AHLA Foundation and Hotels Canada Unite on Anti-Trafficking

The AHLA Foundation and Hotels Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly expand the No Room for Trafficking initiative across North America. The partnership aligns the associations' anti-trafficking education and survivor support efforts, while the AHLA Foundation also appointed new leadership to its advisory council ahead of its fifth annual summit.

Why did the associations formalize this cross-border agreement?

The organizations signed the agreement to establish a framework for collaboration that aligns their respective anti-trafficking initiatives across borders. According to HospitalityNet, the partnership focuses on combatting human trafficking through education, industry collaboration, workforce engagement, and survivor support. By uniting the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s charitable arm with its Canadian counterpart, the groups aim to strengthen industry participation.

Kevin Carey, President and CEO of the AHLA Foundation, noted that human trafficking knows no borders, and the industry's response should not either. Lodging Magazine reported that the expansion aims to equip hotel employees with the resources and training necessary to identify and prevent trafficking. Beth McMahon, President and CEO of Hotels Canada, stated that the partnership will create a more coordinated international response by expanding awareness and increasing access to resources.

Who is joining the No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council?

Red Roof Franchising General Counsel Gerrod Bede and Accor Executive Director of Sustainability Marina Elsener are joining the advisory council. HospitalityNet reported that Bede was appointed as Co-Chair of the council. He will serve alongside the current Co-Chair, Joan Bottarini, who is the Chief Financial Officer at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Together, they will guide the direction of the initiative and support collaboration across the hospitality industry.

Bede stated he is honored to be selected as Co-Chair, adding that the hospitality industry has the opportunity to bring awareness to the crime of human trafficking. He noted his anticipation of working alongside the AHLA Foundation, Hotels Canada, and industry leaders across North America to advance this work. Elsener, whose focus at Accor includes the Raffles and Fairmont brands, joins the council to further bolster its leadership ranks.

What is the scale of the organizations involved in this effort?

The combined reach of the two organizations includes tens of thousands of properties and hundreds of thousands of workers across North America. According to HospitalityNet, the American Hotel & Lodging Association is the largest hotel association in America, while Hotels Canada serves as the national voice for the Canadian hotel sector.

The AHLA represents 80 percent of all franchised hotels in the United States. Hotels Canada, originally founded in 1913, advocates for policies supporting a competitive hotel industry and provides research to strengthen business performance.

When is the industry gathering to discuss these initiatives?

The AHLA Foundation will host the fifth annual No Room for Trafficking Summit on July 30, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia. Lodging Magazine noted the announcements regarding the Canadian partnership and council appointments arrived just ahead of this event.

The summit brings together hospitality leaders, survivor advocates, law enforcement officials, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations. HospitalityNet reported that attendees will share best practices, strengthen partnerships, and advance solutions to combat human trafficking. Since the launch of the No Room for Trafficking initiative, the AHLA Foundation has mobilized the industry through survivor-centered programming and partnerships designed to help hotels better recognize, respond to, and prevent human trafficking.