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A U.S. SENATE committee recently passed a bipartisan bill aimed at achieving pricing transparency for hotels, short-term rentals, and online travel platforms. However, the Senate failed to advance the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, drawing criticism from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation's approval of the Hotel Fees Transparency Act 2023 comes amid criticism of several hotel chains for lacking transparency in displaying room charges. AHLA called it an important step toward a more transparent booking process and a level playing field across the lodging industry. The bill, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, and Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, on July 31, now awaits a full Senate vote.

THE U.S. HOUSE of Representatives recently unveiled the 'No Hidden FEES Act of 2023' (H.R 6543), compelling the travel industry to enhance transparency regarding so-called "junk fees." This legislation is designed to improve pricing transparency for customers seeking short-term lodging, including hotels, motels, inns, and privately-owned vacation rentals. Meanwhile, the American Hotel & Lodging Association extended its support for the bill, which was introduced by Reps. Young Kim and Kathy Castor on Friday. "As Americans grapple with persistent high inflation, the last thing families need after budgeting for trips is to be hit with costly last-minute fees," Kim said. "The No Hidden FEES Act would rectify this issue, offering cost transparency for consumers so they know the upfront lodging expenses. I will continue the fight to make life more affordable for families in Southern California and throughout our nation."

DONALD TRUMP WILL return to the U.S. presidency for a second, non-consecutive term in January, making him the first to do so since Grover Cleveland. Hotel associations such as AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association were quick to offer congratulations. In September, both groups were in Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislation important to the industry. Some of the proposed legislation that AHLA is supporting include: The Closing the Workforce Gap Act would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 available H-2B temporary visas with a new, needs-based system. Extending a pass-through tax deduction, 199A, which is set to expire in 2025 and provides tax relief to franchisees and other hotel small businesses. Maintaining the like-kind exchange, section 1031, which allows hoteliers to defer capital gains taxes when they sell one property if they roll the proceeds into the purchase of a larger one. According to AHLA, the exchange helps create new jobs and contributes to economic growth. The Hotel Fees Transparency Act and the No Hidden FEES Act would establish a single and transparent standard for mandatory lodging fee display and an even competitive playing field for hotels, short term rentals, online travel agencies, and metasearch sites.

AAHOA AND THE American Hotel & Lodging Association welcomed the passage of the No Hidden FEES Act on June 11. The legislation aims to establish a uniform standard for transparent and mandatory fee displays across the lodging industry. The bill, introduced by Reps. Young Kim (R-California) and Kathy Castor (D-Florida), had unanimous approval from the House Energy & Commerce Committee in December and passed with bipartisan support on the House floor. AAHOA said that the legislation would empower its hotelier members and guests to make informed decisions and safeguard their financial interests.

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S STATE of the Union address before Congress on March 7 touched on several issues hotel industry associations have been advocating for a while. AAHOA and the American Lodging and Hotel Association both issued responses to the speech and AAHOA held its 2024 Spring National Advocacy Conference during the week of March 14. The issues at hand include the extension of tax credits, handling of junk fees for greater disclosure and transparency and raising the federal minimum wage. During SNAC, more than 200 AAHOA leaders and members spent two days in Washington, D.C. The conference opened with a legislative learning session at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, followed by an evening Congressional Reception at the Cannon House Office Building and then a full day of Congressional meetings. "Each year we continue to see the relationships grow between our AAHOA Members and their elected officials," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO. "Our twice-yearly advocacy conferences are quickly becoming the foundation for shaping and driving national policy, and our members are making it happen."

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN signed the "American Relief Act, HR 10545" into law Saturday morning, preventing a government shutdown just before Christmas and ensuring funding through March 14. The American Hotel & Lodging Association praised lawmakers for averting a disruption that could have affected holiday travel and left millions of federal employees furloughed or unpaid. However, AHLA said the year-end deal excluded the lodging fee transparency provisions for which hotel industry associations had advocated. "The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open and delivers urgently needed disaster relief and funds to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge," Biden said. "This agreement represents a compromise, meaning neither side got everything it wanted, but it rejects the accelerated tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought and ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity. That's good news for the American people, especially as families gather this holiday season."