A recent report released from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) has provided statistics on the heavy impact that the ongoing coronavirus outbreak has had upon the hotel industry in New York State. Hotels are among the many businesses badly hurt by quarantine mandates and mandatory closure orders issued by government as the country seeks to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jobs Lost in New York Hotel Industry Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
- 49,674 direct hotel-related jobs lost
- 215,734 total jobs lost supporting hotel industry
The hotel industry is facing an abrupt and unprecedented drop in demand that is gaining pace and getting progressively deeper and more severe week by week. AHLA and top hotel CEOs met with President Trump and Congress this week to seek urgent assistance to keep hotels from shuttering, protect millions of employees from losing jobs.
AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers noted that the this is the worst period of time for the hotel industry that he’s ever seen.
“The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we’ve seen before, including September 11th and the great recession of 2008 combined,” he said. “The White House and Congress can take urgent action to protect countless jobs, provide relief to our dedicated and hardworking employees, and ensure that our small business operators and franchise owners – who represent more than half of hotels in the country – can keep their doors open.”
The AHLA also provided excerpts from letters sent from New York hoteliers to Congress, asking for their support as their businesses face hardship and potential permanent closure.
New York Hoteliers Sharing Their Hardship
Jay Stein – New York, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand a 80% reduction on revenues over the last week. We need help from the Government ASAP to keep our hotels from going under and closing. We should receive tax relief at all levels through this crisis. Utility companies should give us extra time to pay without penalties. Lenders should help defer payments without penalties. We cannot make payroll even with tremendous reductions already made with large reductions of employees. Please we need help today!!
Patricia Johnson – Brooklyn, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand…the dire and trying effects this has had financially for 97% of the staff. These are hard working individuals who rely on their paychecks to take care of their families and provide food and shelter for themselves. It is unbelievable to think this is happening to them and there is no help or support.
Enrico Scarda – Port Jefferson Station, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand…a huge hardship in having to close down the iconic Danfords Hotel and Marina in Port Jefferson. In one evening we had to lay off 60 or more employees that we have worked at Danfords (some for 25 years or more). There will be more cuts to make if we are unable to get some cash flow relief in the NEXT TWO WEEKS!!!!!
Kunai Patel – Plainview, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand a decrease in our business by 60-70%. We have had to reduce employees hours drastically and in many cases we do not even have hours to give them. We are trying our best to keep the hotel open until all this settles down however, as this continues to go it will be near impossible.
Tarpan Patel – Rochester, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand the devastation to our employees. Our business has cratered to levels never seen before. Worse than 9/11 and 2008 combined. There is no way to continue staying open. There is no way for us to keep staff on payroll. Yesterday, when I informed staff of the reduced hours or layoffs, the tears were real. The emotions were real. The fright is felt by everybody. All I was able to do was close my complimentary breakfast and we gave all the supplies we had to our staff who had young children. Luckily, we had a decent amount of milk, bread and eggs for a large group that canceled. Most people do not have a tomorrow. They can not wait. Currently, we have people staying in our hotel longterm. Even if we wanted to close in order to reduce our costs, we cant. There is noway I will tell customers who have nowhere to go that they need to leave. I will go bankrupt before I put my community members out on the street. We will keep the lights on as long as possible and service them as best as possible but the end of the rope is already very very near. The impact started in the middle of Feb and we have been paying payroll out of pocket since that point.
Kathryn Muncil – Lake George, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand a pay cut for me and o cut in hours for all other staff in an attempt to at least give all employees partial employment despite having significant revenue losses due to cancellations.
Ellen Varecka – Clinton, NY
As a hotelier in New York I have experienced firsthand…We run the Arbor Inn of Clinton Bed and Breakfast in Clinton, New York. Our Inn is located 1/2 mile from HamiltonCollege. With the closing of the college last week, we have lost our client guest base. We will not have parents here, candidates for faculty positions, speakers or visiting professors. We will lose our guests for graduation for both Hamilton and Colgate. As a small business, we will have no income, but will still have a large mortgage to pay as well as large utility bills. Our housekeepers will not be working and for several of them, this is their only income. Please make sure that small bed and breakfasts are included in any compensation package the government will provide during this crisis.
Jerry Galligan – Lackawanna, NY
We just had to layoff 1700 associates and reduce the hours of 3500 additional associates; this will have a long lasting detrimental impact on the lives of these associates and the economy.
