The following is a statement from Chip Rogers, President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), in response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
“Tonight, President Trump laid out his agenda to seek bipartisan solutions for balanced immigration reform that increases our border security, continue job creation and economic growth. The hotel industry has been one of the key drivers of economic growth, supporting more than 8 million jobs, and generating $1.1 trillion in annual economic activity. The strength of our industry comes from the diversity of the people who serve our global guests, and we encourage the President to work with Congress to find a workable solution to our immigration system.
“Looking forward, we appreciate the President’s focus on rebuilding America’s infrastructure. The lodging industry recognizes how vital modernization of our nation's infrastructure is to a vibrant travel and tourism sector, with hotels generating $167 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, and guests spending $238 billion on transportation, dining, shopping and other activities at local businesses during their stays. We will work with the broader business community and other stakeholders to ensure that the infrastructure plan meets the needs of our industry.
“We commend the President for his commitment to providing opportunities for workforce development and job training. America’s hotels, inns, and bed & breakfasts support more than 8 million jobs, both on-site and throughout the country, totaling $355 billion in annual labor income. AHLA strongly seeks to advance policies that support communities by fostering job growth and economic opportunities. That’s why at AHLA we launched a new campaign, Hospitality is Working, which is dedicated to enrolling 50,000 apprentices, certifying 125,000 employees and job seekers, and training 8,000 Opportunity Youth for careers in our industry within the next five years. We look forward to working with President Trump, his Administration, and members of Congress to advance our common goals and foster a national environment of opportunity for all.”