AHLA Research & Reports

State Facts

America's lodging industry is working hard in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.  

Get a snapshot of each state and congressional district's lodging industry and the broad economic contribution it makes to that state and its citizens.

Oxford Economics Study

Representing the most thorough economic impact analysis of the hotel and lodging industry to date, this new, comprehensive analysis of the industry was conducted by Oxford Economics and is based primarily on data from federal agencies and from leading providers of travel and hotel industry data, STR and Longwoods International. The data reveals that the industry is a driver of economic growth, supports millions of jobs, spurs community development, and provides guests and consumers with unrivaled experiences and satisfaction.

Perspectives on Inbound International Travel to the U.S.

This quarterly report is created by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, and uses a range of data sources to provide AHLA members with the information they need in order to assess the international travel market in a timely manner.

Impact of OTA Bias and Consolidation on Consumers

Harvard Business Professor Benjamin Edelman’s White Paper: Impact of OTA Bias and Consolidation on Consumers

Airbnb Analysis: CBRE Report

Short-term rental companies like Airbnb – by far the dominant player among its peers – claim they simply help regular folks occasionally rent out a spare room in their home to make some extra money. But in reality, a growing body of research, in study after study, reveals a significant – and rapidly growing – portion of Airbnb’s revenue in major U.S. cities is driven by commercial operators who rent out more than one residential property short-term visitors, essentially operating just like a hotel. Closing this 'illegal hotel loophole" is the only way for state and local governments to protect communities and ensure a fair and competitive travel marketplace. 

Millennials in the Hotel Industry

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) partnered with WageWatch, Inc. to conduct two national surveys to identify how best to recruit and retain millennials in the hotel and lodging industry now and in the future. As the largest demographic class in America’s workforce, which will become the dominant generation within five years, millennials already represent the largest single class in the hotel and lodging industry, representing 44 percent of the workforce. To ensure impending and unwavering success in the hotel and lodging industry, it is critical to continue to attain and secure millennials who are both currently in the workforce and the students who are deciding on their future career paths. 

Tax Policy And U.S. Hotel Industry Economic Impacts

To quantify the potential impacts of tax policy changes on the hotel industry and the industry’s valuable contributions to the US economy, Oxford Economics conducted a scenario analysis which highlights a five-year period beginning in 2018, and focuses on tax policy changes under tax cuts of $1.5 trillion over a ten-year period.

Economic Significance of Meetings to the US Economy

The study quantifies the economic contributions made by meetings, trade shows, conventions, congresses, incentive events and other meetings that take place throughout the United States.  The study, conducted by Oxford Economics, was commissioned by the Events Industry Council and supported by the Meetings Mean Business Coalition and other industry partners, including the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation.

Airbnb Agreements with State and Local Tax Agencies

This report evaluates twelve publicly released agreements that Airbnb has entered with state or local governments that directly address lodging taxes, but have impacts on other state and local laws.  The agreements are from across the nation and have effective dates ranging from 2014 into 2017.  Because of their variations in geography and time, the report assumes that these 12 agreements are reasonably representative of the larger body of approximately 200 agreements that Airbnb has signed. The large majority of Airbnb agreements are being held secret from the public.

2017 U.S. Hotel Property Tax Study

This study estimating the total volume of property taxes paid by U.S. hoteliers in 2016 and provides an estimate of total property taxes for each state. This research was funded by grant awarded from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF).

2016 Lodging Tax Study

Funded by AHLEF and conducted by STR Analytics and RRC Associates with assistance from ISHAE's Lodging Tax Taskforce, this study provides current information by state on lodging tax structure, total lodging tax collections, and lodging tax in the largest cities. This report is also available to AHLA non-members for an additional fee. Please contact membership@ahla.com for more information.

2017 Lodging Tax Burden Assessment

To support a better understanding of the current tax burden on US hotels for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Oxford Economics researched historical trends in lodging tax rates in 26 major US cities (Major US Cities).

Airbnb Analysis: Penn State Report

This analysis offers the first, comprehensive national look at the rise of commercial activity on Airbnb, one of the most trafficked short-term rental platforms. Delving into of hundreds of thousands of data points, this report reveals a notable trend with respect to two overlapping groups of hosts, multiple-unit operators who rent out two or more units, and full-time operators who rent their unit(s) 360 or more days per year. 

2016 Wage Watch Survey

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) partnered with WageWatch, Inc. to conduct a national survey of hotel pay practices (the “Survey”) and determine the career path of employees who begin their professional path in hotels.

2016 Lodging Survey (Updated)

Considered the lodging industry's most thorough piece, the AHLEF funded study is conducted every two years to track the size, scope, and emerging trends of the lodging industry, from innovative technologies to new amenities to business services and more. This report is also available to AHLA non-members for an additional fee. Please contact membership@ahla.com for more information.

U.S. Hotel Small Business Ownership Study

Funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF) and conducted by Smith Travel Research (STR), this study found that 61% of U.S. hotels (33,651 hotels) are considered small businesses. The vast majority of these hotels are in the economy class. The study analyzed ownership of U.S. hotels to determine which ones fit into the United States Small Business Administration small business hotel classification. This report is also available to AHLA non-members for an additional fee. Please contact membership@ahla.com for more information.

Demystifying the Digital Marketplace

Demystifying the Digital Marketplace: Spotlight on the Hospitality Industry, is a distribution study conducted by Kalibri Labs, a research partner for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), which explores how the evolving digital marketplace presents new opportunities for consumer engagement and revenue growth. Learn more on the key takeaways to leverage an optimal distribution channel mix, encourage direct booking and prioritize legislative and policy actions.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Tourism, Hotel and Lodging Survey

The hotel and lodging industry is a critical component of the local economies of cities across the nation. Hotels are catalysts for increased revenue, opportunity and wages for employees and commercial growth to area business large and small. Offering career opportunities for a wide variety of people at different levels, hotels employ many entry level positions and provide internal upward mobility for their employees.

Annual Loss Cost Survey 2017

This is the 22st year that Beecher Carlson has prepared the loss cost study which benchmarks the casualty loss experience of members of the AHLA Risk Management Committee.

AHLA Independent Marketing Guide

This guide provides strategic perspective and new tools to help independent hotels improve their marketing.

Intercultural Communication in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

This research explores the relationship between cultural background and communication to
increase understanding of intercultural workplaces in the hospitality and tourism industry.