In preparation for Hurricane Ian, VISIT FLORIDA has activated the Emergency Accommodations Module on Expedia.com to provide real-time hotel and lodging availability for impacted Floridians and visitors throughout the state.
FRLA is encouraging all lodging members to utilize the module to share their availability and consumers to use the module to find lodging.
| Governor Ron DeSantis Declares State of Emergency for 24 Counties, Urges Floridians to Prepare for Impacts from Tropical Depression 9
Governor DeSantis has also requested a federal pre-landfall Emergency Declaration TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 22-218, declaring a State of Emergency for 24 counties in the potential path of Tropical Depression 9. Additionally, Governor DeSantis has requested a federal pre-landfall Emergency Declaration in anticipation of impacts from the storm. This declaration will make available important resources and support, as well as free up funding sources for emergency protective measures. Under this this emergency order, members of the Florida National Guard will be activated and on standby awaiting orders. “Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a State of Emergency due to the threat of Tropical Depression 9,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.” Tropical Depression 9 has the potential to strengthen and become a major hurricane in the coming days and the Governor is urging Floridians and their families to begin preparing and ensuring their family emergency supply kit is ready and stocked with food, water, and medicine. By declaring a state of emergency, Governor DeSantis is ensuring that state and local governments have ample time, resources and flexibility to prepare. To find resources to help you and your family prepare for this storm, you can visit floridadisaster.org/planprepare. The severity and track of Tropical Depression 9 will continue to evolve. Because of this and the potential for dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, strong winds, flash flooding, and the potential for isolated tornadic activity, Governor DeSantis issued the State of Emergency for the following 24 counties:
Follow @FLSERT and @GovRonDeSantis on Twitter for live updates. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org to find information on emergency preparedness. ### |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General Ashley Moody today activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline with Tropical Depression Nine approaching the state. The activation comes following Governor Ron DeSantis’s state-of-emergency declaration for 24 counties. In areas covered by the state of emergency, Floridians can report instances of severe price increases on essential commodities needed to prepare for the storm. Florida’s price gouging law only applies to commodities and services essential to preparing for, or recovering from, a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Floridians should prepare now with Tropical Depression Nine moving closer to our state. If anyone suspects price gouging, report it to my office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM, filing online at MyFloridaLegal.com or using our free No Scam reporting app.”
During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities, such as food, water, hotel rooms, ice, gasoline, lumber, equipment and storm-related services needed as a direct result of the event.
The state of emergency for Tropical Depression Nine is declared for the following counties: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.
Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by using the No Scam app, visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. Attorney General Moody’s No Scam app can be downloaded for free on Apple and Android devices through the app store by searching No Scam.
For tips on reporting price gouging, click here.
For more information on price gouging, click here.
Violators of the price gouging statute are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period. In addition to the civil penalties for price gouging, state law criminalizes the sale of goods and services to the public without possession of a business tax receipt.
To download Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging brochure in English, click here. To download the Spanish version, click here.
For tips on what to do before and after a storm strikes, download the 2022 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here. For the Spanish version, click here.
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| MEMORANDUM
Executive Order 22-219 (Amending Executive Order 22-218, Emergency Management – Tropical Depression Nine) Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 22-219 (Amending Executive Order 22-218, Emergency Management – Tropical Depression Nine), expanding the state of emergency statewide. On September 23, 2022, Tropical Depression Nine strengthened into Tropical Storm Ian, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The threat posed by Tropical Storm Ian requires that timely precautions are taken to protect the communities, infrastructure, and general welfare of Florida. A copy of Executive order 22-219 can be found here.
STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 22-219 (Amending Executive Order 22-218, Emergency Management – Tropical Depression Nine) WHEREAS, on September 23, 2022, I issued Executive Order 22-218 and declared a state of emergency exists for several counties in Florida’s Peninsula and the Florida Keys due to Tropical Depression Nine; and WHEREAS, as of 11:00 PM EDT on September 23, 2022, Tropical Depression Nine strengthened into Tropical Storm Ian, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour; and WHEREAS, as of 8:00 AM EDT on September 24, 2022, Tropical Storm Ian was approximately 855 miles southwest of Key West, Florida; and WHEREAS, Tropical Storm Ian is forecasted to become a major hurricane before making landfall along Florida’s West Coast; and WHEREAS, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, working together with the National Hurricane Center to evaluate weather predictions, has determined there is a continuing risk of dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, strong winds, hazardous seas, and isolated tornadic activity for Florida’s Peninsula and portions of the Florida Big Bend, North Florida, and Northeast Florida; and WHEREAS, the threat posed by Tropical Storm Ian requires that timely precautions are taken to protect the communities, critical infrastructure, and general welfare of Florida; and WHEREAS, as Governor, I am responsible to meet the dangers presented to Florida and its people by this emergency. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron DeSantis, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution and by the Florida Emergency Management Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect: Section 1. Section 1 of Executive Order 22-218 is amended to read as follows: Because of the foregoing conditions, which are projected to constitute a major disaster, I declare a state of emergency exists in the State of Florida. Section 2. Except as amended herein, Executive Order 22-218 is ratified and reaffirmed. Section 3. This Executive Order is effective immediately and shall expire upon the expiration of Executive Order 22-218. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, this 24th day of September, 2022. _________________________________________________________________ From the Office of The Attorney GeneralTALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today expanded Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline as Tropical Storm Ian intensifies. The expansion comes following Governor Ron DeSantis’s amended executive order expanding the state of emergency to all 67 counties in Florida. Floridians statewide can now report instances of severe price increases on essential commodities needed to prepare for the storm to the Attorney General’s Office. Florida’s price gouging law only applies to commodities and services essential to preparing for, or recovering from, a storm during a declared state of emergency. To view the executive order expanding the state of emergency, click here. During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities, such as food, water, hotel rooms, ice, gasoline, lumber, equipment and storm-related services needed as a direct result of the event. Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by using the No Scam app, visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. Attorney General Moody’s No Scam app can be downloaded for free on Apple and Android devices through the app store by searching No Scam. For tips on reporting price gouging, click here. For more information on price gouging, click here. Violators of the price gouging statute are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period. In addition to the civil penalties for price gouging, state law criminalizes the sale of goods and services to the public without possession of a business tax receipt. To download Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging brochure in English, click here. To download the Spanish version, click here. For tips on what to do before and after a storm strikes, download the 2022 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here. For the Spanish version, click here. |
WASHINGTON (September 20, 2022) – The American Hotel & Lodging Foundation (AHLAF) announced today a formal partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps – first of its kind for Job Corps and for the hospitality industry at large – to ignite the hospitality workforce. With 130,000 open jobs in hospitality, this new partnership’s engagement and retention initiatives will help fill these positions with the highly skilled, ready-to-work Job Corps students enrolled in hospitality and related training programs.
This collaboration will provide Job Corps students access to hotel jobs and AHLAF’s flagship apprenticeship program – an industry-driven, competency-based initiative that offers pathways to becoming a lodging manager or hotel cook and includes nationally recognized credential attainment. By tapping into each other’s networks and resources, developing work-based learning opportunities, and utilizing connections to support job placement, the two organizations will join forces to shine a spotlight on hospitality and grow top talent within the industry.
“We are proud to team up with Job Corps as a platinum partner to strengthen our retention and recruitment programs,” said Sarah Cozewith, Vice President of Workforce Development at AHLA Foundation. “With hundreds of thousands of open hotel positions, this is the perfect time for these students to enroll in the hotel industry. From training more than 1400 apprentices to providing more than $1 million in academic scholarships annually, this trailblazing partnership builds on AHLAF’s ongoing efforts to craft an industry as diverse as the guests we serve.”
