Reviewing AHLA's State of the Hotel Industry Report

Reviewing AHLA's State of the Hotel Industry Report. 56% Expect to Travel for Leisure; Business Travel Not Expected to Return Until 2024; Consumer Comfort with Travel Linked to Vaccine Distribution. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) released "AHLA's State of the Hotel Industry 2021" outlining the forecasted state of the hotel industry in 2021 and into the immediate future. The report examines the high-level economics of the hotel industry's recovery, the specific impact on and eventual return of business travel, and consumer travel sentiments. The pandemic has been devastating to the hospitality industry workforce, which is down nearly 4 million jobs compared to the same time in 2019. While some 200,000 jobs are expected to be filled this year, overall, the accommodations sector faces an 18.9% unemployment rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, half of U.S. hotel rooms are projected to remain empty in 2021.