According to the analysis, American hotels support approximately 8.3 million jobs (1 in every 25 jobs in the USA). Total business sales supported by hotels increased to $1.5 trillion in 2022, representing a 29.9% gain compared to 2021, and 7.6% above pre-pandemic levels (2019).
• Employment at hotels is still 15.9% below pre-pandemic levels (2019), though aggregate wages and salaries at hotels recovered to approximately level with 2019 levels, representing an increase of 21.7% per job.
GLOThe American Hotel & Lodging Association and Oxford Economics have released research findings that highlight the significant economic impact of the hotel industry.
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According to the analysis, American hotels support approximately 8.3 million jobs, which accounts for nearly one in every 25 jobs in the United States. The study provides a detailed breakdown of how the hotel industry contributes to communities across the country, including data for each state and congressional district. The results for 2022 alone are as follows:
- Hotel guests spent over $691 billion on various expenses such as lodging, transportation, food and beverage, retail, and others.
- For every $100 spent on lodging, hotel guests spent an additional $220 during their trip.
- Hotels paid employees more than $104 billion in wages, salaries, and other compensation, contributing to a total of $463 billion in wages, salaries, and other compensation.
- Hotels directly generated $72.4 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue and supported nearly $211.2 billion in total federal, state, and local tax revenue.
This hotel-related economic activity has created unprecedented career opportunities for both current and prospective hotel employees. As of March, national average hotel wages exceeded $23 per hour, which is one of the highest rates ever recorded. Since the pandemic, average hotel wages have been increasing at a faster pace compared to the overall economy. Additionally, hotels now offer better benefits and flexibility.
However, despite the positive impact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that hotel employment has declined by over 250,000 jobs since February 2020. Hotels are actively seeking to fill these job vacancies, with more than 100,000 open positions available nationwide. To address this and raise awareness of the diverse career pathways within the hotel industry, the AHLA Foundation has launched the “A Place to Stay” multi-channel advertising campaign. This campaign is currently active in 20 cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit, Washington, Seattle, and Boston. For more information about the campaign, you can visit thehotelindustry.com.
