Nearly four million US hotel jobs could disappear in a matter of weeks due to the slump in travel demand.
According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) that is nearly 50% of all hotel jobs across the country
"In certain affected markets, including Seattle, San Francisco, Austin and Boston, hotel occupancy rates are already down below 20 percent," the AHLA said.
"The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we’ve seen before, including September 11th and the great recession of 2008 combined," Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO said.
The number includes jobs which have already been cut.
AHLA bases it on an expected 30% decline in hotel occupancy rates, which will cause a $300 billion hit to GDP.
It says California will be hit hardest with over 125,000 hotel jobs lost and an additional 400,000 indirect jobs impacted.
"The losses for the travel industry alone are projected to double the unemployment rate over the next two months and plunge the country into recession. Small businesses, which make up 83% of travel businesses, need relief right now," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association.
Marriott has already started furloughing tens of thousands of hotel employees in the US and globally.
