Obama Meets With Worried Travel Executives

The travel industry feels dissed because of the bad press surrounding companies such as AIG having fun, getting massages, partly on our dime, at fancy hotels. The industry feels executives are canceling meetings that fill hotels and convention space because of Obama's harsh words about execs wasting money. Is there anyone who doesn't have their very own special complaint?
We not only built too many malls and stores, we built too many hotels and convention spaces. That all needs to shake out. During a recession, companies, especially public companies, need to save money by cutting back on travel and meeting costs.

Politico: President Barack Obama met at the White House on Wednesday with 13 of the nation’s top travel executives to hear their concerns that members of Congress have been bad-mouthing the convention and meeting business at a time when dollars are tight for the industry.

The meetings started with a sit-down with White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett in the Roosevelt Room. After about five minutes, the president walked in and spent about 20 minutes with them.

Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and chief executive of Loews Hotels, told POLITICO later that the president “voiced his support for a strong travel and tourism industry.”

The industry has been writing to lawmakers on Capitol Hill as part of a Keep America Meeting campaign. Read more.