A report prepared by American hotels association says that while leisure travel is set to exceed the 2019 levels in the current year, business travel recovery, though slower, will reach 99 pc.

A new report prepared jointly by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Kalibri Labs says that the American hotel leisure travel revenue to be 14 pc higher by the end of this year than it was in 2019, with top cities like Orlando, Miami and Phoenix surging ahead of other cities in this recovery. The report goes on to say that besides leisure travel, business travel revenue within the hotel industry is expected to reach 99 pc recovery by the end of this year.

In the report, the analysts say that these numbers were not adjusted for current inflation and that the industry’s full recovery will still likely take a few years, despite these positive predictions. The report points out the uneven rates of recovery in different American cities.

While Miami’s hotel leisure travel revenue is expected to outgrow its pre-pandemic level by 33 pc, whereas San Francisco is projected to remain just under 19 pc of its 2019 revenue. Among the 50 biggest hotel markets in the country, about 80 pc are expected to exceed their pre-pandemic revenue, though that number lowers to 40 pc in the business travel category.

“The hotel industry continues its march toward recovery, but we still have a way to go before we fully get there. That’s why AHLA remains focused on working with members, lawmakers and stakeholders in markets that are rebounding more slowly to ensure the full return of meetings, conferences, and group travel in addition to leisure and business travel. At the same time, we are continuing to grow the industry’s talent pipeline by highlighting the unprecedented career opportunities hotels are offering. Thanks to higher wages, better benefits, and more flexibility and opportunities for advancement, there has never been a better time to work at a hotel,” says AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers.

The report also talks of the severe staff shortage prevailing across the country’s hospitality industry. It says that there are currently 115,000 jobs available in hotels across the nation, with many increasing wages, flexibility and benefits.