The leading association for IAAPA that keeps track for the themed entertainment industry globally has released a new case study for how the pandemic has impacted the United States attractions industry in terms of the workforce. The latest research showed a big impact towards the sector for ten of thousands jobs lost in the entire workforce. Specially for this type of industry in the country has loss five times larger than being averaged loss versus other industries.
IAAPA historian and market research professional, Jim Futrell for his role shared a in-depth report for how the sector is in need of political officials and policymakers who can help the industry safely reopen up with the right health and safety protocols.
“Just as amusement parks and arcades, historical sites, zoos and other attractions were ramping up seasonal hiring last year, the economy shut down,” says John Hallenbeck, vice president, North America, IAAPA. “That meant a sudden and immediate drop in employment. It’s imperative to the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Americans that state and local governments continue to push for the safe reopening of attractions facilities as soon as possible.”
The US Census Bureau of Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics (CES) and Census of Employment and Wages (CEW) programmes found some pretty stunning data gathered from this certain study.
As of being recent as the data showed “employees from member industries, such as amusement and theme parks, arcades, historical sites, museums, zoos and aquariums, nature parks and other similar institutions, saw their wages fall by nearly $1.1 billion when comparing the second quarter of 2020 to the same period in 2019.”
“Amusement and theme park employees were some of those hit hardest, accounting for 70% of this drop.”
In comparison for states across the United States as their was differences regionally. Florida for one had a swift recovery because they opened up their facilities quicker unlike other states for California, Massachusetts, Illinois and New York, which have mainly kept attractions closed. Mainly a lot big attractions are based in Florida and California as where the industry for employment in California last summer showed a drop off of 60% over the previous year through October. Florida on the otherhand, was less for it’s drop off at around 30% after a partial reopening in July 2020.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization and the World Tourism and Travel Council have been referenced globally for the guidelines in working with leading medical professionals and attractions leadership globally. IAAPA did a previous update that was published last July and can read about it here.
“COVID-19 has devastated our industry. IAAPA estimates the effects of the pandemic will have cost $23 billion in economic losses in 2020 alone,” says Hallenbeck. “On behalf of our industry and the thousands of people who rely upon it, I strongly urge Congress to pass additional relief legislation that includes attractions industry-specific support.”
Hallenbeck further contiuned:
“Safety has always been the attractions industry’s number-one priority. That will never change. Parks and attractions are ready to reopen responsibly and can do so with guidance and regional support.”
Over 125,000 employees have lost their jobs in the United States between March-May 2020 for these sectors. June 2020 increased with 165,000 jobs lost and the rest of the industry saw wages declined by a combination of $1.1 billion USD.
You can read the fully study here released by IAAPA.
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Source: Blooloop
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