Today AH&LA responded to President Obama’s Executive Order that jeopardizes America’s lodging industry and hampers the effectiveness of government.

The Executive Order directs agencies to decrease travel and conference-related spending by 20% before 2013. The main suggestions are to increase videoconferencing and to utilize federal space for meetings. In addition, each agency will designate a senior-level official to be responsible for reducing travel costs.

While expressing support for efforts to rein in waste and fraud, AH&LA believes that taking an indiscriminate and sweeping approach will not solve the inherent issue with wasteful spending and may result in unintended consequences.

AH&LA stated in the letter that this policy change could have serious repercussions across the lodging and travel industries by discouraging legitimate and necessary business meetings and events. As such, the Executive Order is counterproductive to both governmental effectiveness and the goal of reviving the American economy. AH&LA encourages the Administration to target abusive spending such as the approximately $100 million in unauthorized travel upgrades by federal employees that has been documented rather than targeting productive meetings for elimination.

AH&LA has requested a meeting with the Obama Administration to discuss this issue and find ways in which the lodging industry can assist in efforts to control costs without placing the effectiveness of the government and thousands of American jobs in jeopardy.

To read AH&LA’s letter to the President, click here.

For more information on the Executive Order, click here.