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US Hoteliers Should Prepare for a Nationwide Pricing Transparency Law, AHLA Exec Says – Image Credit Unsplash+
Excerpt from CoStar
A new nationwide law could be passed by the end of the year that mirrors California’s new rules on how hotels must present their rates.
Hotel pricing transparency from California is already changing how hoteliers present their rates nationwide, but those who haven’t adjusted to the new regulations will soon have to as the California law is expected to soon go into effect across the U.S.
That’s the prediction from Troy Flanagan, executive vice president of external government affairs and industry relations at the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
During the “HDC Insights: What Hidden Fee Legislation Means for You” session at the 2024 Hotel Data Conference, Flanagan said his organization has been pushing Congress to adopt a national model similar to what passed in California for the sake of consistency.
“In a situation like this where you’ve got consumers across political boundaries booking hotels or considering booking through the internet, this is an event where the solution should be a federal solution,” he said. “We’ve been pushing on that for several years, and we’re getting pretty close.”
Under the California model passed into law via two separate bills in late 2023, as of July 1 hoteliers are required to include all required costs in their rates when advertised, as opposed to presenting a base rate then showing a list of fees attached to it underneath at booking or check-in. The rules also apply to how hotels present prices at restaurants and in-room food and beverage, but are not applicable to stand-alone restaurants.
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