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NEW YORK CITY Council members recently introduced a bill requiring hotels to obtain additional licenses to operate in the city. However, the American Hotel & Lodging Association called the bill "destructive," warning it would permanently alter hotel operations and threaten thousands of jobs in the city. The bill's sponsors claim it addresses several issues, including prohibiting hotels from using subcontractors for core functions, adopting minimum hygiene standards and committing to policies to prevent prostitution and human trafficking. AHLA urged the council to slow down on the proposed licenses, noting they would decimate the hospitality economy. "This abrupt and destructive bill would permanently alter how hotels operate and threaten the jobs of thousands of New Yorkers," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "If it becomes law, thousands of hotel jobs could be lost, hotels will shutter, and New York City's economy - especially small business retailers, restaurants, and other hotel service providers - will suffer substantially."

HUNDREDS OF HOSPITALITY professionals gathered at City Hall to oppose Intro 991, the "Safe Hotels Act," highlighting its detrimental effects on NYC hotels, subcontractors, and small businesses. This follows last month's protest, which drew more than 1,500 attendees. Intro 991, despite being framed as a safety measure, imposes costly mandates that threaten the survival of the city's hotels, risking over 265,000 jobs and billions in tax revenue, according to industry associations. Representatives from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and AAHOA were among the protesters. "Intro 991 targets a single industry and will inflict sweeping harm on the hotel sector, the economy, and hotel guests," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "The bill will have devastating, unintended consequences for New York City's tourism and hospitality industries, forcing many hotels and small businesses to close. We urge the city council to reconsider and find real solutions that protect both safety and livelihoods." Since the legislation was introduced in July, AAHOA members have reached out to the council, urging them to reconsider the act. AAHOA Northeast regional director Preyas Patel, past chairwoman Jagruti Panwala, former young professional director Purvi Panwala and AAHOA member Mitesh Ahir addressed the council after the event.

AAHOA IS URGING hotels to adopt cybersecurity measures to prevent incidents similar to the recent cyberattacks on MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. Following the ransomware attack on IHG Hotels & Resorts last year, which cost hotel owners between $30,000 and $75,000 each, AAHOA called for clear lines of communication to protect franchisees who bore the brunt of revenue losses from bookings missed due to the disruptions. In July, Choice Hotels International confirmed a data breach impacting guest information in its Radisson Hotels Americas chain, originating from a file-transfer system hack, according to AAHOA and media reports. The association said that most impacted franchisees are small business owners, unable to absorb unexpected booking losses. This challenge is amplified by ongoing issues like staffing shortages, which further hinder their recovery efforts. It further emphasized that with franchisor support, hoteliers can improve the guest experience and reduce the risk of disruptive incidents.

AAHOA IS CONTINUING its advocacy efforts with new meetings with members of Congress. On Sept. 27, representatives from the association met with Sen. John Hickenlooper, Democrat from Colorado, in Washington at his Capitol Hill office. Hickenlooper, who sits on both the Small Business Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, met with AAHOA to discuss Small Business Administration loan limit increases as well as fairness and transparency in the franchise industry, according to AAHOA. In Hickenlooper's home state of Colorado, 39.5 percent of all hotels in the state are owned by AAHOA members, comprising 520 hotels and 55,861 rooms, according to a recent study for AAHOA by Oxford Economics. Those hotels provide $5 billion in wages and other compensation, along with approximately 54,490 direct jobs and 101,000 total impact jobs in the state. They provide $8.5 billion in contribution to the state's GDP, and $2.3 billion in federal, state and local taxes along with $201 million in total lodging taxes.

AAHOA MEMBERS ATTENDED a virtual briefing hosted by the Biden-Harris Administration on Wednesday, addressing issues affecting small businesses and providing an update on the current economic landscape. Senior administration officials discussed federal efforts to support small business owners, including access to SBA loans, supply chain improvements, and transparency around resort and junk fees impacting the industry. Officials included White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement Kota Mizutani; SBA Deputy Administrator Dilawar Syed; Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Karlin Gatton; and Special Assistant for Manufacturing and Industrial Policy Monica Gorman of the National Economic Council. "As highlighted by our speakers, a huge thank you to the members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association and all the business leaders working to keep our economy running," said Mizutani. "Thank you for all you do."