Thursday, December 5, 2024
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has called on congressional leaders to prioritize critical legislation aimed at protecting consumers from hidden fees during the hotel booking process before the 118th Congress adjourns on January 3, 2025.
In a letter addressed to leaders in both the House and Senate, AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta urged lawmakers to advance two key pieces of legislation—the House-passed No Hidden FEES Act and the Senate’s Hotel Fees Transparency Act—to President Biden’s desk. These bills aim to safeguard consumers by establishing a unified, transparent national standard for displaying mandatory lodging fees.
Maietta also requested that lawmakers move forward with the HOTEL Act, which encourages federal employees traveling on business to choose hotels with established anti-human trafficking programs.
For years, AHLA has been a leader in advocating for policies that protect both consumers and hotel guests. The association has spearheaded efforts to create a federal standard for lodging fee transparency. Additionally, the AHLA Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking initiative has been supporting hoteliers in identifying and preventing human trafficking since 2019.
In her letter, Maietta further urged Congress to pass two additional important bills: the Closing the Workforce Gap Act, which aims to assist hoteliers in addressing the ongoing labor shortage, and the Red Tape Reduction Act, which seeks to address the large amounts of unreported income within the short-term rental industry.
“From growing the workforce, to protecting consumers, preventing human trafficking, and cutting red tape, these commonsense, bipartisan policies are a win-win for hoteliers, employees, and consumers. We encourage lawmakers to support their swift passage,” said AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta.
The hotel industry is a major economic driver, supporting approximately 1 in 25 jobs in the United States. This year, hotels are expected to pay a record $123 billion in wages, salaries, and other compensation, while also generating nearly $83.4 billion in tax revenue.
Background Information
The No Hidden FEES Act (H.R. 6543), passed by the House, and the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2024 (S. 2498) aim to protect consumers by implementing a clear, nationwide standard for displaying mandatory lodging fees. This standard ensures that all potential hotel guests receive transparent, upfront pricing information across the entire lodging sector, including short-term rentals, online travel agencies, metasearch platforms, and hotels.
The HOTEL Act (H.R. 9681) seeks to combat human trafficking and enhance the safety of federal employees traveling for business by encouraging them to choose hotels with anti-human trafficking programs. Hotels seeking to qualify under this act must provide training developed in collaboration with state governments, human trafficking survivors, survivor-led organizations, or recognized experts in the field, such as the AHLA Foundation.
The Closing the Workforce Gap Act (H.R. 7574) aims to help hoteliers address the ongoing labor shortage by replacing the current cap of 66,000 H-2B temporary visas with a flexible, needs-based system.
Lastly, the Red Tape Reduction Act (S. 1725) takes a crucial step toward leveling the playing field between traditional hotels and alternative accommodations, such as short-term rentals, by addressing regulatory discrepancies.
