CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Business travel is down nearly $144 million in revenue nationwide compared to 2019, according to a new report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Kalibri Labs.
While leisure travel in West Virginia remains significant and stable, the hotel industry in the state is still projected to end lower in business travel for 2021.
Richie Heath, executive director of the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, told MetroNews travelers are canceling, reducing and postponing trips amid rising COVID-19 cases.
“I think with the ups and downs of the virus and the various peaks, you see with that what comes a lot of cancellations, sometimes in terms of business events,” he said.
Business travel includes corporate, group, government and other commercial categories.
Hotels are expected to end 2021 down nearly 500,000 jobs nationally compared to 2019. Heath said hotels support jobs in the community, benefits tourism and allows people visiting to contribute to the local economy.
“Typically they’re not just spending money at the hotel. If someone is in town for business for several days, they’re going to be spending money at local restaurants, possibly shops and putting money into the community,” he said.
Heath said many in-person conferences and events are returning, but some have remained virtual.
There’s also a number of out-of-state businesses that are still on travel restrictions, Health said.
“As a result of that, you’ve got companies, businesses, individuals, etc that typically might be traveling to West Virginia on business that still don’t have the authorization to do so because of private protocols that they have,” he said.
Leisure travel is rebounding because most trips are more spur of the moment, Health said.
“A lot of times leisure travel is certainly less planned in advance including same day bookings,” he said. “But it’s hard for your hotel businesses to be able to plan around that.”
The report predicts business travel revenue is not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels until 2024.
The West Virginia Hospitality & Travel Association represents food service, lodging, convention and visitors bureaus and travel industries in the state.