American Hotel & Lodging Association

Thank you @RepGonzalez for standing up for hotel guests. It’s time to put an end to online booking scams.

#HotelsOnTheHill 2026 by the numbers 🏛️

Till next time #HotelsOnTheHill Thank you to everyone who shared their story and made their voice heard. Stories like yours are what create change. AHLA will continue highlighting your stories as we advocate to protect the franchise business model, strengthen the hotel workforce, and stabilize the operating environment. We cant wait to do it all again next year!

Congratulations are in order! At this year's #HotelsOnTheHill, @SenAngusKing, @SenatorCollins, @RepDonDavis, @RepAndyHarrisMD, and @repkevinhern received AHLA's Spirit of Hospitality Award. The Spirit of Hospitality Award is presented in recognition of leadership in travel and tourism. Senators King and Collins and Representatives Davis, Harris, and Hern have all been strong champions of AHLA's key priorities: addressing labor shortages, supporting travel and tourism, and protecting the franchise business model. Join us in congratulating these leaders for their work in support of the millions of people who make up the hospitality industry and communities nationwide.

International inbound travel is critical to the U.S. hotel industry, yet it remains below pre-pandemic levels, contributing to a $70 billion travel trade deficit. At #HotelsOnTheHill, our industry leaders met with Representative @PeteAguilar to discuss the importance of stabilizing the operating environment, especially as California prepares to host the World Cup and 2028 Olympics. AHLA is advocating for key solutions to strengthen the industry’s global competitiveness, including funding Brand USA, preserving duty-free treatment for essential hotel supply inputs, and ensuring that federal per diem rates are set using timely, transparent, market-based data that reflects current lodging costs. Thank you, Representative Aguilar, for your time.

In Michigan, hotels generate more than $2 billion in state and local taxes, making hospitality a critical driver of the state's economy. At #HotelsOnTheHill, our industry leaders had a strong conversation with @RepLisaMcClain about the urgency of strengthening the hotel workforce, especially as we enter the summer season. With the World Cup just weeks away, this is our moment to showcase the best of what our country has to offer. AHLA is advocating for solutions like modernizing the H-2B visa program to create a more reliable workforce pipeline for hotels during peak seasons, and for funding Brand USA to ensure the U.S. remains a premier global travel destination. Thank you Rep. McClain for your time!

At #HotelsOnTheHill, hotel industry leaders met with @GOPMajorityWhip Tom Emmer to discuss key priorities for hoteliers in Minnesota and nationwide, including strengthening the workforce, protecting the franchise model, and promoting travel and tourism to the U.S. Thank you, Representative Emmer, for your time and partnership.

Coffee & Congress☕ Day 2 of Hotels on the Hill is here, and we are starting early with a morning essential: coffee and political activism. HotelPAC hosted House Democratic Caucus Chair @PeteAguilar and more than a dozen of Members of Congress, congressional staff and AHLA members for Coffee in support of our industry's champions. We've got a full day of advocacy ahead as our members head to the U.S. House of Representatives to continue highlighting the importance of our industry on Capitol Hill.

Doing what we do best: bringing our members and Congress together. Day one of #HotelsOnTheHill is in the books. After a full day of networking, breakout sessions, and Senate meetings, we're wrapping up at the AHLA Congressional Reception. It was a night filled with shared priorities, meaningful connections, and awards celebrating @RepAndyHarrisMD, @RepDonDavis, and @repkevinhern. Make sure to follow along as we head to the U.S. House of Representatives tomorrow!

Franchising is incredibly important to Montana’s hotel and lodging industry with more than 200 hotels operating under the franchise business model. Our #HotelsOnTheHill Montana delegation had a great conversation with Senator @SteveDaines on the importance of the franchise business model to the state's travel and tourism industry. AHLA is advocating to codify the traditional joint employer standard to preserve the franchise business model and protect small business hotels. Thank you, Senator Daines, for your time!

