Due to the assist of our superb members, 2024 was a banner yr for advocacy on the American Lodge & Lodging Affiliation (AHLA).
Throughout the nation and in any respect ranges of presidency, we achieved a powerful array of coverage victories this yr. Listed below are among the highlights of what we’ve achieved:
Federal Advocacy Victories
On the federal degree in 2024, AHLA
- Protected franchisees and the lodge enterprise mannequin by efficiently suing the Nationwide Labor Relations Board to strike down its joint-employer rule;
- Led a coalition that efficiently sued the Division of Labor concerning its extra time rule, which threatened to impose increased labor prices on hoteliers throughout the nation beginning in 2025;
- Efficiently lobbied for vital will increase to federal worker per diem charges for lodging and meals bills, together with a lodging price improve estimated to be value greater than $86 million to hoteliers;
- Helped safe congressional authorization for the Division of Homeland Safety to double the variety of out there H-2B visas for fiscal yr 2024;
- Facilitated the bicameral introduction of human trafficking prevention laws—the HOTEL ACT, H.R. 9681—which enhances AHLA Basis’s No Room for Trafficking program; and
- Secured passage of the No Hidden FEES Act within the Home of Representatives, a invoice that may create a complete single customary for clear and obligatory payment shows throughout the lodging trade.
State and Native Advocacy Victories
On the state and native degree in 2024, AHLA
- Launched an intense lobbying and media marketing campaign in New York Metropolis that resulted in vital enhancements to a invoice that may have triggered huge financial hurt to town’s lodge trade and financial system;
- Helped move laws in Hawaii to rein in unlawful short-term leases, which had been unfairly competing in opposition to lodges and making housing unaffordable for native residents;
- Stopped flawed laws in New Jersey that may have wrecked the lodge franchise mannequin within the Backyard State;
- Defeated onerous tax insurance policies in a number of cities and states, together with an actual property switch tax in Chicago and a transient tax in Utah;
- Expanded a worldwide alliance of nationwide hospitality associations to influence coverage tendencies and higher assist AHLA world membership; and
- Expanded its state and native political program by almost 40 % yr over yr.
Priorities Shifting Ahead
Voters throughout the nation this yr ushered in a extra business-friendly atmosphere in most jurisdictions, and Republicans received the presidency in addition to the U.S. Home and Senate. This may change the political panorama in 2025, however AHLA’s advocacy strategy stays the identical regardless of who’s in workplace. We’ll defend hoteliers’ backside traces by working to keep up an atmosphere through which lodge professionals can concentrate on working and rising their enterprise fairly than coping with onerous legal guidelines and dangerous insurance policies.
Which means supporting business-friendly tax charges and insurance policies to increase the workforce, combating regulatory overreach, defending the lodge franchise mannequin from authorities interference, and guaranteeing a degree taking part in subject for lodges and short-term leases. Particular priorities AHLA is pursuing now and into 2025 embody
- Extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, greater than $4 trillion in tax provisions that may have an effect on hoteliers’ backside traces;
- Rising the lodge workforce by increasing the variety of H-2B visas through payments just like the Closing the Workforce Hole Act (H.R. 7262);
- Passing laws just like the Lodge Charges Transparency Act within the Senate and the Home-passed No Hidden FEES Act, each of which might create a nationwide customary for lodging value transparency throughout your complete trade; and
- Opposing draconian state and native makes an attempt to focus on lodges with economically damaging operational mandates and purple tape.
We’re highly effective when hoteliers converse with one voice, and AHLA is proud to symbolize you as we work with lawmakers in each events to notch extra victories for our nice trade in 2025 and past. Thanks on your assist.
