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HOTEL AND TRAVEL associations welcomed the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill by the House of Representatives over the weekend, saying the measure is long overdue. At the same time, there is some concern that the bill also eliminates a key piece of federal assistance to companies struggling to retain jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The House passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Friday after months of debate over it and the related Build Back Better legislation, which is still pending. The bill, according to the Associated Press, contains: $110 billion to repair the nation's aging highways, bridges and roads, including almost $40 billion for bridges alone $39 billion to expand public transportation systems $66 billion to improve Amtrak's Northeast Corridor $65 billion to improve broadband internet access $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations $65 billion to improve the reliability and resiliency of the power grid $25 billion to improve airport runways, gates, taxiways and terminals $55 billion on water and wastewater infrastructure. That includes $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances

PUNEET CHHATWAL, MANAGING director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited, the owner of Taj Hotels, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. He succeeds ITC executive director Nakul Anand, who retired this week, FAITH said in a statement. Several national tourism and hotel associations, including the National Associations of Tour Operators, travel agents, hotels, transport operators, conventions & exhibition operators, and restaurants and tourism attractions, are members of FAITH. "With the backing of all members, my commitment is to develop this into a focused policy advocacy organization addressing issues in the tourism and hospitality industry, continuing the legacy established by Anand," said Chhatwal.

THE RECENTLY PASSED federal $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill contains important gains for the travel and hospitality industries, according to several advocacy groups. That includes the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act and the creation of a position in the Department of Commerce to coordinate travel and tourism industry strategy. AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association all welcomed the passage of the spending bill that was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 23. All cited the OTTA legislation created by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, and Republic Roger Wicker of Mississippi through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. What is the OTTA? The elements of the OTTA include the Visit America Act, which authorizes the creation of the new position in the DOC. The new assistant secretary would coordinate a strategy across multiple federal agencies to increase travel and tourism nationwide through annual goals and recommendations. "This means the industry will finally have a seat at the policy table after decades of advocating for this to occur," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO, in LinkedIn.com post.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S new National Travel and Tourism Strategy sets a 5-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to the U.S. each year. Two major associations in the U.S. hospitality industry applauded the strategy as a step forward in restoring the travel industry. The new tourism strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in the travel and tourism industry across the U.S. AAHOA thanked the U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the Tourism Policy Council for their continued leadership and support. "[An expected] 90 million international visitors will drive strong economic growth," said Laura Lee Blake, president and CEO, AAHOA. "The $279 billion in annual estimated spending by these visitors will help not only the hotel and hospitality industry, but also the entire American economy. We commend Secretary Raimondo's new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, and welcome her efforts to aggressively rebuild U.S. travel and tourism."

PRICES FOR TRAVEL goods and services decreased by 1.4 percent in June for the second consecutive month, outpacing the overall economy's 0.1 percent decline, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data from the U.S. Travel Association. The Travel Price Index indicated that lower hotel, airline, and gas prices were the primary contributors to the sector's significant price reduction. In contrast, the broader economy experienced its first monthly price decline since 2020, USTA said in a statement. "Now is the time for the travel industry to boost volume," said Geoff Freeman, USTA's president and CEO. "We've already seen travelers take advantage, with eight of the 10 busiest days in TSA's history occurring in 2024. It's essential that the industry is equipped with the right funding, resources and technology - coupled with sustained government focus - to meet an increase in demand."

THE RECOVERY MAY be under way, but most of the top U.S. markets, 21 out of 25, remain at a recession or depression level, according to a report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Urban markets are in worst shape, with most still in a "depression cycle." The overall U.S. hotel industry remains in a "recession," according to AHLA's report citing STR data. The difficulty for urban markets is that they depend substantially on business from events and group meetings. Room revenue was down 52 percent in May compared to May 2019. New York City, for example, is still in a depression with nearly 200 hotels in the city closed due to the pandemic, taking with them 42,030 rooms, one-third of the city's supplies. Leisure travel is currently driving the recovery, but business and group travel, the industry's largest source of revenue, will take longer to recover. Current forecasts show that segment returning to 2019 levels in 2023 or 2024. Several major events, conventions and business meetings have already been canceled or postponed until at least 2022.