“Through our work with AHLAF, we can tap into their robust employer network and put our Job Corps graduates on the path to success,” said Rachel Torres, National Director of Job Corps. “Employers are increasingly looking to Job Corps as a source of talented, well-trained workers. We are all working toward the same goal as we begin this partnership together.”
With access to Job Corps’ locations nationwide, AHLAF will be able to complement its existing workforce development programs by connecting its members with graduates from hospitality, culinary, facilities maintenance and other related Job Corps programs. With more than 200 career pathways in the industry, this partnership will allow graduates to take a job in an industry that provides opportunities to advance and grow their career.
From career fairs to classroom visits, professional development training to networking events, AHLAF and Job Corps are planning to open new doors for graduates as they develop and promote top talent through the industry.
To learn more about this partnership and other AHLAF recruitment and retention programs, please visit www.ahlafoundation.org.
About Job Corps
Job Corps is a federal career technical training and education program for young people who aspire to higher-paying careers and higher education. With 121 residential and nonresidential locations nationwide, training is available in the nation’s fastest-growing industries to eligible 16- through 24-year-olds. The program is completely free of charge.
WASHINGTON (September 1, 2022) – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced it has established Sept. 1 as National Hotel Employee Day in the National Day Calendar.
National Hotel Employee Day will be celebrated annually to thank hotel employees for their hard work and dedication and recognize the integral role they play in our nation’s travel, tourism, and hotel industries.
This year, National Hotel Employee Day will take on added significance, as hotels across the nation are working to quickly fill more than 120,000 open hotel jobs. To attract more talent, hotels are offering current and prospective employees higher wages, with better benefits, and more flexibility than ever before.
“On this inaugural National Hotel Employee Day, we thank America’s nearly two million hotel employees. Every day in communities across the nation, hotel employees’ service and dedication help facilitate some of Americans’ most important life events – from wedding receptions to family reunions and vacations,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “And with more than 120,000 open hotel jobs across the nation, now is the time to consider one of the more than 200 enriching careers in the hotel industry.”
Nearly all hotels are experiencing staffing shortages, and half report being severely understaffed, according to a member survey conducted by AHLA. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of survey respondents indicated they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 49% severely so. The most critical staffing need is housekeeping, with 58% ranking it as their biggest challenge.
These staffing challenges coupled with strong summer travel demand are resulting in historic career opportunities for hotel employees. National average hotel wages have increased from $18.74/hour before the pandemic to $22.25/hour in May 2022. And hotel benefits and flexibility are better than ever.
“There has never been a better time to work in the hotel industry than right now,” Rogers said.
The hotel industry offers more than 200 different career paths and many opportunities for upward mobility, with 80% of entry-level workers eligible for a promotion in less than one year and 50% of hotel general managers having started in an entry-level position.
To learn about hotel career opportunities and search for jobs, visit https://www.thehotelindustry.com/
TAMPA – Today at Ulele Restaurant and Brewery alongside hospitality workers and industry leaders, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) and the Florida Retail Federation (FRF) formally endorsed Governor Ron DeSantis for re-election.
“On behalf of Florida’s hospitality and tourism industry, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association is proud to endorse Governor Ron DeSantis for re-election,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of FRLA. As Governor, Ron DeSantis has been a strong supporter of our industry, keeping hotels and restaurants safely open and operating when other states shut down. Governor DeSantis’ leadership saved countless jobs and businesses across our state and has enabled our industry to thrive once again. He understands the critical role that hospitality and tourism play in our state’s economic vitality, and we are confident he will continue to do so in his second term as Governor.”
“Our restaurants and hotels have done better than anyone expected just a couple years ago. By keeping the state open, Florida has experienced record-setting tourism, our labor force growth outpaces the nation, and we have achieved record levels of unemployment and job creation. Florida continues to prove that the Freedom Agenda works,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
“Florida retailers are grateful for the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis. The Governor has remained committed to keeping Florida open for business and has enabled the retail industry to overcome these challenging times and prosper. We are proud to provide our endorsement of his campaign,” said Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley.
