No matter your perspective on this article about the Florida legislature raising the occupancy taxes on Florida hotel rooms sold by 3rd party web travel sites, the entire industry needs to initiate a very high level conversation about the issue and about occupancy taxes generally (arguably taxation without representation) and how those taxes are spent.
I know in Texas, Scott Joslove, CEO of the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association, works diligently to insure that local areas comply with the boundaries established for occupancy tax expenditures. It would be helpful to have a national discussion on what the trends are and what is best for all constituencies.