The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is urging Congressional leaders to pass critical legislation aimed at increasing transparency, protecting consumers, and addressing industry challenges before the 118th Congress concludes on January 3, 2025. In a letter addressed to House and Senate leaders, AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta emphasized the importance of moving several key bills forward, including the No Hidden FEES Act and the Hotel Fees Transparency Act, both of which would introduce clear, nationwide standards for hotel pricing.
Currently, consumers often face surprise fees during hotel bookings, and these new legislative efforts seek to create a transparent pricing system. The No Hidden FEES Act, which has already passed the House, and the Senate’s Hotel Fees Transparency Act aim to ensure that all mandatory lodging fees are displayed upfront, providing consumers with a clearer picture of total booking costs. This legislation would apply not only to hotels but also to short-term rentals, online travel agencies, and metasearch sites.
In addition to addressing consumer protection, the AHLA is advocating for the HOTEL Act, a bill that would encourage federal employees traveling for business to stay in hotels with anti-human trafficking programs. Since 2019, AHLA’s No Room for Trafficking initiative has worked to help hotel operators identify and combat human trafficking. The HOTEL Act would further support these efforts by requiring hotels to undergo training developed in partnership with survivors and experts in human trafficking prevention.
Another pressing concern for the hotel industry is the ongoing labor shortage, and the AHLA is pushing for the Closing the Workforce Gap Act. This bill would reform the H-2B visa program, replacing the current cap of 66,000 annual temporary visas with a needs-based system. This change would provide hotels with greater flexibility in addressing staffing shortages, which have become a significant challenge for the industry.
The AHLA is also backing the Red Tape Reduction Act, which seeks to create a more level playing field between traditional hotels and alternative accommodations, like short-term rentals. This bill aims to address the substantial amounts of unreported income in the short-term rental market, ensuring that all players in the lodging industry comply with similar regulatory standards.
“These bipartisan policies are essential for the future of the hotel industry and will benefit hoteliers, employees, and consumers alike,” said Maietta. “From workforce solutions to consumer protection and anti-trafficking efforts, these bills address some of the most pressing issues facing the hospitality sector.”
The hotel industry remains a significant economic driver in the U.S., supporting nearly 1 in 25 American jobs and projected to pay out a record $123 billion in wages and compensation this year. With such a large impact, the AHLA’s push for legislative action underscores the importance of ensuring the industry remains competitive and capable of meeting the challenges ahead.
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