New per diem guidelines were announced 16 August by the US General Services Administration (GSA) governing reimbursement for federal employees’ lodging and meals expenses for official government travel. They include a $9 increase to the continental United States (CONUS) lodging rate as well as large increases in rates in many non-standard areas (NSAs).
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) president & CEO Chip Rogers (pictured) reacted to the changes in the rates, noting the announcement had come after months of hard work by the AHLA lobbying the administration on behalf of hoteliers nationwide.
He described the $9 CONUS update as “a positive step” for many hoteliers across the country, as government travel supports billions in travel spending, and many private-sector organisations also base travel reimbursements on federal per diem rates.
“We thank GSA for working to ensure hotels are fairly compensated for the excellent services they provide government travellers year in and year out. We will continue to work with GSA and advocate for lodging and meal rate increases that reflect market conditions,” Rogers added.
Typically, GSA calculates per diems based on the average daily rate (ADR) from a trailing 12-month period, less five percent.
The FY2024 CONUS per diem rate is $166, which includes $107 for lodging (increased from $98) and $59 for meals (unchanged). The FY2024 rates are currently available on the GSA website.
