Travel Groups Want More From Washington But Are They Asking Too Much?


Skift Take

Hotel groups continue to have a receptive audience in Washington regarding relief funds, but they will need to be careful not to overstep in asking for stimulus further down the recovery path.

Leading U.S. travel industry groups called for an additional $600 billion in federal aid and other provisions late last week, two weeks after the $2 trillion CARES Act relief package was signed into law. The U.S. travel industry wants Congress to provide further relief provisions like an additional $600 billion to the paycheck protection program and extend the program through the end of 2020 instead of its current June 30 expiration date. Industry groups also want to increase the Small Business Administration loan amount maximum to equate to eight times a business’s entire monthly expenses instead of the current 250 percent cap on a borrower's average monthly payroll. Industry groups like the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association say the new policies are needed to account for what is going to be a longer recovery than expected while the CARES Act was being drafted.

Get the Latest on Coronavirus and