Joe's Tales from the Road

Knowing is Half the Battle
July 9, 2010

Well this makes two weeks in a row that I was in the office for four days – I think it’s a 2010 record!  Of course, there’s also been record heat in DC.  But it’s been great having time to catch up on things, including preparing for the Strategic Planning Committee meeting July 21-23, and finalizing speeches I’m giving at both the CHART and CHRIE conference the end of the month.

And the association was certainly busy this week.  The OTC issue is still looming, especially as media attention around the so-called Internet Travel Tax Fairness Act (ITTFA) continues to grow.  Our governmental affairs team is in ongoing communication with members, the media, and Capitol Hill to increase visibility on our industry’s side of the issue.  In partnership with some of the major hotel brands, AH&LA is working on devising an industry-wide strategy for combating this harmful proposed legislation and will be meeting with Representatives upon their return from recess.

In fact, yesterday Marriott sent an email to all their properties urging them to take action and contact their Representatives regarding our opposition to ITTFA. They linked to AH&LA’s grassroots system, which allows you to contact your legislators with a click of the mouse, and we’d be happy to make the same arrangements for any other hotel company.

We also notified our members about an upcoming Webinar addressing the recent regulatory changes imposed by the Department of Labor (DOL).  They are specifically targeting hotels for audits, so we’ve arranged this Webinar to instruct our members on what they need to do.  It’s free for members and $99 for nonmembers, and is vitally important for hoteliers.

On a personal note, my week has been very enjoyable with more fun on the way.  Ruth and I watched DC’s firework display on Sunday from the comfort of our rooftop, and then got a 360-degree view of the surrounding cities’ fireworks as well.  But the highlight of my week was on Tuesday, when friends gathered to celebrate Ruth’s birthday at the Sheraton Wardman Park.  Even though it wasn’t a milestone birthday per se, it was a great celebration and I look at every birthday as a victory!

This evening our three grandchildren from Brooklyn are coming into town and I’m looking forward to spending the next few days with them.  And if I’m lucky, they’ll take their nap during the World Cup championship game!

Monday I’m headed to the ALIS Summer Update in Los Angeles and I hope to see you there.  Have a great weekend and stay cool!