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THE AMERICAN HOTEL and Lodging Association relaunched its "Hospitality is Working" campaign to highlight hotels' commitment to workforce, guests and communities, according to a statement. The campaign aims to reengage travelers and showcase the economic and community benefits hotels provide in neighborhoods across the U.S. As more Americans begin to travel, the initiative will highlight the broad range of benefits hotels provide the communities they serve and point out the industry's strong commitment to investing in its workforce, providing quality career opportunities and protecting employees and guests, AHLA said. "In every American city, hotels support employees and their families and serve our communities," said Chip Rogers, AHLA's president and CEO. "Hotels are investing in our workforce to create good jobs that power local economies. We're keeping guests and employees safe. Six in 10 hotels are small businesses, and they're creating opportunities for other small companies to grow and thrive. Hotels also help fund vital government services through local, state and federal taxes. Hotels are a net benefit to the communities we serve, and as we seek to reignite travel, we look forward to growing together."

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Justice will appeal the recent court ruling that overturned a federal mask mandate on public transportation. In response, the U.S. Travel Association said that the mandate is simply out of step with the current public health landscape. Last week, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa ruled that the CDC had overstepped its authority in issuing the mask mandate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the DOJ to appeal the ruling. In a statement on April 20, the CDC said that an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. CDC will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether such an order remains necessary, it added.

THE U.S. TRAVEL Association and Tourism Diversity Matters formed a new strategic partnership to focus on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), a statement from USTA said. The partnership will provide USTA more access to Tourism Diversity Matters' subject matter expertise, research and resources. Founded in 2021, Tourism Diversity Matters addresses blind spots in ethnic disparities within the tourism and events industries. It will provide these industry leaders with resources and tactics to develop more effective DEI strategies to engage, recruit and retain a diverse workforce. DEI is a core priority of USTA, the association said in a statement, and is committed to having a vital role in affecting lasting change and supporting the development of industry-wide DEI plans. The partnership will advance workforce development issues and federal policy initiatives that support travel's recovery, the statement added. "USTA has a clear vision: in working closely with Tourism Diversity Matters, we aim to help the travel sector achieve a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive industry for all," said Roger Dow, USTA's president and CEO and a board member of Tourism Diversity Matters. "Aligning with Tourism Diversity Matters is a great step toward this pursuit that will enrich USTA's membership for years to come."

ON MONDAY, THE Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor authorized an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year 2022. Travel and hospitality industry associations say the authorization will help ease the ongoing labor crisis. The new visas, which permit employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform certain labor in the U.S., are part of the first supplemental cap the DHS and DOL have allowed for the H-2B visa program in the first half of a fiscal year, according to a press release. The visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or before March 31. The supplemental H-2B visa allocation includes 13,500 visas for returning workers who received an H-2B visa, or were otherwise granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years. The remaining 6,500 visas are exempt from the returning worker requirement and are reserved for nationals of Haiti and the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY is poised for a fairly strong year in 2023 despite remaining concerns about a downturn, according to a pair of reports. Continuing demand is expected to overcome extra labor costs and economic vagaries to propel performance above pre-pandemic levels, according to the reports from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and STR. The state of the industry AHLA's 2023 State of the Hotel Industry Report projects that demand, nominal room revenue and state and local tax revenue all are well on the way to recovery. Operational challenges, such as staffing shortages and economic factors will replace COVID as hoteliers' top concerns, the report predicts. "Three years after the unprecedented hardships our industry faced due to the pandemic, hotels continue to make significant strides toward recovery," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "2022 saw one of the strongest summer travel seasons ever, and this year we expect hotels to reach new heights in terms of room revenue, room-night demand and state and local tax revenue. But when inflation is taken into account, our industry likely won't see full recovery for several more years. Nevertheless, hotel performance is trending in the right direction - great news for our industry and our employees, who are enjoying better pay, more career opportunities, upward mobility and flexibility than ever before."

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING points are becoming a standard amenity at hotels, akin to the rise of Wi-Fi in the early 2000s. Benefits for the hotel owners and franchisers can include additional revenue, carbon credits as well as attracting guests from the growing number of electric vehicle drivers. A 2022 Green Lodging survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association revealed a surge in the deployment of EV chargers within the hospitality sector, with 26.6 percent of all U.S. hotels equipped with charging stations. The EV charging facilities are more commonly found at luxury hotels (nearly 90 percent offer them), while only about one in five limited-service hotels provides charging, representing significant growth opportunities. Hotel brands such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, BWH Hotel Group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotel Corp. and G6 Hospitality have prioritized deploying EV charging based on customer preferences. Their franchisees have begun incorporating EV charging infrastructures into their properties. "We've heard from our owners that offering EV charging solutions is increasingly influential for guests when choosing hotels," said Brian McGuiness, IHG's senior vice president of global guest experience. "This is backed by our observation of guests using EVC filters on the IHG One Rewards mobile app and website. Our integrated EV-charger search filter within the IHG One Rewards mobile app allows travelers to easily find properties with EV charging capabilities, empowering them to plan their journeys conveniently and confidently."

HOTEL EMPLOYEES NOW have their own day, Sept. 1, thanks to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. AHLA had the date included in the National Day Calendar as part of its effort to increase recruitment of new hospitality workers. National Hotel Employee Day will be celebrated annually to thank hotel employees for their hard work and dedication and recognize the role they play in the nation's travel, tourism and hotel industries, according to AHLA. AHLA's launching of the day is in response to the struggle U.S. hotels are facing to quickly fill more than 120,000 open hotel jobs by offering current and prospective employees higher wages, with better benefits, and more flexibility. "On this inaugural National Hotel Employee Day, we thank America's nearly two million hotel employees. Every day in communities across the nation, hotel employees' service and dedication help facilitate some of Americans' most important life events - from wedding receptions to family reunions and vacations," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "Now is the time to consider one of the more than 200 enriching careers in the hotel industry."

AS THE FAMILY of Jayanti P. "J.P." Rama, former AAHOA chairman and co-founder of co-founder of JHM Hotels, gathered for his funeral, tributes to him continued. The praise came from all levels of the industry as well as from personal associates and friends. J.K. Patel, founder of North Point Hospitality and AAHOA chairman for 1996 to 1997 "J.P. was one of my dearest and closest friends, who I have known for over 30 years. We traveled together from coast to coast in the mid - 1990's during our chairmanship years at AAHOA. JP was always interested in working with individual owners and helping them advance and succeed in their business. He made sure everyone's voice was heard, putting their needs above all else. He was also veryinterested in making sure the younger generation of hoteliers would have a strong platform from which they can succeed. Geeta and I also had the privilege of traveling together socially with JP and Ilaben across the world. It was during those trips that JP's true kindness and gentle heart was in full force and effect. He always took the time to engage with everyone we came across during our trips and would always leave everyone with a smile on their face. We spent many evenings together discussing what was most important to JP - his faith, his family and his friends.