The hospitality industry nationwide is crying out for help, as the normal holiday travel season hits the skids.
New Orleans is no exception.
"We can expect, obviously, a very different holiday season this year," said Mark Romig, Chief Marketing Officer of New Orleans & Company. "We're still down, unfortunately, at least 30,000 jobs from the beginning of this pandemic and our occupancy has been short of 30 percent on an average basis."
Normally this time of year, Romig would be talking about Christmas New Orleans Style and the upcoming R & L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Not this year.
"We need help," said Romig. "We need to insure that these very important mom and pop businesses and other businesses that make up the tourism industry and the other retail segments of our community have the chance to survive."
The American Hotel and Lodging Association says nearly 70 percent the country says they're staying home this Christmas, and of the few that do travel, nearly three-fourths will stay with family or friends. The association is urging Congress to pass another coronavirus pandemic relief bill that would include assistance for their industry.
