Regulations
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How hotels can prepare for security incidents
Following last week’s shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Hilton, experts reflect on hotels’ role as a backdrop for criminal activity — and how hoteliers can prepare for unlikely scenarios.
By Noelle Mateer • Dec. 9, 2024 -
Top hospitality industry takeaways from 2024’s Lodging Conference
At the annual event in Phoenix, hotel industry leaders shared the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and forecasted what will drive hospitality growth in 2025.
By Jenna Walters • Oct. 31, 2024 -
‘Victory’ or ‘disappointment’? Hospitality industry reacts to Safe Hotels Act passage
Some hospitality professionals believe the NYC licensing bill will benefit the city’s hotels, while others say it will cause “irreparable harm” to workers’ livelihoods and the local economy.
By Jenna Walters • Updated Nov. 5, 2024 -
Safe Hotels Act passed by New York City Council
The controversial legislation — condemned by national hotel owners associations, but applauded by local unions — requires hotels to have a license to operate in NYC.
By Jenna Walters • Oct. 23, 2024 -
Top hospitality trends from 2024’s Lodging Conference
Hotel investment is on the rise, guests are craving experiential stays more than ever and extended stay is still top of mind, but labor and tech challenges linger.
By Jenna Walters • Oct. 14, 2024 -
‘They work us like machines’: Debate over NYC’s Safe Hotels Act continues
At a city council hearing, hotel industry advocates voiced opposition to the act’s limits on subcontracted labor, while hotel employees said it could improve difficult working conditions.
By Noelle Mateer • Oct. 10, 2024 -
FTC settles yearslong investigation into Marriott’s ‘security failures’
The settlement caps a pattern of major data breaches at Marriott and its subsidiary Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide over the last decade.
By Matt Kapko • Oct. 10, 2024 -
View from the top: Hospitality CEOs give their industry outlooks
Hospitality industry leaders from AAHOA, Extended Stay America, Peachtree Group and JLL are optimistic, despite possible regulatory hurdles.
By Jenna Walters • Oct. 9, 2024 -
Hotel Association of NYC drops opposition to revised Safe Hotels Act
The association claims the updated proposed licensing bill addresses its "most serious concerns," while other hospitality organizations remain against it.
By Jenna Walters • Oct. 4, 2024 -
1,500 hospitality industry professionals rally against NYC licensing bill
Hotel professionals and leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall Thursday morning to urge the City Council to kill legislation they claim would stifle jobs and economic development.
By Jenna Walters • Sept. 12, 2024 -
RealPage lawsuit opens a new antitrust front for pricing algorithms
The rise of Big Data across the economy raises antitrust concerns, especially where companies are sharing sensitive proprietary data, legal experts say.
By Justin Bachman • Sept. 9, 2024 -
Manhattan lodging market sees Q2 RevPAR growth, but challenges loom
Despite recent “robust” performance growth in the city, a proposed licensing bill could threaten hotel operations, industry associations argue.
By Jenna Walters • Aug. 28, 2024 -
US Senate committee approves bill targeting hotel ‘junk fees’
Hospitality associations applauded the approval of the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2023, with AHLA calling it a “step toward a more transparent booking process.”
By Jenna Walters • Aug. 1, 2024 -
Hotel industry reacts to NLRB joint-employer rule appeal withdrawal
AHLA, which has been fighting the rule for months, called the NLRB’s latest move a “win” for hoteliers.
By Noelle Mateer • July 23, 2024 -
FTC takes aim at undisclosed franchising fees
The agency also said policies that keep franchisees from reporting potentially illegal business practices to regulators are against the law.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 15, 2024 -
How the Chevron doctrine’s reversal could impact the hotel industry
The ruling stands to affect interpretations of hotly debated statutes, including joint employer and independent contractor rules.
By Noelle Mateer • July 8, 2024 -
How California’s ‘junk fee’ laws could impact legislation nationwide
The state is now a testing ground for rules affecting how hotels and other accommodations display mandatory fees.
By Noelle Mateer • July 1, 2024 -
How a TikTok ban could impact hotel marketing efforts
Hospitality industry pros share what hotels stand to lose from a potential ban as well as alternative hotel marketing strategies to consider.
By Jenna Walters • June 18, 2024 -
House of Representatives passes law to regulate hidden hotel fees
Hospitality organizations including AHLA and AAHOA support the anti-“junk fee” legislation, which would create a unified standard for displaying mandatory fees across the lodging sector.
By Noelle Mateer • June 13, 2024 -
DOL overtime expansion ‘unlawful,’ AHLA argues
The hospitality association, along with other business groups, filed a lawsuit claiming the rule expansion violates the Fair Labor Standards Act.
By Caroline Colvin • May 29, 2024 -
Opinion
What hotel owners need to know about California’s workplace investigations law
Senate Bill 553, aimed at preventing and addressing workplace violence, is applicable to all California employers — including hotel business owners.
By Rachel Reddick • May 17, 2024 -
How Hawaii’s short-term rental laws could impact hotels
New legislation paves the way for Hawaii to regulate, and potentially ban, short-term rentals — affecting the state’s hotels and the people who work in them.
By Noelle Mateer • May 7, 2024 -
Hotel industry orgs slam new DOL overtime eligibility threshold
The rule gives some hotel workers access to higher pay, but hospitality industry organizations say the added cost could lead hotels to cut jobs.
By Jenna Walters • April 25, 2024 -
AHLA applauds Senate vote to overturn joint-employer rule
The hotel association — alongside other professional organizations in franchise industries — has consistently railed against the rule, which will now go to Biden’s desk.
By Noelle Mateer • April 12, 2024 -
FTC, DOJ consider hotel price-fixing case
The agencies filed a statement of interest in a case concerning casino hotels’ use of a pricing algorithm, a practice coming under increasing scrutiny.
By Noelle Mateer • April 3, 2024