With vacation planning underway for most of us, hotels and lodging are on our minds. I just stumbled upon some surprising facts about the hotel industry that I found interesting and I thought you might too.
Did you know that almost 1 in 25 American jobs are linked to the hotel industry? Now, that’s a stat that made me sit up and take notice! There’s a mind-boggling 8.3 million people in the industry across the country. That’s as many people that live in the state of Virginia!
And here’s another eye-opener: the hotel industry isn’t just about jobs, it’s about well-paying careers. We’re talking about an average wage of over $23 per hour! This had me thinking about our kids graduating high school, or our young adult children who might be feeling stuck in their current jobs. Could this be the kind of opportunity they’re looking for?
I strongly encourage all of you to dig a bit deeper into this. We’re always looking out for the best for our kids and, actually maybe some of us are even contemplating a career change ourselves!
In 2022 alone, hotel guests splurged over $691 billion on lodging, transportation, food, and more. Plus, hotels directly contributed a whopping $72.4 billion in taxes, helping fund all sorts of public services. This should give you an idea of the scale and potential of this industry, it did me.
On a slightly sober note, the industry did take a hit during the pandemic, losing more than 250,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic times. But the good news? There are now over 100,000 hotel jobs up for grabs across the nation!
If you’re interested, there’s a multi-channel ad campaign called “A Place to Stay” run by the AHLA Foundation. This is aimed at filling these open positions and raising awareness about the 200+ career pathways in the hotel industry. They’re reaching out to people in 20 cities, from the buzzing streets of New York to the sunny beaches of Miami.
So, whether it’s you or someone you know, I’d say it’s worth checking out! Don’t think that the jobs in the hotel industry are just about checking people in at the front desk. There are management, finance, event planning, and even culinary arts opportunities. The possibilities are as varied as the breakfast buffet at a five-star hotel!
I hope this snippet of info lights a spark for someone out there. As the good folks at AHLA say, “there’s never been a better time to build a lifelong hotel career.”
PS: You can find more details about the full report here. Check out AHLA’s websitee too. They’re the biggest hotel association in America and offer a wealth of information about the industry.
