WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has collaborated with Google to expand the industry’s efforts to meet the continued demand from first responders and healthcare workers for available hotel rooms.
This joint effort comes two months after the launch of AHLA’s Hospitality for Hope, an initiative designed to match emergency and healthcare workers who require temporary housing with hotels during this unprecedented health crisis. More than 17,000 properties across the country volunteered to serve their communities and participate in the program.
Hospitality for Hope was created to boost collaboration between the hotel industry and local, state and federal governments to meet the demands of COVID-19. Almost immediately, examples of hotels partnering with local and state officials in communities were reported across the country, including in Chicago, California, New York City and Texas.
With the new partnership with Google, hotel owners offering discounts or special accommodations for frontline or essential workers can add the innovative feature to their business profile, which will display when those in need search for participating hotels.
“Our industry is centered around people taking care of people and this crisis is no different,” said Chip Rogers, president/CEO, AHLA. “Central to every community, hotel employees have risen to the occasion in record numbers to support those putting their lives on the line to care for others. By working together with Google, we will be able to help countless more first responders find respite at local hotels. Thanks to Google’s innovative tool, we are thrilled to make it easier for first responders to find a hotel quickly and stress-free so that they can focus on more urgent needs.”