(Washington, D.C. June 11, 2015) - The Supreme Court of Florida today issued its opinion on a case brought by Alachua County, Florida against Expedia. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry, issued the following statement regarding the decision: 

"The travel and tourism industry, of which lodging is a significant component, is a key driver of the economy in Florida. With every new job and every new hotel room, our industry is making a further investment in the people of Florida. That is why we believe that our partners in this industry, the online travel agencies, must also do their part. 

"We believe the Florida Supreme Court's decision is a lost opportunity to ensure fair and equal application of the law by the state's highest court. The future of Florida's hotel industry is very promising, and hotels continue to drive job creation and economic growth in the state. To continue this positive momentum, however, it is important that the hotel and lodging industry have the assurance that they will be operating on a level playing field. Unfortunately, the opinion issued today does not provide that assurance. Online travel companies will continue to exploit this loophole at the expense of Florida taxpayers unless the legislature acts, which is why our industry looks forward to working with the legislature to clarify the modern methods consumers use to book and pay for hotel stays."

Florida's hotels are an important segment of the state's economy with some 13% of all jobs in the state directly or indirectly related to the lodging industry and generate $5.3 billion in tax revenue for state and local governments.