On June 11, the US House of Representatives passed the No Hidden Fees Act – a move that the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has welcomed as a step towards cost transparency for guests at various lodgings.
The legislation establishes a standard for the display of fees for short-term rental platforms, online travel agencies, metasearch sites, and hotels.
“AHLA has led efforts supporting federal legislation to establish a single and transparent standard for mandatory lodging fee displays and an even competitive playing field,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA Interim President and CEO, in an official statement from the association.
The House Energy & Commerce Committee unanimously approved the Bill in December, and the House passed the Act in a bipartisan vote last week.
AHLA is now looking forward to the legislation being passed in the Senate “with the goal of establishing a uniform standard across the industry as law,” said Carey.
President Joe Biden’s administration is clamping down on what it deems ‘junk fees’ by creating legislation to ensure consumer transparency. The Hidden Fees Act follows the US Department of Transportation’s contentious final rule in April, which states that airlines must clearly break down all fees comprising passenger airfares.
