Southern Lodging Summit 2011
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Transcript of Southern Lodging Summit 2011
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Southern Lodging Summit 2011
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AH&LA’s Top Governmental Affairs Issues
• Travel & Tourism Promotion• Labor Issues• Internet Travel Tax Fairness Act (ITTFA)• H2B• New ADA Regulations
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Travel Promotion Act (signed into law 2010)• Public-private partnership: explain U.S. security policies and attract
millions of international visitors through advertising campaign• Created “Corporation for Travel Promotion”
Corporation for Travel Promotion• Named Jim Evans CEO May 17 - 30 year hotel industry veteran• No-taxpayer money /ESTA funds to date = $85 million • TPA estimated to attract 1.6 million new international visitors• The campaign is expected to debut in early 2012
Travel & Tourism
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Discover America Partnership Coalition Leadership:
• AH&LA, USTA, Chamber of Commerce & National Retail Federation
• Over 50 members: Ex. Hotels, Restaurants, Unions, U.S . Conference of Mayors, Consumer Electronics Assoc.
Priorities:• Make Visa offices responsive to demand • Reduce visa interview wait time• Expand the Visa Waiver Program
Travel & Tourism
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• Audit Letters Being Issued
• Congressional Activity• Oversight - Make DOL responsive through
hearings/funding mechanisms• Appropriations - Eliminate funding for X,Y,Z activity
Department of Labor (DOL) Audits
Labor Issues
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H-2B Regulations• H-2B Program critical to secure temporary seasonal workers
• Dept. of Labor proposed new rules that jeopardizes program:
• Increases H-2B pay to essentially union wages
• All other employees also raised to same wage level
• Transport, advertising, etc. requirements effectively makes program unusable
• AH&LA co-chairs H-2B coalition
• Working on legislation and litigation to block rule implementation
H-2B Regulations
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• Ambush Elections• NLRB to shorten time for Union elections to 7-10 days
• Gag Order on Employers• DOL rulemaking to change public discourse requirements
• Specialty Health Care• Micro-Unions (Gerrymandering the workforce)
Fighting Back-Door Card Check
Labor Issues
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Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (R-NY)
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Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC)
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Internet Travel Tax Fairness Act (ITTFA)
Online Hotel Booking Tax
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What’s at Issue• Proposed legislation would exempt OTCs from paying
any taxes on retail rate• Creates preferential tax treatment
Online Hotel Booking Tax
Current Situation• Stalled on the Federal level – appearing at State level• Florida – AH&LA killed bill this session• AH&LA strategy for PSAs & state action
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Bloomberg TV
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National Landscape
Booking Travel Online May be Costing States Half a Billion in
RevenueFebruary 5, 2011
Cities Sue Online Firms Over Unpaid Hotel Taxes
April 12, 2011
Cities, States in hotel tax war with Orbitz, Expedia, Others
October 22, 2010
Online Travel Industry Wants Reid To Stick Around.
September 25, 2010
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Florida – A Key Battleground
Stop unfair tax breaks for companies
April 20, 2011
Bill gives online travel companies unfair advantage
April 9, 2011
Report Says Florida among states with
tax loophole costing millions
April 13, 2011
Online carpetbaggers fleece Florida
April 6, 2011
Bill to help online-travel companies squeaks through
another stop April 6, 2011
Our Opinion: Online travel hijinks
April 1, 2011
Florida and local governments are losing out when it comes to
online travel tax breaksApril 5, 2011
Make websites pay full share: Florida counties are getting stiffed $23
million in bed-tax revenue
March 18, 2011
Web Companies Would Get Break
April 5, 2011
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Around The StatesGEORGIA
Georgia Supreme Court considers
whether online travel firm is shortchanging
city on hotel taxMarch 15, 2011
HAWAIIHawaii to pursue $170M in unpaid hotel room taxes
April 24,2011
State Pursues $170 Million in Unpaid Hotel Room Taxes from Online
Travel CompaniesMarch 23, 2011
NEW JERSEY
Our views: Collect what's due
March 20, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C.DC latest to sue
online travel companies over tax
March 22, 2011
D.C. to sue online firms for unpaid taxes
March 22, 2011
District enters the fight to recover tax
revenue from online hotel vendors
March 27, 2011
D.C. to sue Internet travel companies
March 21, 2011
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1. Reservations2. Water Closet Clearances3. Power Mobility Devices4. Vanity Equity5. Service Animals6. Parking7. Guestroom Door Signage8. Pools & Spas9. Reach Range Requirements10. Exercise Equipment11. Service Counters
ADA Regulations – Top 11 Changes
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HotelPAC: AH&LA’s Political Action Committee Voice of the lodging industry on Capitol Hill
HotelPAC
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March 12 -13, 2012 Washington DC
Legislative Action Summit
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Contact Information
Marlene ColucciExecutive Vice President for Public Policy
American Hotel & Lodging Association
(202) 289-3121 / [email protected]