CSR and Sustainability

🛬 July saw travel warnings escalate as fighting persisted in the Middle East, affecting tourism. On July 17, the U.S. Embassy in the UAE advised caution due to a complex security situation. Canada upgraded its advisory for the UAE and Saudi Arabia, while the UK cautioned potential regional attacks. Australia and New Zealand issued Level 3 warnings for several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan. Gulf countries are incentivizing travel with fare sales and visa liberalization.

It's late. A guest returns to the hotel after dinner and realises they've misplaced their key card. No problem. They walk to reception, explain the situation, and ask for a replacement card. Within seconds, they get one. It’s how modern hotels are designed to work. Fast. Frictionless. Convenient. But what happens when convenience creates risk? The Travelodge case that recently came to light – when a man sexually assaulted a woman after he was given a key card and her room number – has rung alarm bells across the industry. Every hotelier can only imagine a similar situation unfolding in their own property. At my recent Roundtable Roadshow in Stratford-upon-Avon, hosted by Hoteliers' Voice and sponsored by Keystep Solutions, hoteliers gathered to discuss a simple but increasingly important question: what does non-negotiable guest security actually look like? A failure of judgement, not tech Modern hospitality has become a constant pursuit of removing friction from the guest journey. One result of this is that physical keys have largely disappeared. They’ve been replaced by key cards, mobile access, contactless entry, and smart lock technology. Electronic locks have made hotels safer, more efficient and easier to operate. But they haven't removed the need for judgement. Technology can issue a key card. It can't decide whether it should be issued. Reflecting on the circumstances of the Travelodge situation, Andrew Evans of Keystep Solutions says it’s easy to picture the pressures hotel staff are under. “I can imagine a person on the front desk at reception, by themselves, in the middle of the night, overwhelmed, trying to do the right thing," he said. “Even though they might have followed the process, or the computer said ‘yes’, a bit of common sense would have been to think, ‘hang on, this doesn’t feel right, I shouldn’t give this person the key card.’” The consequences of getting it wrong can be significant. Process isn't enough Hotels rely on processes for good reason. Consistency matters. Standards matter. Security incidents rarely happen because somebody deliberately ignores the rules. More often, they happen because someone follows a process without questioning whether the situation feels right. "You've got to empower your staff," Andrew said. “Staff in some hotels are empowered to spend some money to make the guest happy to sort out a small problem.” Many hoteliers agree that the same concept should apply across every aspect of the team’s work. “It comes down to the training of your reception teams to empower them,” said Stuart Gillespie, Group Commercial Director, Switch Management . “If something doesn’t feel right, more often than not it probably isn’t quite right, and they should seek assistance from senior management.” While processes create consistency, it’s actually empowerment that results in security. Security starts with the smallest details If empowering staff is at the heart of all this, then security isn't won through expensive technology, but through hundreds of tiny habits. Faris Thowfeek, General Manager of IBIS Coventry explained that staff are trained never to announce room numbers

ATLANTA, GA — AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) joins with the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PR&LA) in applauding Governor Josh Shapiro for enacting House Bill 1286, requiring human trafficking awareness training for hospitality employees and certain online lodging and reservation companies. Sponsored by Rep. Regina Young, the legislation expands Pennsylvania's human trafficking awareness requirements to include hotels, motels, short-term rentals, rental operators, third-party booking platforms, and certain contract workers. It also requires employees with guest contact or room access to complete approved human trafficking awareness training, with refresher training every two years. Short-term rental operators must also complete the training, and third-party listing platforms must verify operator compliance. AAHOA is proud to support this legislation. Hotel owners want to do the right thing, but awareness and training are essential. This legislation gives hospitality employees the knowledge to recognize the warning signs and respond appropriately. Every step we take to raise awareness helps protect vulnerable individuals and strengthen our communities. AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel Human trafficking has no place in Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania's hospitality industry is proud to be part of the solution. We applaud the Pennsylvania General Assembly for advancing and passing PRLA priority and industry-backed legislation, House Bill 1286, which expands anti-human trafficking training across the lodging industry and brings us one step closer to making it law. This legislation reflects our shared commitment to protecting people, saving lives, and ensuring our tourism industry operates responsibly. PR&LA President & CEO Joe Massaro For years, AAHOA has supported efforts to combat human trafficking through education, advocacy, and industry partnerships. The association provides members with training and resources to help hotel owners and employees recognize the signs of trafficking and respond safely and effectively. AAHOA has long believed the hospitality industry can play an important role in helping combat human trafficking through education and awareness. We commend the Governor, Representative Young, and the Pennsylvania General Assembly for advancing legislation that equips hospitality professionals to recognize and report suspected trafficking. This is an important step forward, and we hope to see more states follow Pennsylvania's lead. AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake

📖 Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, on July 20, 2026, signed House Bill 1286, mandating human trafficking awareness training for hospitality workers and specific online lodging and reservation companies. Spearheaded by Rep. Regina Young, the law enhances Pennsylvania's human trafficking prevention measures. AAHOA and the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association support this initiative to combat trafficking. This training aims to raise awareness among employees in the hospitality industry to identify and report potential trafficking cases.

This article was written by Lodging Magazine. Click here to read the original article WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rosanna Maietta, president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, issued…

I kept the hotel bill from a visit to San Juan this past spring. It may be the clearest document in the travel industry: twenty-five line items for two nights,…

This article was written by Lodging Magazine. Click here to read the original article ATLANTA, Georgia—AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) joined with the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PR&LA)…

Following the conclusion of the 2026 tri-national World Cup games, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Hotels Canada, and the Hoteles Por México together called for a long-term extension of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), underscoring that the prosperity of the North American hospitality industries is deeply interconnected and depends on policies that facilitate cross-border travel. The successful hosting of the world's largest sporting event across Canada, Mexico, and the United States highlighted the strength of a unified North America and the vital role of seamless travel between the three countries. With more than six million fans attending matches, hotels and local businesses welcomed the influx of visitors, underscoring how travel drives economic growth, supports millions of jobs, and strengthens the interconnected hospitality industries and economies of all three countries. A long-term extension of USMCA builds upon this momentum by providing the certainty businesses need to invest, strengthen integrated supply chains, support workforce mobility, and keep North America globally competitive as a destination for business and leisure travel. A strong North American partnership provides certainty for businesses, helps keep travel affordable, and strengthens one of the world's most integrated travel economies. As discussions continue on the future of the USMCA, we urge negotiators to build on that momentum by advancing a long-term extension of this landmark agreement Rosanna Maietta, President and CEO of AHLA Our three countries have an opportunity to build on the relationships and economic momentum created by this historic event. Extending CUSMA will provide the long-term stability needed to strengthen travel, facilitate investment, and support cross-border supply chains to ensure North America remains the world's leading destination for business and leisure travel Beth McMahon, President and CEO of Hotels Canada Travel is one of North America's greatest shared economic strengths. By extending the USMCA, our three countries can continue to grow together – supporting jobs, expanding tourism, strengthening supply chains, and creating new opportunities for communities on both sides of every border. Jorge Paoli Díaz, President of Hoteles por México. The USMCA also strengthens the resilient supply chains that hotels rely on every day. From food and beverage products served in hotel restaurants to furnishings, linens, and operating supplies, cross-border trade helps ensure reliable access to essential goods while keeping costs manageable for hotels and travelers alike. Additionally, the agreement supports workforce mobility across North America. Provisions that facilitate temporary business travel, including the availability of TN-1 visas for hotel managers, help hotels recruit experienced leaders, share expertise across borders, and develop the skilled workforce needed to meet growing demand. Background: North America is one of the world’s largest tourism markets. In 2025, the United States welcomed 68.3 million international visitors, Mexico welcomed 47.8 million international visitors, and Canada welcomed 19.8 million visitors, demonstrating the collective scale of our integrated travel economy. Tourism is a major employment engine in North America. Mexico’s tourism industry supports 5 million jobs, making it the country’s largest employer of young people and second-largest employer of women. In the United States,