The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) has issued a statement expressing support for Indian American hoteliers in response to remarks made by Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin regarding Indian Americans in the state.
Carol Dover, President & CEO of FRLA, stated: “Recent comments targeting Indian Americans do not reflect the values of our industry or our state. Indian American hoteliers are not only part of Florida’s hospitality story – they are vital to its success, owning and operating nearly 65% of all Florida hotels. Their investment, hard work, and leadership support nearly 460,000 jobs and strengthen communities across our state. We stand united in celebrating their contributions and in rejecting division. Florida’s future is built on respect, opportunity, and shared prosperity.”
FRLA serves as a leading non-profit trade association for the hospitality sector in Florida. The organization was established in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association before merging with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. Today it represents more than 10,000 members from independent businesses to major franchises.
The association works to protect, educate, and promote an industry that generates close to $112 billion annually and supports almost two million jobs statewide. Its activities include legislative advocacy on behalf of members’ interests, providing regulatory compliance resources such as food safety training through Safe Staff and RCS Training subsidiaries, as well as offering high school career programs via its Educational Foundation.