BWH HOTEL GROUP has announced the recipients of the first ever David and Louise Kong Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship grants financial assistance to individuals associated with Best Western Hotels & Resorts. The four winners are Alexis Heichman of Eagle, Ashley Hernandez, of Patterson, and Phoenix residents Katerina Rose Levendi and Kayla McMahon, the group said in a statement. They will receive $12,000 as part of funding. Heichman will begin her journalism studies at Arizona State University this fall. She wants to be a travel, cultural or sports correspondent. Hernandez will continue her bachelor's degree studies in hotel and hospitality management. She is currently the general manager of the Best Western Plus Villa Del Lago Inn. Levendi now studies business at Paradise Valley Community College and wants to become a human resources manager. McMahon will start studying business administration and management at Arizona State University this fall. Her career interests is in family law and business. The scholarship is given to member hoteliers or their children, hotel staff or their children, and corporate associates or their children, the statement added.

INTERNATIONAL INBOUND TRAVEL is expected to slow down in the fall after surging over the summer, according to the latest U.S. Travel Association forecast. USTA also expects it may take until 2025 for the travel segment to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Inbound travel recovery picked up in summer and reached a pre-pandemic high of 35 percent below 2019 levels in July 2022, said U.S. Travel Association. It improved from a 41 percent decrease in May and declines of more than 50 percent earlier in 2022. The latest report by Aaron Szyf, economist, USTA, said that inbound travel recovery continued from Europe and Latin America in the past few months, which was 22 percent below 2019 levels in July. Meanwhile, Asian markets declined 66 percent in July, largely due to stagnation from China and a very slow return from Japan.

THE U.S. TRAVEL Association led a delegation of 11 travel industry leaders to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves on March 8 to discuss promoting safe business and professional travel to help recovery post COVID-19. Travel leaders also demanded additional H-2B, J-1 and other temporary work visas available to meet seasonal workforce During the roundtable, Graves voiced his support for the travel industry, saying the Commerce Department will bring "all tools to the table" to help overcome obstacles that remain to the normal resumption of business travel, a statement said. They discussed the reentry of urban office workers and its correlation to the restart of business travel as well as opportunities to attract global meetings, conventions and exhibitions to the country.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Questex recently updated the lineup of speakers and events for The Hospitality Show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, Texas. The Show will offer networking opportunities and showcase new products from more than 400 technology and operations vendors, AHLA and Questex said in a joint statement. Confirmed speakers include Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Liam Brown, group president for the U.S. and Canada at Marriott International; Kevin Jacobs, CFO and president of Global Development at Hilton Hotels & Resorts; Brian Kirkland, chief information officer of Choice Hotels International; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of KSL Resorts; Kevin Korab, president of Guest Worldwide; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Greg Land, global segment leader for travel and hospitality at Amazon Web Services.

"UNSTOPPABLE" WAS THE theme for Choice Hotels International's 67th Owner & Franchisee Convention in Las Vegas last week. In keeping with that, the company announced new software tools, a new prototype and more news on the incorporation of more than 600 newly acquired Radisson Hotels Americas properties. Nearly 6,000 hotel owners, general managers and Choice associates attended the three-day event at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, according to the company. It included more than 85 educational and brand sessions as well as 275 vendor exhibits. "At our 67th Annual Convention, we celebrated our shared success with thousands of Choice franchisees, examined key travel industry trends, and revealed our plans to capitalize on them and keep the momentum going," said Pat Pacious, Choice's president and CEO. "We're inspired by the ways these entrepreneurs bet on themselves, and we are committed to being by their side as we continue to disrupt the industry together."

Nakul Anand, former executive director of ITC Hotels, is named as the patron-in-chief of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. Anand served as the federation's chairman from its inception until recently. He represented the Hotel Association of India within FAITH, the umbrella body comprising 10 trade associations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors of the industry, FAITH said in a statement. Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of FAITH, said that the decision has been taken considering Anand's "exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication to the tourism & hospitality industry" as former chairman of FAITH and former executive director of ITC Ltd. Under his leadership, FAITH drafted and presented a vision document for Indian tourism for 2035 and 2047, the statement added. Additionally, the International Travel Mart of India was launched. The federation also made interventions to address anomalies in GST, the ECLGS scheme of the government and more.

