【World Property Journal】Tourism, Hospitality Sectors in U.S. Take a Significant Hit from COVID-19

Based on new research by WalletHub, the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on many of America's "non-essential" industries. That includes tourism, as countless attractions have closed down, from commercial hotspots like Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Times Square in New York City, or natural wonders like Grand Canyon National Park. Even if tourist spots were open, though, they wouldn't see much business, as Americans are either encouraged or mandated to practice social distancing and stay at home.

WalletHub's Adam McCann reports as tourism suffers, workers will bear the brunt of the difficulty. According to data from the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics, there could be as many as 5.9 million jobs lost due to declining travel by the end of April. However, the stimulus package signed by President Trump may provide some aid to the industry in the form of business loans, tax relief and other financial support.

Some states have taken more of a blow to their travel industries during the COVID-19 crisis than others. In order to find out which states have been hit the hardest, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 10 key metrics. Their data sets range from the share of businesses in travel and tourism-related industries to travel spending per travel employee and presence of stay-at-home orders.
 

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