The #HotelsOnTheHill Alaska delegation traveled quite a distance to meet face-to-face with their legislators. With nearly 10% of Alaska jobs supported by the hotel industry, travel and tourism serves as a critical economic engine to the state's economy. Alaskan hoteliers met with @SenDanSullivan and shared the hotel industry's thanks for championing the VISIT USA Act, which would restore full funding to Brand USA to ensure robust global marketing. In a meeting with Senator @lisamurkowski's office, AHLA members discussed the need for fair, market-based federal per diem rates that reflect current lodging operating costs, which are vital to sustain hotels, local jobs, and community investment. Thank you Senators for your time!

Thrilled to have MT representatives from @AHLA here in DC this week! Thank you for your incredible hospitality services and representation in MT!

Eastern North Carolina’s hospitality industry does more than welcome visitors. It also strengthens local businesses, supports jobs, and fuels economic growth. Honored to receive the Spirit of Hospitality Award from @AHLA and grateful for the partnership and support of those who help welcome people from all over the world to eastern North Carolina.

From Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois’ hotels bring visitors to our state and support our economy. Today, I met with the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association to discuss how Congress can help with the issues facing Illinois hotels.

Our #HotelsOnTheHill Wisconsin delegation had a great conversation with @SenatorBaldwin on the importance of H-2B visas to the state's travel and tourism industry. AHLA is advocating for measures to modernize the H-2B visa program in order to provide a predictable workforce shortage solution for hotels struggling to reach necessary staffing levels during peak seasons. Thank you Senator Baldwin for your time!

This. Is. #HotelsOnTheHill 🏛️🙌🛎️ The day we've all been waiting for is finally here. Hoteliers from across the country have gathered on the Hill to advocate for their industry. Stay tuned as we head to the U.S. House and Senate with one clear message: protect the franchise business model, strengthen the hotel workforce, and stabilize the operating environment. Thank you to our sponsors: The McClellan Group, Responsibility.org, Brownstein, Con Maciel Carey, Google, Miller Strategies, Proskauer, Ulman Public Policy, FGR (Fierce Government Relations), Fragomen, Kindel Gagan Public Affairs Advocacy, másLabor, Pabian Law, Swing Strategies

ONE MORE DAY ➡️ #HotelsOnTheHill 2026 International inbound travel is critical to the U.S. hospitality industry, yet it remains below pre‑pandemic levels, contributing to a $70 billion travel trade deficit. Just last year, international inbound travel dropped 5.5%. During #HotelsOnTheHill this week, we're asking Congress to: 🧳 Support the VISIT USA Act and restore full funding to Brand USA to ensure robust global marketing 🌎 Support reauthorization of USMCA to preserve duty-free treatment for key hotel supply inputs, protect cross-border travel and trade, and reinforce competitiveness 🗝️ Support timely, market-based data and transparent methodologies when setting federal per diem rates to ensure they reflect current lodging costs See you tomorrow!

2 days until #HotelsOnTheHill 2026! 🏛️ AHLA members will be on Capitol Hill advocating for our workforce. Persistent staffing shortages continue to strain the hospitality industry, with more than half of hotels reporting they are understaffed and about 100,000 open positions nationwide. With unemployment low and too few available U.S. workers, hotels—especially seasonal properties—rely on legal guestworker programs like the H‑2B via program to operate. While the program has been instrumental in helping fill labor gaps, its outdated, oversubscribed cap and lottery system create uncertainty. During #HotelsOnTheHill next week, we're asking Congress to support a proposed “Certified Seasonal Employer” approach that would provide stability by allowing compliant employers access to returning workers.

The countdown to #HotelsOnTheHill 2026 is on!🙌 3 days until hoteliers will bring real stories from their properties to Capitol Hill. One thing we'll be talking about? Protecting the franchise business model. Franchising is the backbone of the hotel industry, with more than 60% of hotels owned or operated by franchisees who support nearly three million jobs nationwide. This proven win-win business model promotes small business ownership and upward mobility, while hotel brands provide marketing, standards, and loyalty programs that drive traveler trust and demand. With each administration, the definition of "joint employer" has changed, creating regulatory uncertainty and forcing franchisees to plan around potential policy changes instead of growth. During #HotelsOnTheHill next week, we're asking Congress to pass the American Franchise Act and codify the traditional joint employer standard to preserve this pathway to entrepreneurship and protect small business hotels.