While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly had an effect on virtually every industry that you can think of, few were impacted quite as much as hospitality and tourism.

According to one recent study, the original 2020 forecast for the sector was $712 billion in revenue. In reality, after the pandemic took hold, that number fell to $447.4 billion. It has been estimated that more than $46 billion in potential revenue was lost by hotels alone due to vacancies at various points.

Now that things have begun to trend towards a “new normal,” it’s important to acknowledge that the industry’s larger issues may not be fully going away. Case in point: according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, hotel employment in particular is currently down more than 250,000 jobs compared to February 2020 levels. The fact that travel is also ticking back upwards creates an issue for professionals everywhere that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Staffing in the Hospitality Industry

At this point, to say that the travel industry is bouncing back is likely a bit of an understatement. According to data compiled by UNWTO, more than 900 million people traveled internationally in 2022. While that is only 63% of 2019 and 2020 levels, it’s still double the number recorded in 2021. Not only that, but we’re expected to see an even greater year in 2023 as well.

Two major factors are contributing to this: the willingness of people to travel outside the United States, and the return of travelers to the US from countries like China. The issue is that while the volume of tourists may be heading upward, so are their overall expectations.

People have more concerns than ever about things like health and safety, for example. They have questions about what you’re doing to keep them safe, even though COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. It’s up to you to provide answers and to go above and beyond to address any other concerns they might have, which can all be difficult when the sector is already down a quarter of a million jobs.

That’s part of the reason why hospitality call center solutions have become so popular in recent memory. They provide agents with state-of-the-art technology to help organizations meet customer expectations, save time, and cut costs. At the very least, they help make sure that customers always have someone to turn to in their time of need, regardless of when that may be and how busy you and your on-site team might be at the time. 

Tyme Global: Remote Staffing Solutions You Can Depend On

At Tyme Global, we understand that making an impact in the hospitality industry requires a forward-thinking, strategic approach to customer service – which is why we’ve dedicated ourselves to providing organizations with the workforce solutions they need.

We take the pressure off your staff by fielding incoming phone calls, emails, texts, and chats. Our agents become a part of your team, an extension of your brand, handling guest services, FAQs, ticket creation, reservations, and more via secure, integrated technology for a frictionless guest experience. If you’re dealing with a staffing shortage, our services can help make sure that your customer service communications are handled. This frees up the valuable time of your front desk employees to focus on essential matters.

If you’d like to find out more information about how remote staffing solutions can help you prepare for increased travel, or if you’d just like to learn more about what Tyme Global can do for you, contact us today.