“The Olympic Wage ordinance threatens the existence of small businesses like ours,” said Gregory Plummer, Alliance member and CEO and managing partner of Concord Collective. “This isn’t just a challenge for employers—it’s a risk to the jobs of the workers this ordinance is meant to help.”

The Los Angeles tourism industry already pays among the highest wages in the country and economic analyses estimate the ordinance could result in nearly 15,000 job losses, the Alliance said in a statement. Combined with reduced travel demand, the ordinance puts the tourism sector at risk.

Mark Beccaria, partner at Hotel Angeleno in West Los Angeles, said hotels support both tourism and local workers and their families.

“These new regulations will force many of us to fight to keep our businesses alive, putting thousands of jobs and livelihoods in jeopardy,” he said. “My hotel is a family-owned business. We have been an economic driver for the community. Our hope is to keep our doors open and survive this challenge for the next generation.”

Los Angeles residents want a chance to weigh in on the wage ordinance, said Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

“The travel and hospitality industry in Los Angeles is still recovering after being decimated by challenges and emergencies,” Maietta said. “We call on the county to respect the democratic process and swiftly and transparently count our signatures and certify the referendum.”

Poll: Job losses loom

A poll by the Center for Union Facts, conducted June 17 to 22 among 507 registered voters in Los Angeles County, found that 54 percent believe the $30 minimum wage will lead to job losses in the hotel industry, including 55 percent of voters in union households. In total, 91 percent said the increase would raise lodging costs for consumers. Respondents also said the policy could affect the city’s ability to attract tourism during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Despite repeated efforts, the city ignored the voices of small businesses who shared, again and again, their struggles to survive in a post-pandemic economy,” said Maria Salinas, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. “I join small businesses united in protecting jobs and the tourism economy that supports more than half a million jobs throughout the city.”

Alec Mesropian, advocacy manager for BizFed, said thousands of Angelenos have warned the wage hike will force small businesses to close, cost up to 15,000 jobs and cut $169 million in tax revenue—yet those concerns have been ignored.

“We’re not against fair pay, but pushing a nearly 60 percent increase without a sustainable plan puts livelihoods, businesses and L.A.’s tourism economy at risk,” he said. “That’s why we’re standing up for workers, employers and the guests who depend on a stable tourism industry.”

“Angelenos deserve a say on policies that could jeopardize jobs, the economy and the city’s ability to deliver services,” said Nella McOsker, president and CEO of the Central City Association. “Amid a budget crisis and declining hotel and sales tax collections, now is not the time to weaken revenue sources or an industry that employs tens of thousands.”

“The tourism wage is economic self-destruction—closing businesses, killing 15,000 jobs and cutting $169 million in tax revenue at a time when the city is struggling to keep streetlights on,” said Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association. “If the city wants to cause a financial meltdown, the least it can do is let taxpayers vote.”

In May, the L.A. City Council approved a wage ordinance requiring hotels with more than 60 rooms and LAX businesses to pay $30 an hour by 2028, despite concerns over declining international travel. AHLA urged the council to veto the measure, warning it could affect the city’s tourism.

Located in Kegalle district in Sabaragamuwa Province, roughly 120km from Colombo, Rambukkana is a quiet agricultural town. Here, the recently-restored Jetwing Wahawa Walauwa is a luxurious all-suite boutique villa dating back to the 1870s. Carefully restored by PW architects, headed by Phillip Weeraratne and architect Lakmith Fernando, who took this on as a personal project, the two-storey property features just six rooms (four grand suites and two junior suites) filled with curated furniture, art and old Sri Lankan flags. ‘Walauwa’ means large house and was earlier used in reference to homes of local aristocracy. The seven-acre property is set amidst plantations of spices like cardamom and cinnamon and fruits like mango and rambutan. Each suite is expansive with a four-poster bed, hand-carved wood furniture and a separate living, bedroom, and bathroom space with a bathtub. A dedicated personal butler is on hand throughout your stay. All meals are served at the large open-style dining hall that overlooks the pool with some alfresco seating as well. Meals are à la carte, and you can choose from a menu that offers an interesting mix of Sri Lankan local fare like the banana leaf wrapped fish, local organically grown rice, and hot butter coconut, a creamy coconut rice and sweet potato sambal, as well as international cuisine. Bird watchers have lots to look forward to, as endemic birds like Layard’s Parakeet and the Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot can be found on the premises. There are temples and the Balana Fort in the vicinity. If you can take the short train ride from Rambukkana to Kadugannawa, you can see Bible Rock (Bathalegala) and the picturesque valley below. Doubles from Rs25,000. – Bindu Gopal Rao

NÜWA, Colombo

The first South Asian outpost of Melco Resorts’ flagship luxury brand, NÜWA has opened alongside Cinnamon Life inside Colombo’s new City of Dreams development, part of the joint venture with John Keells Holdings. This is a more intimate alternative to its glitzier sister property right next door which is a whopping 687-key property. NÜWA on the other hand, comes with 113 keys ranging from Oceanfront and Cityscape Deluxe Rooms to the exclusive Presidential and Dragon Suites. While restrained by Colombo standards, every space at the hotel is finished with a kind of relaxed opulence: clean-lined interiors, Italian amenities by La Bottega, and sweeping views of the Indian Ocean or the skyline. The dining is equally precise. The Crystal Lounge serves a gourmet Western menu and smartly assembled cocktails in a mood-lit space. The Vault is a private lounge with a darker, clubbier aesthetic, while the Pool Bar, breezier and more sociable, plays live jazz and serves signature drinks. For all its luxury, NÜWA doesn’t feel sealed off. Its scale makes it extremely navigable and guests still have full access to the larger City of Dreams complex. Doubles from Rs16,315. – Zara Flavia Dmello

*Prices are dynamic and subject to change

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Published on
August 9, 2025 |