Regardless of where you're traveling in Rishikesh, Luxury Hotels and Resorts are available for staying near Neelkanth Road. You can hear the sound of the spouting water winding through the foothills of the Himalayas. There are something more attractive places to visit Rishikesh that in a flash associates will all explorers coming here. From the quiet environs and profound customs to stunning perspectives of taking off crests around, there's nothing upsetting about the town.

VISION HOSPITALITY GROUP recently broke ground on its Embassy Suites by Hilton in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The seven-story 184-suite Embassy Suites will be developed for $54 million and includes rooftop and street-level bars and a coffee area in an open lobby. The project also includes a leasable restaurant space and 5,000 total square feet of meeting space, Vision said in a statement. Vision said it will bring an economic boost to the destination with more than 100 jobs ranging from senior management positions, guest service agents, housekeepers and others. With a construction timeline of approximately two years led by Humphreys and Associates Contractors, LLC, the hotel is expected to open in the summer of 2025. "We are thrilled to begin construction on this project in our hometown of Chattanooga, just steps from our company headquarters," said Mitch Patel, Vision's president and CEO. "This project is our first Embassy Suites hotel, and we know the brand's value-added services are a perfect fit for this location welcoming both corporate and leisure travelers." Embassy Suites by Hilton, one of Hilton's 19 brands. Amenities will include a fitness center and an evening reception. Embassy Suites by Hilton has more than 260 open hotels, with 42 properties under development. The Embassy Suites Chattanooga is one among 15 projects in Vision's development pipeline expected to open in the next two years. The company's portfolio comprises 16 properties in Greater Chattanooga and 41 nationwide, the statement added.

U.S. TRAVELERS SAID that gas prices and inflation will impact their summer travel decisions more than COVID-19 concerns, according to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The survey, conducted by Morning Consult and released just ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend ending May 30, revealed that more than half of the respondents, 57 percent, are likely to take fewer leisure trips and 54 percent will take shorter trips due to current gas prices. The majority of people surveyed, 82 percent, said that gas prices will have at least some impact on their travel destinations.

THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION wants the federal government to replace pandemic-era restrictions with endemic-focused policies to enable full and free travel. That was one of several subjects Roger Dow, USTA's outgoing president and CEO, discussed at the Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta in March. In a letter to incoming White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha, USTA asked to immediately remove the pre-departure testing requirement for all fully vaccinated inbound international arrivals. "Despite declining hospitalizations and infections, increased vaccination rates and immunity, and a more robust public health infrastructure to manage the virus, the vast majority of pandemic-driven federal travel policies are still in place," the letter said. "While the public health benefits of these policies have now greatly diminished, the economic consequences continue to grow,"

THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION said that the Biden administration's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program will shape the future of travel mobility in the U.S. It will make foundational investments in the national EV charging network, USTA said in a statement. The association urged state departments of transportation to work closely with the community of destination marketing organizations, state tourism offices, and private travel businesses to make data-driven recommendations on the most popular electric vehicle corridors where investments should be made, a statement said. In early February, the Biden administration announced a new program which will make $5 billion available to states over the next five years to help build out their charging networks. The plan is allocating $615 million in funds for 2022, with the disbursements already planned from now through 2026, with the caveat that the government has to approve the state's individual plans for spending.

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."

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.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Homeland Security will make available more than 64,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year 2023. The extra visas will help the hotel and travel industries meet continuing labor shortages, according to the U.S. Travel Association. DHS also will issue its normal allotment of 66,000 H-2B visas as well as the 64,716 extra visas. The visas, which permit employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform certain labor in the U.S., became available at the beginning of October. Also, the agency created the new Worker Protection Taskforce to make sure the H-2B visa workers are not exploited. "The Department of Homeland Security is moving with unprecedented speed to meet the needs of American businesses," said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security. "At a time of record job growth, this full year allocation at the very outset of the fiscal year will ensure that businesses can plan for their peak season labor needs. We also will bolster worker protections to safeguard the integrity of the program from unscrupulous employers who would seek to exploit the workers by paying substandard wages and maintaining unsafe work conditions."