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| Washington, October 16, 2001 - During a one-day
summit at the American Hotel & Lodging Association's (AH&LA) headquarters
in Washington, D.C., lodging industry leaders came from different cities
across the nation to gather for the initial meeting of the association's
recently formed AH&LA Kitchen Cabinet Advisory Council - an ad hoc
committee created to address the hotel community's economic recovery after
the terrorist attacks against the United States and the current military
campaign against terrorism.
The more than 40 members of the council - comprised of leading lodging company executives and representatives from AH&LA's member state associations, vendor community, and key committees - identified government-related goals to assist the lodging industry in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The council's preliminary objectives include supporting AH&LA as it urges Congress to pass an economic stimulus package that assists the lodging industry by providing tax deductions for spousal travel and business meals and entertainment expenses; liquidity measures through payroll tax reform and an extension of eligibility requirements for the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program; and workforce assistance to aid employees and employers, including helping states that have difficulty processing and paying unemployment and worker compensation claims and extending health benefits for displaced workers. "As we stand together in an unified front to survive the painful economic repercussions of these terrible acts, our governmental affairs department and this council is using its various resources to reestablish the lodging industry as one of the proven, constant forces in the U.S. economy," said AH&LA President and CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA. In addition to the committee's agenda, McInerney emphasized the importance of traveling by requesting all participants to attend the upcoming International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS), November 10-13, held in conjunction with the AH&LA's annual Fall Conference, November 9-12, at New York City's Waldorf=Astoria and Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. "It is up to our industry to 'lead by example' and show America and
the world that we will not give up our lives to terrorism. We must
be unbound to fear and keep our commitment to this important annual event
in NYC," concluded McInerney.
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Contact:
| Tia T. Gordon
Manager of Media Relations American Hotel & Lodging Association (202) 289-3153 http://www.ahla.com |
| Also See | American Hotel & Lodging Association Forms "Kitchen Cabinet" to Address Lodging Industry Concerns; "At the Ready" to Meet / Sept 2001 |