There has been a lot of interest in companies meeting at hotels and resorts. It seems that it’s not okay for them especially those who taken bailout money to hold any kind of conferences or meetings. The media has made a sport of finding out what companies are going where or doing what. I don’t think they give a second thought to the people that work in the travel industry. According to a Politco.com article, luxury or upscale hotels and cruises are at the top of the venues the firms are avoiding, and Roger Dow, president of U.S. Travel Association says news reporters have been found staking out hotel lobbies in search of fresh targets. While I understand that some may be upset that taxpayer money might be used for these trips, I don’t think that people including the President, are looking at the whole picture. According to the U.S. Travel Association, business travel sustains 2.4 million jobs, injects $240 billion a year into the national economy and generates $39 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue. Shouldn’t we be more concerned about the employees than the companies? What are the employees going to do if no one is meeting or traveling? Hours will be scaled back and potentially jobs could be lost. This is not fair. I really don’t care if a bank or any other company has a meeting at a ritzy hotel or resort. What I care about are the employees that the ritzy hotel or resort employs. I urge you to visit www.keepamericameeting.org When America meets, America works.
You are really right on with this and I totally agree with your views.
I think many of Obama’s comments aren’t very well thought out . . . in one breath he’ll say that “government spending never solved any problems” and then he tells us how much he’s going to spend. Then he’ll say “I’m going to create jobs” while in the next breath saying that he’s cutting millions from the budget from programs that are not working. While I agree that this needs to be done I wonder is he realizes how many jobs will be lost while he does this. There are so many “cause and effects” that he is messing with I just shiver, wondering what will become of us?
Now is the time to travel even the luxury hotels like Ritz Carlton have dropped their prices incredibly. Most hotels operate at around 60% occupancy total for a year. Right now it is more like 30%. And for many hotels that number will be less for the year.
I think that if a company took bailout funds and spent them for a conference at a hote/resort or a convention center they will have used those funds to help the economy especially for those workers who will not see any stimulus from any of the stimulus packages.
Leads to hotels for opportunities are down by 50%. Many yearly clients have canceled their events this year, and those who had booked prior to the major downturn are hurting because they are unable to fill their room commitments. The could cancel but it would cost more than to just hold the meeting.
I think the problem isnt so much what seems to be mixed signals from the government, and it just the President who tends to be vague it is every politician who is vague and unreadable, and it is all because they dont know what to do either and are afraid to do something that will cost them in their next election or to look stupid in any way.
Congress got a raise this year while millions of Americans are getting pink slips. Pink slips caused by inaction by the same congress, by their cowardly approach to all things. The “only in my best interst” approach. As long as they can get reelected that is all that matters.
It is not President Obama’s fault we are where we are, it is the whole body that has fought with each other over the silliest of things, while ignoring the warnings.
It is government agencies that did not do their jobs for fear of retribution from certain members of congress or other elected officials.
This is not unchartered territory. Many are just to arrogant to say we messed up and we will fix it and we will fix it fast. They just say this doesnt work for me as another half million jobs go down. What is the saying “if you are not part of the solution, you part of the problem”. Lets not worry about how something is said or if it sounds confusingm lets realize there are people trying to make a difference and be part of the solution, the worst thing we who will be the greatest affected by it all can do is find fault in it.
And take a VACATION, keep some hard working low paid workers employed because that is where the ultimate stimulus will come from.