Safety and security are the bulwarks of hospitality to fortify the guest experience and create a haven where comfort and trust welcome every visitor. At AAHOA, we stand firm with our members to build a foundation where hospitality thrives.
In recent months, for example, AAHOA advocated for Los Angeles hoteliers by pressuring the LA City Council to remove from the ballot an ordinance mandating that all Los Angeles hotels provide rooms to unhoused residents. The controversial ordinance, “Hotel Land Use and Replacement Housing Requirements,” would have forced hotels to report vacant rooms by 2 p.m. daily, so unsheltered individuals could use government vouchers to stay in the hotels without any wrap-around services – which would have placed an immense burden on the hotel industry, created serious safety concerns for hotel workers and paying guests, and significantly threatened the LA tourism and travel industry.
AAHOA took a strong stance against the original ordinance when it was introduced, and I joined more than 150 local AAHOA Los Angeles Members and association leaders, including Regional Director Naresh (ND) Bhakta, and NELA leader Ray Patel, at an LA City Council meeting in August 2022 and testified to raise awareness of the high impact this mandatory ordinance would have on the industry.
AAHOA also assisted with getting a North Carolina Hotel Safety Act signed into law. After years of advocacy, SB 53 – the Hotel Safety Act became law about a year ago. The North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), alongside AAHOA, led efforts to clarify when a hotel guest has rights under the landlord-tenant act. The law now clearly states that occupants of accommodations provided hotels, motels, or similar lodging, do not have tenancy rights until they have stayed more than 90 consecutive days, creating safer conditions for hoteliers, their staff, and their guests.
Empowering AAHOA members with a shield of safety and security, we strive to build a foundation where hospitality can thrive.
And it does not stop there. At AAHOA, we are continually advocating to protect your business interests, your hotels, and your guests. This ranges from raising the alarms on widespread cyber security attacks, to identifying potential dangers arising from new AI check-in features that might lead to increased crime, and providing extensive training to prevent human trafficking in your hotels.
Empowering AAHOA members with a shield of safety and security, we strive to build a foundation where hospitality can thrive.
This is your AAHOA. And it is always a profound honor to advocate for you to change the industry for the benefit of all.
