The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is kicking off the 2012 Presidential election year by bringing the lodging industry’s top executives to Capitol Hill for its 2012 Legislative Action Summit (LAS).

LAS, held Feb. 29-March 1, 2012 will be one of the first events in Washington next year, focusing on what affects the bottom line for hoteliers across the country: labor, taxes, and continuing this year’s success with travel and tourism promotion. The conference is an opportunity for hoteliers to speak directly with their Members of Congress about the importance of lodging to the U.S. economy.

The U.S. lodging industry is comprised of over 4.8 million guest rooms and employs 1.7 million workers nationwide. Industry annual sales exceed $127 billion and travel-related wages are over $188 billion. Nationally, the travel and tourism industry is one of the top 10 employers in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

“The lodging industry will be one of the first groups visiting Washington during a busy Presidential election year,” said Marlene Colucci, AH&LA executive vice president for public policy. “The Travel Promotion Act and card check were won due to dedicated hoteliers speaking to Congressional leaders about the impact of legislation on their business. We need hoteliers on Capitol Hill to convey why our issues matter.”