Visit California Recovery Research Dashboard December 2022

-"The mission of the California Lodging Industry Association is to promote, protect and advance the interests of lodging owners and their management teams statewide, and to provide a network of resources to support member efficiency, profitability and professionalism.”-

January 25, 2023

Recovery Research Dashboard - December 2022

Summary compilation of statistics from a variety of Visit California and third-party data sets. The data are updated monthly and provide insight on the status of recovery across key indicators. A monthly highlights section provides an analyses of the state of travel recovery for California.

Visit California has incorporated new data sources and insights, including:

Group Occupancy (Source: STR, Inc.): Group occupancy for top meeting and events markets in California and the U.S.
International Consumer Sentiment (Source: YouGov): Overall and country-level sentiment around COVID-19 and international leisure travel.
Share of International Arrivals (Source: NTTO/CIC Research): Overall and country-level share of arrivals based on First Intended Add

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS

Public Health Indicators

The public health situation was more stable post-holidays as flu and RSV cases declined in recent weeks.
Weekly new COVID cases diagnosed in California nearly doubled from November to December but remain low relative to prior waves. Comparisons to past waves of cases is challenging due to home testing and non-reported cases.
Average weekly deaths for the month increased by 58%, but at 239 per week remained well below the 453 average deaths in December 2021 when Omicron began circulating.
In California, 73% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated (primary series) against COVID-19 (vs. 69% U.S.).

Lodging/Airline Indicators

Weekly occupancy rates in December for the state ranged from 49% (WE 12/24) to 64% (WE 12/10). Seasonal variations are not uncommon in December however the week of 12/24 was particularly soft, down 21% from the comparable week pre-pandemic.
Weekly ADRs for the state remained above pre-pandemic rates for the month peaking at +22% WE 12/17.
December saw a weekly average of 14.7 million passengers passing through national TSA checkpoints, down 8% from pre-pandemic traffic levels. The New Year holiday week saw 15.2M passengers screened, down only 1% from pre-pandemic.

A Timely Initiative: AHLA to Work With Congress to Drive Bipartisan Workforce and Immigration Solutions

By Chirag Shah

Americans hurt when the economy can’t grow. And right now, businesses, communities, and families stand by the wayside awaiting real, impactful change while our economy suffers, and inflation rises. We at AHLA—along with most Americans—see an opportunity to grow the U.S. economy by addressing the labor shortage and expanding workforce opportunities for immigrants. There are more than 105,000 hotel jobs currently open across the United States and more than 1.6 million jobs waiting to be filled in the leisure and hospitality sector more broadly.

These workforce woes are an ongoing repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic and a need that continues to be left unmet. And unfortunately, while we know that workers are the backbone of the hotel and lodging industry, an impactful change is needed after decades of inaction in Washington.

Effective methods of waste management in the hotel industry and why it’s important

by Erich Lawson

eHotelier.com

The hospitality industry is a major contributor to the global economy and has an important role to play in reducing the environmental impact of waste production. Managing waste effectively is essential for hotels to stay competitive while meeting regulatory requirements. By focusing on the responsible management of resources, hotels can reduce their environmental footprint and benefit from cost savings. This article will outline effective waste management methods in the hotel industry and why it is important to prioritize these practices.