A cross-party coalition of lawmakers is advocating for a law to compel lodging establishments to be transparent about the unwelcome “amenities charge.” The proposed legislation, if enacted, would authorize the Federal Trade Commission to impose sanctions on hotels that fail to conspicuously reveal these charges when guests are making reservations. This aligns with the President’s plea to eliminate these “extraneous charges” prevalent in numerous sectors. Lawmakers contend that concealed charges hinder travelers from effectively comparing costs and comprehending the actual financial burden of their accommodations.
This legislation aims to tackle those hidden “amenity charges” that appear on lodging invoices, impacting not just hotels. Travel booking platforms like Expedia and price comparison websites would also be required to clearly disclose these costs. Essentially, any online service offering accommodations for a night, a few hours, or even a week, would need to comply with the updated regulations.
The gaming sector has expressed some apprehension, however. They are concerned that the legislation, due to its broad language, might inadvertently affect some of their offerings.
These amenity charges have been a source of frustration for consumers for years, with complaints dating back to at least 2016!
