WASHINGTON, DC, May 8 – The Asian American Hotel Owners Association kicked off its Spring
National Advocacy Conference as over 250 hoteliers from across the country visit Washington, DC to
meet with their legislators on Capitol Hill. The two-day conference allows hoteliers to raise awareness
about issues affecting the industry, to help inform the legislative process, and to highlight how the
hospitality industry is a key economic driver in the United States.
“America’s hoteliers create jobs, welcome guests into our communities, and provide a valuable service to
travelers across the nation. AAHOA members are eager to share their knowledge of the hospitality
industry with our congressional leaders. Whether its highlighting how they are reinvesting the tax savings
generated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as they create new jobs, increase wages, and expand their
properties, or discussing the important steps our industry is taking to combat human trafficking, AAHOA
members are letting our lawmakers know about the issues that matter most to them,” said AAHOA
Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel.
Spring National Advocacy Conference attendees will hear from Members of Congress and participate in
AAHOA’s Human Trafficking Awareness Training, developed in partnership with Polaris, and led by
Elaine McCartin of Polaris. AAHOA Vice Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala testified before the House
Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access. Her
testimony focused on the economic impact of the travel and tourism industry, small business
contributions to the economy, and important issues facing the industry.
AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers said, “Constituent input is vitally important to the legislative
process. This week, America’s hoteliers will be talking to lawmakers about how to make the tax law work
even better for small business owners, promoting international travel, stopping predatory lawsuits, and
clarifying laws affecting the franchise industry. Addressing these issues will continue to strengthen our
economy, create more certainty for small business owners, and help hotels support the more than eight
million jobs in affiliated industries.”
This year, the AAHOA Spring National Advocacy Conference coincides with National Travel and
Tourism Week. AAHOA represents nearly 18,000 members who own about one in two hotels in the
United States and employ over 600,000 workers, accounting for nearly $10 billion in payroll annually.
The industry creates competitive jobs with good benefits. The industry offers not just jobs, but careers, for
many employees work their way from entry-level positions to management positions. More than fifty
percent of hotel general managers in the lodging industry got their start in entry-level jobs.
