Around New England

Hotel Jobs Slashed in Massachusetts Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

March 20, 2020

Hotels in Massachusetts are not doing well amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the hotel industry alone, Massachusetts has already lost more than 17,000 jobs, as WGBH reports.

Additionally, more than 66,000 jobs that support hotels have been eliminated. Across the country, there could be about four million jobs cut in the hotel industry as a result of this pandemic, the American Hotel and Lodging Association estimates.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker took one relief measure earlier this week for small hospitality businesses and restaurants. Hospitality businesses that made less than paid less than $150,000 in taxes in 2019 will be exempt from sales, meals, and room occupancy taxes in March, April, and May 2020.

Many coronavirus cases in Massachusetts can be traced back to a conference which occurred at the Marriott Long Wharf hotel in Boston in February; that hotel is now closed for the time being, according to CBS Boston.