The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has voiced its support for the recently introduced Halting of Trafficking and Exploitation in Lodging Act, or HOTEL Act.
This legislation encourages federal workers traveling for business to stay at hotels with established anti-human trafficking programs.
The HOTEL Act, introduced by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), aims to leverage the hospitality industry’s unique position to combat human trafficking.
“The HOTEL Act recognizes the crucial role hotels play in the fight against human trafficking, and we are proud to support this important legislation,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA Interim President & CEO.
The AHLA has long been committed to addressing human trafficking through initiatives like the No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) program, which equips hotel employees with the necessary training to identify and act upon signs of trafficking.
Hotels seeking to meet the requirements of the HOTEL Act must develop anti-trafficking training in consultation with state governments, trafficking survivors, or recognized anti-trafficking organizations.
Since its launch in 2019, the NRFT initiative, in partnership with PACT (formerly ECPAT-USA), has provided free training modules to hotel staff. To date, these modules have been completed more than 1.8 million times, empowering thousands of employees to make a difference.
AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue emphasized, “Through the AHLA Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking initiative, the hotel industry is united in the effort to prevent human trafficking and support survivors.”
The AHLA Foundation has also taken steps to support survivors, raising $3.7 million for the industry’s first Survivor Fund, with a goal of reaching $10 million in total contributions.
As hotels continue to play a leading role in combatting human trafficking, the HOTEL Act represents another significant step forward in the collaboration between the lodging industry and policymakers.
