The Hotel Association of New York City is advocating for a reduction of the hotel occupancy tax from 5.875% to 3%, citing substantial declines in tourism linked to international tariffs under Trump. President Vijay Dandapani expresses concern for the industry's future, as reports show notable dips in Canadian tourism and overall flight arrivals. The 'StayNYC' campaign underscores the hospitality sector's economic value and the burdens imposed by high occupancy rates, with hotel owners like Kaushik Patel reporting a drastic drop in business since 2019.
Kaushik Patel, a hotel owner who has three properties in Long Island City, said business is down 50% from 2019 and has struggled to emerge from the pandemic. If the hotel occupancy rate were reduced, Patel said, that would present "a real lifeline for businesses like ours."
Vijay Dandapani, the president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, said in the current economic climate, hotel owners are "afraid of what the future could look like."
The hotel industry's push began earlier this month with a 'StayNYC' industry campaign that stressed the value of hospitality to the local economy and the problem of the 'whopping' occupancy rate.
The campaign to reduce the hotel occupancy charge comes as reports indicate that travel from Canada, the biggest supplier of tourists to the United States, dipped by 12.5% in February and 18% in March after two years of steady growth.
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