American hotel association launches ‘hospitality is working’ campaign

The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) has relaunched its Hospitality is Working campaign, seeking to reignite travel and showcase the economic and community benefits hotels provide in neighbourhoods across the US. Hospitality is Working aims to showcase the broad range of benefits hotels provide the communities they serve while highlighting the industry’s strong commitment to investing in its workforce, providing quality career opportunities, and protecting employees and guests as more Americans begin to travel. The campaign will include television and digital advertising as well as AHLA events around the country alongside local hoteliers, economic development organisations and community groups. According to 2019 analysis by Oxford Economics, hotels generated $186bn in federal, state and local taxes annually, and guests spent $278bn per year on transportation, dining, shopping, and other activities at local businesses during their stays. It also found that a representative hotel with 100 occupied rooms supported nearly 250 local jobs and generated $18.4m in guest spending. In the post pandemic atmosphere, hotels have hired more than 100,000 workers for more than 200 hotel career pathways. Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA, said: “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.” Learn more about the campaign here.