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News Release
COVID-19 impact on Florida's hotel industry
JOBS LOST IN FLORIDA HOTEL INDUSTRY DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
88,631 direct hotel-related jobs lost
305,146 total jobs lost supporting hotel industry
FLORIDA HOTELIERS SHARING THEIR HARDSHIP
Cheryl Grantham – West Palm Beach, FL
“We have experienced firsthand numerous cancellations each day as travelers find Spring Training events suspended, Boat Show postponements, etc., and many leisure travelers are afraid to travel and anticipate restaurants, shops, etc. will be closed”
Ali Collins – Saint Petersburg, FL
“In Florida I have experienced firsthand a 20% cut in my pay through at least June.”
Frank Sorrentino – Casselberry, FL
“As a hotelier in Florida I have experienced firsthand several times during my 25 years in the hospitality industry. These times of uncertainty are very stressful to all hotel associates from GM, to our hourly associates working paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet.”
Sebastian Hansen – Saint Petersburg, FL
“We have had to lay off half of our staff in order to stay afloat. This situation is devastating for our hotel and the industry. We are down over a million dollars in revenue for the current month.”
Akbhar Solanki – Saint Petersburg, FL
“The sudden decline in occupancy and revenue for my hotel. Furloughs and layoffs of our associates. We need some assistance.”
HEADLINES ACROSS FLORIDA ON IMPACT TO HOTEL INDUSTRY
124 news stories in Florida regarding impact to hotel industry on broadcast, print and online news outlets including:
Orlando Business Journal – Coronavirus: Local Hotels Struggle To Fill Guest Rooms In March
“Central Florida, which has more than 520 hotels with a total of roughly 130,000 guest rooms, saw a dramatic drop in business for the first two weeks of the month. During that same period, Orlando witnessed a loss of more than $350 million in economic impact and 100,000-plus attendees from conventions that canceled or rescheduled due to the virus.”
WKMG – Coronavirus Could Cause Major Job Loss In Florida’s Largest Industries, Small Businesses
“Hotels and theme parks are already feeling those effects, as all of the major Orlando theme parks and their associated hotels and restaurants close their doors. Hourly and non-essential employees have had their shifts cut drastically, with many left to wonder when their next paycheck would be arriving.”
Bradenton Herald – A Cruel Paradox: Beating Virus Means Causing US Recession
“Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, noted that hotels last year were, on average, roughly 67% full.Now? “We’re probably under 20% nationwide and headed south," he said. "If, by the end of the year, we get up to 35% and nothing else happens, that will be about 4 million jobs lost.””
Miami Herald – ‘Devastated’ Travel Industry Pleads For Hundreds Of Billions In Coronavirus Relief
“Travel industry executives visited the White House on Tuesday with a dire warning on the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic: half of all hotels in the United States could close by year’s end and put 4 million Americans out of work without a massive bailout from Washington.”
