A location’s lodging or meal rate may be set to the “Other” rate for the state or territory if there are no surveyable hotels or restaurants in the location.
The “Other” lodging rate is often applied to a location because there are no hotels approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The DTMO can only use price data from FEMA-approved hotels to set a lodging rate. See the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 and the FEMA website for more information.
The traveler’s authorizing official may authorize actual expense allowance if the actual lodging costs are higher than the lodging rate. Components may request a rate review if the if the lodging rate in the location should be changed. See Per Diem information to learn more.