WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) released a survey that found 71 percent of hotels won’t survive the next six months without government assistance. AHLA conducted the survey of hotel industry owners, operators and employees from Nov. 10 to 13, yielding more than 1,200 respondents. Thirty four percent of owners say they may have to close in the next three months due to low vacancy rates, and 77 percent of survey respondents said they would need to lay off more employees without financial relief.
Due to a resurgence in coronavirus cases nationwide, public health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging Americans to not travel for the upcoming holiday season. According to a separate AHLA survey, 72 percent of respondents don’t plan to travel over Thanksgiving week.
“With a significant drop in travel demand and seven in 10 Americans not expected to travel over the holidays, hotels will face a difficult winter,” says Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. “We need Congress to prioritize the industries and employees most affected by the crisis. A relief bill would be a critical lifeline for our industry to help us retain and rehire the people who power our industry, our communities and our economy.”