Shareholders Push Travel Companies to Disclose Political Giving as Mid-Terms Loom

After a period of strong words from travel companies following the election of President Donald J. Trump and the chaos of the travel ban fiasco which followed, executives across the industry have tempered down their rhetoric on political issues. At first, the executives of companies including Expedia Group and Airbnb expressed concern about the election of Trump. Yet as the administration and series of travel bans rolled on, fewer leaders voiced opposition to policies that were squarely opposed to the health of the U.S. travel industry. All the while, these companies used their financial muscle to lobby the government and contribute to candidates on both sides of the aisle. Most of this spending, however, is shrouded behind political action committees, leaving investors at a loss to understand exactly where a company stands on important political issues. This year, however, a new wrinkle could be emerging as the country, even further polarized by politics, prepares for crucia