Employment data in the hospitality and leisure industry has shown little change during the last three months based on employment data adjusted for seasonal factors, but it’s those seasonal factors that are making a difference for those employed by the event and hospitality industry jobs right now. And in this industry, seasonal employment has a big impact on the those who are employed. And those who are registered as unemployed increased from July:
- Unemployed August 2009: 1,636,000 (12.0%)
- Unemployed July 2009: 1,600,000 (11.2%)
- Unemployed June 2009: 1,680,000 (12.1%)
For those who work in the business events industry, the current unemployment rates need to be viewed in the context of overall employment. When factoring in seasonal employment, year-over-year data for August 2008 vs. August 2009 shows a net loss of 308,000 jobs (not seasonally adjusted), according to the Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Those who are employed in every sector of of the leisure and hospitality industry has suffered job losses during the month of August. Arts, entertainment and recreation lost 54,600 jobs while accommodation and food services lost 20,100.
August 2009 U.S. Employment for Hospitality & Leisure*:
- Accommodation: 1,833,900
- Food services and drinking places: 9,796,600
- Performing arts and spectator sports: 421,900
- Museums, historical sites, zoos and parks: 141,200
- Amusements, gambling and recreation: 1,583,000
*Source: U.S. Department of Labor – Not seasonally adjusted; preliminary data