A U.S. Travel Association report uncovered some bleak job figures, prompting the American travel industry to reinvigorate its pleas for Washington to renegotiate and finalize another pandemic-related relief package.
The report noted that "40 percent of excess U.S. unemployment is in the leisure and hospitality [L&H] sector, despite that sector accounting for 11 percent of all pre-pandemic employment in the U.S."
The report also found that "nearly half of the 16.9 million jobs in the L&H sector were wiped out in March and April," and despite "some jobs being slowly restored with the onset of the spring and summer travel seasons, more than a quarter of all L&H workers remain unemployed - double the next most hard-hit industry."
"If the primary point of aid from Washington is to help U.S. employers and working Americans, then by every objective measure the American travel and tourism industry ought to be right at the top of the priority list," said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. "Substantial portions of the travel sector missed out on earlier rounds of relief, and if the next deal doesn't get done, the acute pain being felt by travel workers is going to extend through and well after the election.
He added, "We are pleading with congressional and administration leaders to return to the negotiating table and pass the relief enhancements that are going to help protect millions of jobs in each and every state and congressional district in every corner of the country."
In particular, the travel industry is calling for the enhancement and expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program.
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