Each year, the General Services Administration (GSA) sets a per diem rate to reimburse employees’ lodging expenses for official travel within the continental United States. Normally, GSA calculates per diems based on the average daily rate (ADR) from the previous fiscal year, less five percent.
However, as a result of pandemic-related shutdowns, capacity restrictions, and safety precautions, calculating per diem rates in this manner would have led to an artificially low rate that would have only exacerbated the economic crises facing hoteliers.
We are pleased to report that the GSA recently announced it will freeze FY2022 federal per diem rates for government travel at FY2021 levels, which are based on pre-COVID-19 rates.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) led efforts toward this result, with strong backing from Texas hoteliers who bolstered its message to the GSA. Freezing per diem rates at pre-pandemic levels is tremendously helpful as we continue our efforts toward recovery as an industry.
Look up your city’s rates on the GSA site here.
Thank you to all THLA members who submitted your concerns to the GSA this summer. Your efforts made a great difference!