circle Squared Alternative Investments, led by CEO Jeff Sica.

Denver-based Stonebridge is a privately owned hotel management company founded by Chairman Navin Dimond and led by President and CEO Rob Smith.

Keep ReadingShow less
Breaking Barriers: Women of Color Power List 2025 Revealed

Breaking Barriers: Women of Color Power List 2025 Revealed

Women of Color Power List 2025 Debuts at AAHOACON 2025

ASIAN MEDIA GROUP USA, publisher of Asian Hospitality magazine, launched the first-ever “Women of Color Power List 2025” at the 2025 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans, honoring 51 women reshaping the U.S. hospitality industry. The publication is the first to spotlight the achievements of women of color, recognizing their resilience, innovation, and leadership.

Asian Media Group Managing Editor Kalpesh Solanki, Executive Editor Shailesh Solanki, and Chief Operating Officer Aditya Solanki announced the list during the conference.

Keep ReadingShow less
AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ 2025

AAHOA, બ્રિજ AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ કરે છે

AAHOA અને બ્રિજે AAHOALending.com ને AAHOACON 2025 માં રજૂ કર્યું

AAHOA અને બ્રિજે AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ કર્યું, જે હોસ્પિટાલિટી પર કેન્દ્રિત ડિજિટલ ધિરાણ પ્લેટફોર્મ છે. તે AAHOA સભ્યોને 150 થી વધુ ધિરાણકર્તાઓની ઍક્સેસ પ્રદાન કરે છે, જેમાં વધુને વધુ લોકોને નિયમિતપણે ઉમેરવાની યોજના છે, આ પ્લેટફોર્મ વપરાશકર્તાઓને ધિરાણ વિકલ્પોની તુલના કરવાની, શ્રેષ્ઠ દરો અને સુરક્ષિત ભંડોળ શોધવાની મંજૂરી આપે છે.

કોફાઉન્ડર અને CEO રોહિત માથુરની આગેવાની હેઠળના બ્રિજને ક્લબ બ્લુ ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી પાર્ટનર તરીકે નિયુક્ત કરવામાં આવ્યા છે, જે AAHOAના પ્રોગ્રામમાં સર્વોચ્ચ સ્તર છે, તેના 300 ભાગીદારોમાંથી માત્ર 12 જ લાયકાત ધરાવે છે, એમ બંનેએ સંયુક્ત નિવેદનમાં જણાવ્યું હતું.

Keep ReadingShow less
2025માં મંદીની સંભાવના 50 ટકા : HAMA સર્વે

2025માં મંદીની સંભાવના 50 ટકા : HAMA સર્વે

HAMA 2025 સર્વે: 49% મેનેજર્સ મંદીની આશંકા ધરાવે છે

હોસ્પિટાલિટી એસેટ મેનેજર્સ એસોસિએશનના સ્પ્રિંગ 2025 ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી આઉટલુક સર્વેક્ષણમાં અંદાજે 49 ટકા ઉત્તરદાતાઓ 2025 માં અમેરિકામાં મંદીની અપેક્ષા રાખે છે, જે 2024ના પાનખર સર્વેક્ષણમાં 19 ટકાથી વધુ છે. ટોચની ત્રણ ચિંતાઓ માંગ, ટેરિફ અને DOGE કટ અને વેતનમાં વધારો વચ્ચેનો જોડાણ છે.

HAMA સર્વેક્ષણમાં જાણવા મળ્યું છે કે લગભગ 55 ટકા ઉત્તરદાતાઓએ તેમની વર્તમાન વ્યૂહરચનાના ભાગ રૂપે બ્રાન્ડ અથવા મેનેજમેન્ટ ફેરફારો કર્યા છે અથવા કરવાની યોજના બનાવી છે.

Keep ReadingShow less