Latest News
SOBS Act Back Again
The Stop Online Booking Scams (SOBS) Act, a fabrication of the hotel lobby, is a public relations stunt meant to smear third party booking websites and scare consumers into thinking that booking anywhere other than directly on the hotel’s own website is risky. It’s just not true. » Read news
Travel Tech urges FTC to look into deceptive anti-short-term rental ad in Washington, DC
The Travel Technology Association today sent a letter to Chairwoman Ohlhausen urging the FTC to look into a deceptive anti-short term rental advertisement running on behalf of a hotel front group in Washington, DC. » Read news
Travel Tech urges Houston city council to reject proposed new taxes on online travel agents
Online travel agencies facilitate the booking of tens of thousands of rooms in Houston every year. Imposing discriminating taxes on OTA fees provides a disincentive for OTAs to steer travelers to Houston hotels. Like all taxes, this new tax will be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher room rates, making Houston hotels less attractive to and less competitive with those outside the city limits. Leisure travelers are hyper price-sensitive and will drive a few miles for lower-priced hotels. The proposal to tax OTAs is short sighted. Any tax revenue generated will be offset by the lost revenue when travelers choose to stay outside the city. We urge the city council to reject this proposal and find ways to grow your tourism economy, not tax it.
» Read newsReason: The Disgruntled D.C. Resident in That Anti-Airbnb Ad Isn't Who She Says She Is
“I’m tired of feeling like an outsider in my own neighborhood," she says. Maybe that's because she's an actress from New York.
» Read newsTravel Tech statement on Nashville short-term rental proposal, Bill 608
The Travel Technology Association sent a letter to the Nashville Metro Council urging rejection of Bill 608 and released the following statement from Matt Kiessling, VP of short-term rental policy, in advance of the Metro Council meeting on 5/2: » Read news