Who We Are
The Hotel Association of Washington, D.C. (HAWDC) was established in 1906 as a non-profit trade association representing the interests of over 95 member hotels in the District of Columbia on a variety of governmental and public affairs issues.
Through our robust efforts in member services, government affairs, legislative affairs, community affairs, workforce development initiatives, labor relations, and communications, HAWDC executes the collective will of the hotel industry in the District of Columbia.
By the Numbers
HAWDC member hotels range in size from 27 rooms to 1,100 rooms and are located across our entire historic city. Travelers to D.C. generate over $630 million dollars in tax revenue each year, and the travel and tourism industry in our city generates $7.1 billion dollars annually. Hotels in D.C. alone employ over 17,000 employees generating over $760 million dollars in employee wages. HAWDC member hotels contribute more than $273 million in tax collections to our city annually.
Legislative & Regulatory Advocacy
HAWDC tirelessly works to develop legislative policies that enhance our members’ ability to operate effectively in the District of Columbia. From taxicab modernization to tax initiatives, HAWDC leads the way for our industry in developing lasting solutions to address key issues.
HAWDC continuously works to inform the legislative and regulatory processes to prevent or mitigate the impact of legislation that would negatively impact our industry. HAWDC consistently expresses the negative impact that legislation seeking to fundamentally alter the employer-employee relationship (i.e. , wages, scheduling, leave policies, etc.) in the District of Columbia would have on our city’s largest private employer — hotels.
How We Serve Our Members
Through well established and continuous development of strong relationships with decision makers in the District of Columbia, including the Mayor and District Council, HAWDC represents the interests of its member hotels. HAWDC seeks to consistently inform decision-makers about the monetary, social, and employment contributions of our industry to our city.
Community Service
As our city’s largest private-sector employer HAWDC seeks to contribute to our city’s social fabric in a meaningful way. Through our efforts in hospitality education, workforce development, and community engagement, HAWDC is positioned to be a part of the solution to our city’s most pressing issues.
Whether it’s contributing to the development of hospitality training initiatives or providing hundreds of meals to deserving families for Thanksgiving, HAWDC partners with our community to make our city a better place to work, live and visit!
By awarding over $35,000 in college scholarship funds annually to students in Hospitality Academies across our city we constantly work to expose the next generation of industry leaders to our dynamic industry.