Connecticut Lodging Association

2/21/2023

Paolino Public Affairs Consulting, Inc. Legislative Report - 02/17/23

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Attached is your weekly legislative report! This week was relatively quiet at the Capitol Complex, with committees conducting meetings as well as public hearings. Committee meetings are starting to dwindle, however, as deadlines are approaching. Throughout this week and next, state agencies will present their budget presentations to the Appropriations committee. We will keep you updated regarding the presentations, and if anything will impact your organization.

View Report Here

Arts, Culture, Tourism bill public hearing Thursday 2/23—*PLEASE TESTIFY*

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This Thursday at 11 AM the Commerce Committee will hold a public hearing for HB 6692, the bill that's emerged from the "Arts, Culture, and Tourism Funding Roadmap". And now, we need as many folks as possible to testify.


  1. Click here to sign up to testify. You can choose to do so in-person or via Zoom. Registration will close at 3 PM on Wednesday 2/22, so don't delay! 


  1. If you'd like, you may also submit written testimony at this link.


The message is simple: talk about why increased investment in arts, culture, and tourism would matter to you and your community. If you benefited from increased funding during the pandemic, talk about why it's so important that you don't lose that support now. Make it personal. 


Stay tuned for more details later this week to testify at the Public Hearing on Monday, February 27th at 5 p.m. for the Appropriations Budget hearing on DECD

Hotel-generated state and local tax revenue to reach new highs in 2023

Hotels on hiring spree to meet demand as occupancy nears 2019 levels 

 

Click here for state-by-state hotel tax revenue projections

Click here for state-by-state hotel employment projections

Click here for state-by-state hotel occupancy projections

 

WASHINGTON (Feb. 21, 2023) – Hotel-generated state and local tax revenue will reach new heights nationally ($46.71 billion) and in states across the nation this year, according to state-by-state projections released today by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Oxford Economics. 

 

Average U.S. hotel occupancy is projected to reach 63.8% in 2023 – just shy of 2019’s level of 65.9%. Staffing is expected to remain a challenge for many U.S. hotels in 2023, as the industry continues to grow its workforce back to pre-pandemic levels. 

 

“Hotels are making significant strides toward recovery, supporting millions of good-paying jobs and generating billions in state and local tax revenue in communities across the nation,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “To continue growing, we need to hire more people. Fortunately, there’s never been a better time to be a hotel employee, with wages, benefits, flexibility and upward mobility better than ever before.”

STR: U.S. hotel performance for January 2023

Following seasonal patterns, the U.S. hotel industry reported lower performance from the month prior, according to January 2023 data from STR.

January 2023 (percentage change from January 2019):


  • Occupancy: 52.8% (-3.0%)
  • Average daily rate (ADR): US$142.14 (+13.8%)
  • Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$75.01 (+10.4%)


Among the Top 25 Markets, Oahu Island experienced the highest occupancy level (74.4%), which was down 9.9% from the market’s 2019 benchmark. 


Markets with the lowest occupancy for the month included Chicago (42.7%) and Minneapolis (43.3%). San Francisco reported the steepest decline in occupancy when compared with 2019 (-25.4%).

Registration Open: Join Us for ForWard 2023!

Join us in Chicago this year at ForWard 2023 to hear from hospitality indusry leaders, learn and grow with tailored sessions and network with peers. ForWard: Women Advancing Hospitality is an AHLA platform aimed at mentoring, educating and leading women to the next level of their career. Through the collective power of ForWard, we are elevating hospitality to the number one industry for women. We hope to see you there!

 

Early Bird Rate: $100 off registration for AHLA members through March 15


May 4-5, 2023

Swissôtel Chicago

Chicago, IL

Register Now

Coronavirus (COVID19) in Connecticut

Connecticut Update: as of Feb.20, 2023, 4:00 p.m. portal.ct.gov/coronavirus

Overall Summary Total**; Change Since Yesterday

COVID-19 Cases; 1,058,785; +1,681

COVID-19 Tests Reported; 16,287,194; +26,695

Daily Test Positivity; 6.3%

COVID-19 Associated Deaths; 12,086; +16


**Includes confirmed plus probable cases

Counties and Towns with Cases of COVID-19



Hotel News

Renovating the Right Way: Ensuring Projects Succeed While Protecting the Guest Experience

lodgingmagazine.com


STR: Labor-Related Issues and Energy Costs Are Top Hotel Industry Challenge lodgingmagazine.com


Tourism Tidbits: Reviewing Some of the Travel & Tourism Industry’s Basic Principles – Part Two of a Two-Part Series hotel-online.com


New STR Survey Reveals Top Hospitality Industry Challenges and Strengths hotel-online.com

Resources

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