WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, following the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), released a statement congratulating the president and vice president and urging the new administration and Congress to work together to support the industry.
“On behalf of the hotel industry, we congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration. Today’s peaceful transfer of power marks a new chapter as our country moves forward together. Over the last year, our nation, and the world, has faced incredible difficulties, but we are resilient, and working together we can overcome these historic challenges,” Rogers said.
“As an industry, we continue to face historically low occupancy rates, massive job loss, and record hotel closures,” Rogers continued. “Our industry needs help to retain and rehire our associates, revive our local communities, and restart our economy. While the vaccine rollout has begun, it will likely take months to widely distribute, and travel is not expected to return to 2019 levels until 2023. We urge Congress and the new administration to come together on a longer-term stimulus package that will ensure our industry survives so that the men and women who are the backbone and heart of hospitality can get back to work and unleash the power of the American dream.”
