Luria co-sponsors bills to help tourism industry

Representative Elaine Luria has cosponsored two pieces of legislation aiming to help the tourism industry recover from the pandemic.

In an email to consituants Friday Luria said, “In Coastal Virginia, lodging and tourism are crucial drivers of our local economy. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure businesses in these industries have the resources they need to recover so they can continue employing Coastal Virginians. That is why I recently cosponsored the Save Hotel Jobs Act and the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act.”

Hotels across our community and nation have experienced staggering losses during the pandemic. While many hotel owners have received Paycheck Protection Program loans, many owners struggled to make payroll and remain open. The Save Hotel Jobs Act would create a payroll support grant program that would provide grants and tax credits to help hotels pay their employees and rehire laid off workers.

According to the US Travel Association, the tourism industry accounted for 65 percent of all jobs lost last year. The Protecting Tourism in United States Act would direct the Department of Commerce to study the impacts of the pandemic on the travel and tourism industries. The subject would examine tourism industry sectors, including domestic, international, leisure, conventional, business, and event tourism. To expedite relief, this bill requires an interim study three months after the enactment of the bill.

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