West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association

Latest News

AH&LA Requests Meeting to Explain Benefits of Travel & Conferences

Friday, 11 November 2011 00:00

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.

Voters Reject Restaurant Tax; Officials 'Disappointed'

Thursday, 10 November 2011 00:00

Arkansas (Fort Smith) - Fort Smith voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a 1 percent prepared-food tax that would have provided an estimated $1.8 million annually to fund operation of the Fort Smith Convention Center. With about 22 percent of registered voters in Fort Smith participating in the election, 62.7 percent voted no and 37.3 percent yes, 5,612 to 3,339, according to unofficial election results. The board voted 4-3 in February to levy the tax by ordinance to make up a funding shortfall expected to occur in the operation of the Fort Smith Convention Center sometime in early 2012. A program that provided state tourism turnback funds used to finance operation of the center — and make further capital improvements — ended in 2010.
http://www.swtimes.com/news/article_bc322c52-0a8c-11e1-88d2-001cc4c03286.html

AECOM Strategic Tourism Plan Survey

Thursday, 03 November 2011 00:00

As part of its work on the West Virginia Tourism Plan, AECOM would like to begin to develop an industry database. The purpose of the database is to learn about your involvement in the West Virginia tourism industry and to seek your ideas regarding the future direction of tourism in the state. Please take a few minutes and complete the survey located at the link below.

http://www.wvtourism.com/IndustrySurvey

Return your completed survey to:

West Virginia Division of Tourism
90 MacCorkle Ave., SW
South Charleston, WV 25303

Council Proposal Tips Toward Servers

Thursday, 03 November 2011 00:00

Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) - CONVENIENCE has a cost, and some Philly businesses are passing it along to servers, bartenders and other workers every time a customer leaves a tip on a credit card. City Council may change that. Council yesterday heard testimony on a bill that would prohibit restaurateurs and others from using portions of employees' credit-card tips to pay transaction fees. The bill, introduced in May by Councilman James Kenney, could be voted on next week. Restaurant employees - who rely on tips to supplement a base wage of $2.87 per hour - say that the practice generally siphons between 1 percent and 3 percent of their total credit-card tips and leaves them feeling cheated.

http://articles.philly.com/2011-11-02/news/30350512_1_credit-card-fees-credit-card-restaurant-employees

West Virginia Tourism Strategic Plan Regional Workshops

Friday, 28 October 2011 00:00

As you may know, the Department of Commerce, with support from the Legislature, the Governor and the Tourism Commission, is conducting a strategic plan for the long-range growth and development of the tourism industry. This is a result of SCR 31, which was passed during the 2010 legislative session. After a lengthy process to review proposals for completing this research, AECOM was selected and the study is underway.

AECOM and the West Virginia Division of Tourism will host four regional workshops in November. These workshops will provide much needed input for the Tourism Analysis and Strategic Plan being developed by AECOM over the coming months. It is important that all stakeholders are given an opportunity to participate in the development of this plan, and we are encouraging members of the tourism industry and other interested parties to assist in this effort.