Defend NYC Tourism Coalition Rallies Towards Metropolis Council’s Catastrophic Resort Invoice

Yesterday, over one thousand resort homeowners, staff, and small enterprise homeowners, as a part of the newly shaped Defend NYC Tourism Coalition, rallied on the steps of Metropolis Corridor to struggle towards the Metropolis Council’s so-called “Secure Inns” invoice. The Coalition is asking the Metropolis Council to reject the invoice, Int.991, because it threatens the sustainability of New York Metropolis’s resort and tourism companies and places the livelihoods of 1000’s of devoted staff in danger.

The Coalition consists of members of the American Resort & Lodging Affiliation (AHLA), Resort Affiliation of New York Metropolis (HANYC), the Actual Property Board of New York (REBNY), Asian American Resort Homeowners Affiliation (AAHOA), the Coalition for Resort Subcontractors, the NYC Minority Resort Affiliation, the Nationwide Affiliation of Black Resort Homeowners, Operators and Builders (NABHOOD) and quite a few different teams and stakeholders that help New York Metropolis’s tourism business.

“This laws will trigger irrevocable harm and harm 1000’s of company, resort homeowners, staff, and small enterprise homeowners who help New York Metropolis’s resort and tourism business,” mentioned American Resort & Lodging Affiliation Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “The financial toll of this invoice will reverberate for years, forcing lodges to put off hard-working employees, increase charges, and even completely shut. This isn’t a licensing or security invoice. It’s a authorities takeover of New York Metropolis lodges, and we is not going to cease combating till it’s defeated.”

“The Nationwide Affiliation of Black Resort Homeowners, Operators & Builders stands with New York Metropolis’s resort homeowners, staff, and small companies in opposing Int. 991,” mentioned Andy Ingraham, President, CEO and Founding father of NABHOOD. “This invoice would disproportionately affect minority-owned lodges and builders, who’ve labored tirelessly to contribute to the town’s tourism business and create jobs inside their communities. The operational prices and regulatory burdens of this laws threaten to undo many years of progress in creating inclusive alternatives for Black and minority resort homeowners. We urge the Metropolis Council to rethink this invoice and work with us to search out options that help financial development and job creation – not stifle them.”

“Int. 991 is an answer in the hunt for an issue. It imposes staffing mandates that almost all lodges can not afford, forcing closures, and disrupting resort lending and transactions,” mentioned Vijay Dandapani, President & CEO of the Resort Affiliation of NYC. “This invoice harms the monetary well being of lodges and threatens the sustainability of New York’s tourism business. The Metropolis Council ought to be working with us, not towards us, to help job creation and financial restoration.”

“The Secure Inns Act can have devastating results on our lodges and the hospitality business,” mentioned Rahul Patel, Treasurer of the Asian American Resort Homeowners Affiliation. “This invoice would require our small lodges to cease partnering with different small companies and drive them to let go of their staff. Our lodges provide private service, usually with a small workforce of employees. If we might rent extra staff, we might, however it’s a disgrace that this invoice is making an attempt to drive us to work outdoors our present functioning enterprise mannequin. It’s patently unfair for the Metropolis Council to impose a one-size-fits-all enterprise mannequin on all lodges. This invoice will destroy our livelihoods.”

“This laws is a dagger to the center of our Metropolis’s resort, tourism, and leisure industries,” mentioned Jim Whelan, REBNY President. “It should harm the Metropolis’s financial restoration, minimize jobs and slash tax income. If enacted, it’s yet one more deterrent to investing in New York.”

“The hospitality business couldn’t operate with out family-owned companies, first- and second-generation immigrant entrepreneurs, and small enterprise homeowners who present housekeeping and upkeep companies, in addition to different wants particular to the hospitality business, and in the present day we made it clear we’re a powerful, unified coalition coming collectively to struggle for our livelihoods,” mentioned Camilo Torres, Chief Working Officer of Lumina HR, a hospitality staffing options firm situated in Manhattan. “We hope this rally sends a message to the Metropolis Council that they need to rethink this laws and convey us to the desk to debate the problems we face and the way we are able to work collectively to resolve them.”

First launched by Councilwoman Julie Menin over the summer season, Int. 991 has been positioned as a “easy licensing invoice” by its supporters, however in actuality, it will impose harsh and dear operational mandates that may drive many lodges out of enterprise and get rid of jobs. It jeopardizes New York Metropolis’s 42,000 resort jobs, the practically 260,000 jobs New York Metropolis lodges help, and billions of {dollars} in income for New York Metropolis. Final yr, New York Metropolis’s tourism business generated $74 billion in financial affect with greater than $48 billion coming from direct spending.

The Coalition additionally made clear the vital security protocols already in place at member lodges, and the business’s long-standing dedication to finish human trafficking. Int. 991 will not be a resort security and human trafficking prevention invoice. New York lodges are already required to coach all staff on human trafficking consciousness and coaching – due to a regulation the resort business labored to move in 2022.