A new survey conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) finds that more than three-quarters of hotels (76 percent) are experiencing a staffing shortage heading into the summer, a figure that's up from the start of 2024.
Additionally, as many as 13 percent of surveyed hoteliers reported they are severely understaffed, with shortages impacting their ability to operate.
That's despite efforts to increase pay, benefits and perks to recruit and retain employees. The study found that, over the last six months, 86 percent of respondents have increased wages, 52 percent have offered greater flexibility with hours and one-third have expanded benefits.
Still, a whopping 79 percent indicated that they are still unable to fill open positions. Hotels in the U.S. added just 700 jobs this past May.
The biggest need by far is housekeeping, with 50 percent of hotels naming it their top necessity
To address the shortages, AHLA is calling on Congress to take important actions, including expanding and streamlining the legal H-2B guestworker program, which allows employers to hire workers from other countries on temporary work permits to fill nonagricultural jobs that last less than one year.
The organization is also asking lawmakers to pass the Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill that would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 H-2B guestworker visas with a new, needs-based system for allocating visas.
Passing the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act and the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act are also key steps Congress should take to improve U.S. hotels' staffing situation, according to AHLA.
"Strong summer travel demand and a nationwide workforce shortage have combined to create more pay, perks, and upward mobility for current and prospective hotel employees," AHLA Interim President and CEO Kevin Carey said in a statement.
"But hotels need access to more workers to continue creating jobs. AHLA is lobbying Congress and the administration for a variety solutions to grow the workforce, while the AHLA Foundation’s Empowering Youth and Registered Apprenticeship programs continue to give workers the tools and support they need to enter, advance, and succeed in our industry."
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