EFFORTS TO EXPAND 300-PERSON CAPACITY FOR MEETINGS UNDERWAY
The Ohio Travel Association and the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association are requesting that hotels, convention centers and other meeting venues be given the same opportunity as other Ohio businesses in determining capacity. Current Ohio Department of Health orders limit meeting capacity to 300 persons regardless of square footage. We are in conversations with the governor's office, and we have sent a joint letter requesting that capacity be determined based on social distancing ability and not an arbitrary number.
We have been reaching out to convention centers, hotels and others who are severely limited by the 300-person capacity to ensure they have safety protocols in place and that they have determined their maximum capacity based on social distancing compliance.
ACTION NEEDED LATER TODAY TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC RELIEF MEASURES
With a complicated political landscape in Washington, including the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the upcoming election, it remains unclear whether a larger, or even small, coronavirus relief bill will happen before Nov. 3.
Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) is expected to file a discharge petition today, a tool that would force a vote on a bill introduced by Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH) which would provide critical small business relief. This includes extending the Payment Protection Program (PPP) to the end of 2020, as well as expanding PPP to destination marketing organizations and allowing for a second draw on PPP for businesses with demonstrable revenue loss.
To move forward, the petition needs 218 signatures. Please respond to OTA’s Action Alert today. There is not a moment to waste, and we must capitalize on this opportunity.
OHIO TRAVEL ECONOMY UNEMPLOYMENT LEADS THE STATE; ONE IN FOUR JOBS LOST
August Ohio Jobs and Family Services data for August indicates that one out of every four Ohio travel economy jobs has been lost over the last year. Overall, the industry is experiencing a 25.11% job loss. Arts, Entertainment and Recreation has lost 25,800 jobs, or 32%, while Accommodations and Food Service is down 116,900 jobs representing 24% of this sector's workforce. This includes 500 jobs within Accommodations and Food Service lost in the last 30 days. The next highest job loss of any other Ohio industry is Mining and Logging with a 17% year-over-year decline.
$10 BILLION IMPACT TO THE TRAVEL ECONOMY TO DATE
Tourism Economics tracking of weekly spending shows that Ohio has lost $10 billion thus far since March. After experiencing less loss (still not a gain year-over-year) over Labor Day weekend, sales have plummeted again, largely due to the inability to secure meetings and corporate business as leisure travel starts to slow. Although part of this is due to demand; much is due to diminished supply as hotels and convention centers are restricted in capacity.
This loss in traveler spending is having a direct impact on local and state tax revenues as well. A loss of $295 million in sales tax receipts is caused by this traveler spending loss, as is $175 in local sales tax receipts.