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About FRLA: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s nearly $112 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through Safe Staff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.
About FRF: For more than 80 years, the Florida Retail Federation has served as The Voice of Florida Retailing and the only statewide trade association representing retailers – the businesses that sell directly to consumers. Florida retailers provide one out of every five jobs in the state, pay more than $49 billion in wages annually, and collect and remit more than $20 billion in sales taxes for Florida’s government each year.
Tourism in Florida during the first half of 2022 was up 20 percent from the same period last year and was higher than during the first six months of 2019, the last full year of travel before the coronavirus pandemic.
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism-marketing agency, posted numbers online late Monday that estimated Florida had 33.717 million visitors from April 1 through June 30, bringing the total for the first six months of this year to 69.34 million.
The second-quarter number was up 5.6 percent from the same period in 2021. Tourism in the first quarter was 38.3 percent above the first quarter of 2021.
The 35.628 million visitors during this year’s first quarter was an all-time three-month record.
The dip in tourists during the second quarter was not a surprise.
Covering most of the winter, the first quarter historically has been the state’s busiest tourism period. Also, with gas prices over $4 a gallon and inflation at a four-decade high, tourism officials in June expressed concern that hotel room rates, which had been pushed up by demand during the past year, were starting to hinder travel.
“I think we’re starting to see, just over the last couple of weeks or so especially, inflation actually starting to catch up with us in most markets,” Jacob Pewitt Yancey, Visit Florida director of consumer insight and analytics, said during a Visit Florida board meeting June 9.
“Now, overall room revenue is still up in every market statewide, because the growth in rates has been more than enough to overcome the decreased level of demand,” Pewitt Yancey said.
However, STR, Inc., which provides data to the hotel industry, indicated in an Aug. 5 blog post that numbers nationally have been holding steady into the third quarter.
Last year, as the state was still emerging from the early economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, 31.935 million tourists visited Florida in the second quarter and 57.703 million visited during the first half of the year.
The pandemic slammed into Florida in March 2020, largely shutting down the tourism industry. That year, Florida drew just 9.7 million tourists from the start of April to the end of June and 39.764 million in the first half of the year.
In 2019, when Florida hit a record 131.07 million tourists, it drew 32.265 million visitors in the second quarter and 67.76 million in the first half.
Florida has outpaced other states in bringing back international travelers during the pandemic, but it still lags 2019 totals.
The state had 3.071 million overseas travelers during the first half of 2022, with 1.748 million in the second quarter. In 2021, Florida totaled 1.5 million overseas travelers during the first half of the year.
An estimated 1.207 million Canadians visited Florida during the first half of 2022, with 594,000 in the second quarter. Only 96,000 Canadians made their way to Florida in the first half of 2021. For the first half of 2019, 2.294 million Canadians came to Florida.
Florida drew a total of 4.63 million international travelers in 2021, a roughly 45 percent market share of foreign travelers into the U.S. That easily topped the 22 percent for the next-highest state, New York.
Florida in 2019 had just under 13.9 million international tourists.
The Biden administration in June lifted a requirement that international travelers test negative for COVID-19 within a day of boarding flights to the United States. The ban was one of the last remaining government mandates designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
ATLANTA, Ga. – AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, with nearly 20,000 members who own 60% of the hotels in the United States, announced today the launch of ElevateHER, an initiative aimed at elevating, educating, and empowering the women hoteliers of AAHOA and across the industry.
“AAHOA has been proud to celebrate the important work women are doing at every level of hospitality, and this initiative further underscores our commitment to the women of AAHOA and elevating their contributions to the industry,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “While there’s still much work to be done, AAHOA recognizes the significant strides women have made to be seen at industry events, heard in the boardroom, and valued in the workplace – ElevateHER celebrates these accomplishments and will further drive our association’s work around elevating and supporting women in the industry.”
