Why Do Hotels Seem to Be Getting the Shaft From Washington on Coronavirus Relief?
Photo Credit: Congress is highly unlikely to pass a comprehensive coronavirus relief bill ahead of the election. But it's a different tune for the airline industry. Flickr.com / Thomas Dwyer
Skift Take
The hotel industry needs to up the ante on lobbying and centralized messaging if it ever wants a bigger piece of the pie. It's that simple.
Flickering hopes of a comprehensive coronavirus economic relief measure ahead of the election next month were snuffed out Tuesday after President Donald Trump told Republican leaders to prioritize confirming his nominee to the Supreme Court.
Travel industry leaders quickly issued various statements of disappointment over the decision and its catastrophic impact on employment and the struggling economy.
But Trump later called on Congress via Twitter to pass a $25 billion industry-specific measure for airlines — a fresh reminder not all travel sectors are created equal in the eyes of the federal government. The airlines package going through is not a given, particularly since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Thursday she would not support that deal as a standalone.
But the fact that airlines could get even that far with this kind of special consideration raises the question: What happened to hotels along the way?
Congressional reticence on providing the hotel industry
