After seeing better than expected tourism and hospitality numbers last month, the city could see more of them still to come, as Carnival season is in full force along with the return of the Final Four, Jazzfest, and French Quarter Fest. It’s great to see the people flocking to New Orleans, but the influx of tourism does have its challenges - Walt Leger of New Orleans & Co. told me that the city is still trying to regain the many hospitality workers it lost from the pandemic.
It seems like there's this pent-up demand - people are ready to go to concerts, go on vacation, visit friends and family.
I think we're seeing it in almost every facet of life at this point. There's so much more energy, even when people are just getting together for meetings. Of course people will be gathering for big cultural celebrations like Mardi Gras balls and other things… people have been desperate to reconnect with their fellow citizens for so long. We deserve it, too! The people of our region and our city have been asked to do a lot of things, and our community has responded well. The opportunity to come together and celebrate has been well earned.
Where is New Orleans as it relates to jobs in the hospitality industry?
Still down about 25,000 jobs in the hospitality sector, but employment is improving well. Employers have more jobs to offer and people are taking them up on those offers, but there continues to be a gap.
Where did all the workers go?
People shifted into other sectors. They were working in hospitality before the pandemic, and the extended uncertainty of that market forced them to other job markets… I think the full expectation is that the market is going to sort itself out. We know that wages have improved and increased in the hospitality sector, and really in most sectors, all because of the demand. The job market has always had a way of working these things out.
We’re approaching the busier seasons with Mardi Gras, the Final Four in April, Crescent City Classic, the HBCU All-Star Game, French Quarter Fest, and Jazz Fest. With all these major events, the city is going to get busier and the demand will be much higher for workers.