In what has been a predominantly male-dominated industry, AAHOA understands how important it is to foster, promote, and empower women entrepreneurs – and the impact that ElevateHER can have to help women shatter the glass ceiling and pursue their own entrepreneurial journey.
“Women play an active role in all areas of hospitality – from welcoming guests at the front desk to providing the best in housekeeping services to owning and operating hotel properties, women hoteliers continue to step up to leave their mark in the industry,” said AAHOA Female Director Eastern Division Lina Patel, CHO. “I’m proud to work alongside the entire AAHOA Team to launch the ElevateHER program and give women hoteliers the chance to learn from and inspire each other, and set everyone up for years of progress and success.”
AAHOA’s ElevateHER program will offer networking and educational opportunities for women hoteliers and hospitality industry professionals, and elevate AAHOA to be the foremost resource and advocate for women in the industry. This initiative will ultimately support all women in their endeavors and ensure more stability and opportunities for generations to come.
“Women are the backbone of this industry, and AAHOA recognizes the importance of helping advance women’s initiatives in our industry and beyond,” said AAHOA Chairman Neal Patel, CHO, CHIA. “I’m proud to see more and more women hoteliers in top leadership positions within the association, and the industry at large. AAHOA’s ElevateHER initiative further highlights our organization’s commitment to encouraging women hoteliers to take an active role in hospitality with a program created to elevate them in every way.”
As part of our initial launch of this initiative, AAHOA is hosting a Women Hoteliers ElevateHER Conference, October 26-27, 2022, in Cincinnati, OH, which will focus on bringing together AAHOA’s engaged community of women hoteliers for education, inspiration, and empowerment.
“AAHOA has long been an advocate of amplifying women’s voices within the industry, and the brand-new ElevateHER program invites more and more women to shape the future of hospitality and advance their careers,” said AAHOA Female Director Western Division Tejal N. Patel, CHIA, CHO. “Additionally, the 2022 Women Hoteliers ElevateHER Conference will aim to expand women hoteliers’ scope and view of what is possible professionally and personally in hospitality. I could not be more excited for all that will be accomplished thanks to ElevateHER and AAHOA’s renewed focus on elevating women leaders in the industry.”
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the nation, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation’s GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.
As of June 2022, $180 million of RRF funding was unobligated, according to USASpending.gov. According to SBA officials, the unobligated funding includes $24 million set aside for litigation, and the remainder results from realized or anticipated recoveries. SBA data also indicate that about $56 million came from returned awards (officials said that awards were returned by the recipients or their financial institutions). SBA officials said some of the recovered funds also came from awards the Department of the Treasury administratively offset and returned to SBA.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 did not create a litigation set aside for the SBA to administer. While ARPA does direct returned or reclaimed RRF awards to the Department of Treasury, the Association believes it would be consistent with the spirit of the law to utilize all unobligated funds to address the RRF shortfall.
“Now more than ever, every dollar appropriated by Congress for restaurant relief needs to be unlocked and put in the hands of operators struggling to keep their doors open,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for Public Affairs at the National Restaurant Association. “The potential for replenishing the RRF remains uncertain at best, thus the efficient disbursement of the existing funds is of critical importance to our industry. Restaurants remain battered with worker shortages, runaway food costs, and an uncertain level of customer confidence in the coming months. The need for relief has not abated. We urge the SBA to take every step to disburse all remaining funds in a fair and timely manner.”
The restaurant industry is still struggling to rebuild from the initial impacts of the pandemic. The industry still has not recovered 728,000 jobs lost in the initial government shutdowns. Added to the stress of wholesale food costs that have risen more than 13% in the last 12 months, and rising COVID outbreaks in many communities, operators are growing more pessimistic about the economic outlook. According to the Association’s June 2022 Operator Tracking Survey, 43% say they think economic conditions will worsen in six months. This is the highest level of economic pessimism since 2008.
Read the full letter to SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman here.
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