Hotel giant Marriott is shrinking its HQ workforce by hundreds due to the collapse in travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is laying off more than 600 employees at its Bethesda, Md, headquarters starting from next month.
Marriott has about 4,000 workers at its headquarters.
The company already announced a major workforce reduction before the summer with buyouts offered to both hotel and non-hotel staff, and many more on reduced hours until October.
The Covid-19 pandemic is having a ‘more severe and sustained’ financial impact on its business than 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis combined, Marriott said in May.
A total of 673 workers will go starting from 23 October, it said.
The Covid-19 crisis and downsizing does not impact its planned move to a new HQ in downtown Bethesda, said Marriott spokesperson Connie Kim.
Marriott’s second quarter earnings were its worst ever with revenues down 72% from the previous year, resulting in a net loss of $234 million.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US editor
