Upcoming Monthly Coffee Meetings

Connect with other operators each month at the IHLA’s member coffee meeting. Each month has a featured presenter as well as association updates and plenty of discussion and networking time. A virtual meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. immediately following the in person event. Questions? Contact Faith Dorn.

June 14

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Guest Speaker: Amy Ziegler, State Tourism Manager | Iowa Tourism Office

Downtown Hilton | 435 Park St, Des Moines

July 12

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Guest Speaker: Greg Edwards, President & CEO | catchdesmoines.com 

Catch Des Moines Office |400 Locust St #265, Des Moines

August 9

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Guest Speaker: Jessica Dunker, President & CEO | Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association

Hotel Julien | 200 Main St, Dubuque

September 13

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Guest Speaker: TBD

Location:TBD

Questions? Contact Faith Dorn.

Omkar Bhatt Joins IHLA Board of Directors

Omkar Bhatt, Owner/Operator of the Sol Inn and the Executive Inn in Marshalltown, has joined IHLA Board of Directors. Omkar immigrated to the U.S. from India as a teen and began working in his uncle’s Fort Dodge hotel. He attended William Penn University and upon graduation worked in hospitality groups across the country, studying best practices and operational strategies before returning to Iowa to launch his Leo Hospitality. He took ownership of his first hotel in 2021 and added a second in 2023. Omkar is a resident of, and active community member of, Marshalltown and a member of AAHOA. Like his fellow IHLA board directors, he will serve as an elected volunteer and will help determine and communicate the Association’s state legislative agenda to local, state and federal lawmakers.

Iowa Hoteliers Ban Together to Advocate for the Industry 

For decades, Iowa’s hotel and lodging industry was not represented at the statehouse or by Iowans advocating in D.C.. In January 2022, a determined group of Iowa hoteliers decided to change that by forming the Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association.  

Since its inception, the Association has been building a strong board of directors and is already actively engaging at both the state and federal level, bringing the industry’s issues to the forefront. Our Board members are volunteers who travel across the state and to Washington DC, usually at their own expense. Their commitment stems from a deep understanding of the value in securing a seat at the decision-making table where policies are shaped, legislation is passed, and administrative rules are established.

It's your turn to join the conversation and make a difference. By becoming a member of the IHLA, you can be part of a collective voice that advocates for our industry’s needs. 

Let’s share Iowa’s hospitality landscape and ensure our concerns are heard and addressed. 

Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association Board Members Scott Math of Heart of America, Kalpesh Patel of VKB Management, and Angela Harrington, Hotel Grinnell traveled to Washington DC to advocate for Iowa’s hoteliers with members of Iowa’s congressional delegation. 

During the Iowa Legislative session members of the IHLA Board attended meetings with state lawmakers to discuss a number of issues including exempting the cost of room preparation from state sales tax. 

Taking Our Collective Voice to a National Stage

The 2024 race for the presidential nomination is officially under way and Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association members have been busy raising our industry's issues to candidates. The Association has been recently extending invitations to our members to participate in the national conversation surrounding the 2024 presidential race. Don't miss the next opportunity to make the collective voice of our industry heard. Watch your inbox for future invitations to events like these.

Lend Your Voice to Bill to Remove Double Sales Tax on Hotel Rooms

Iowa’s legislative session is only 100 calendar days each year. However, much of the legwork of legislative change takes place outside of that timeframe. During the upcoming summer and fall months, we encourage you to initiate conversations with legislators regarding SF 394 and HF 544. These bills aim to reinstate sales tax exemptions hotels once had. By exempting necessary expenses related to guest room preparation, such as toiletries, linens, and cleaning supplies; we can alleviate the burden on our industry. Similar tax relief has already been granted to manufacturing inputs, and it’s time for hotels to receive fair treatment as well.

 The IHLA lobbying team and Board leadership spoke in favor of the bills at subcommittee meetings and both bills advanced to committee—noting expected amendments. However, much of the work we need done will happen in the next 5 months. We are well-positioned for the next session if we utilize this interim period to ensure accuracy in the fiscal note and gather support from legislators. 

Please familiarize yourself with the details and language of these bills. Your participation will be instrumental in garnering support from legislators. Invite them to your business, share the cost of room preparation. Help them understand what it costs to get ready for guests and how much this reduction in sales tax means to you as you continue to recover from the economic impacts of COVID. Feel free to contact Jessica Dunker at jessica@hotellodgingiowa.com with questions. 

Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association State Awards Luncheon

Monday, October 2, 2023

11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Rewind Hotel | West Des Moines, Iowa

Watch Your Emails for Ticket Information

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Interested in Serving on the Board?

The Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association is a member-driven professional association of the state’s hotel and lodging industry. The Association is governed by an elected, volunteer Board with representatives from each of the various segments within the industry and from across the state. The IHLA Board of Directors serves as the Association’s policy-making body and meets quarterly with committee and team meetings throughout the year as necessary. If you know someone who would make an excellent representative of the industry on the Association’s Board, or if you’re interested in serving, please contact Jessica Dunker at jessica@hotellodgingiowa.com . You may nominate yourself for consideration.