The American Hotel & Lodging Association during the past few days produced interesting dialogue providing some insight into where the lodging industry is heading. Hotels are bracing for a tough 2010 that will see further rate declines; luxury properties will be the first to come back; business travel will remain weak; and hotels will continue to charge ancillary fees for amenities like high-speed Internet, according to comments made at AH&LA's fall conference here in New York.
In the final weeks before the presidential election, a not-so-new issue that could dramatically change unionization laws after January is emerging. The Employee Free Choice Act has been in the background, but on the minds of some in those in the travel industry, as representing one of Barack Obama's and John McCain's major differences.
