Joshua Bernstein, Co-Chair of Akerman’s Hospitality Sector Team, spoke to Law360 about the drastic impact the hotel business is experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Hotel Lodging Association (AHLA), about four million of hotel employees – 44 percent of the hotel workforce nationwide — are out of a job. Additionally, the AHLA projects job losses in the industry will become more severe in the coming weeks.
"Looking at the hotel occupancy figures and how they've taken a nosedive, I don't think the hotel industry has ever seen such a dramatic decline in occupancy," Bernstein said. "Nobody's traveling right now and some hotels are closing."