Traveling and Hotels are thriving industries with plenty of opportunities for people with diverse skills and qualifications. The industry offers a wide range of careers, including jobs in inns, restaurants, events, attractions, and travel agencies, to name just a few. Many colleges offer programs focusing on Hospitality, Leisure, Recreation, and Tourism that allow students to gain practical experience and make connections before graduation.
AHLA supports policies that help promote domestic and international travel, such as temporary travel and payroll tax credits and funding for travel promotion. Travel and tourism contributes $2.6 billion a day to the U.S. economy, creating jobs at a rate of $108.1 million an hour, and generating more than $157 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. 1 in 9 American jobs is supported by travel and tourism.
A shift away from Instagrammable destinations that have become tired and cookie-cutter after the initial surge in popularity has led to a rise in travel experiences, as well as a general interest in meaningful vacations. Private rental sites like Vrbo and Airbnb are seeing increased interest, as is camping, as travelers seek unique lodging options. Meanwhile, the post-pandemic desire to gather friends and family for a shared experience continues to drive interest in group trips with varying lengths and price ranges—from three-generation families rekindling lifelong friendships at a remote campsite in Idaho to 50-something empty-nesters savoring their final summer together with a trip to Tuscany.
In the hotel sector, loyalty program members are increasingly interested in using their points for more than room stays. This has spurred a rise in branded experiential travel, with hotels offering everything from tee times to spa treatments to sports tickets to fans staying at their properties. Wyndham, for example, recently allowed its loyalty program members to use their points to purchase Minor League Baseball tickets and Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with the U.S. Soccer Federation to offer fan experiences at select events.
When it comes to choosing the best hotel search engine, you’ll want to consider the user interface and whether it shows prices without fees or add-ons. Kayak, which was ranked number one in our recent review of the best booking websites, does both by showing total price upfront and by filtering results by star category, facilities, and amenities. Trivago, which was ranked number nine, improved its interface but remained frustrating to use due to its lack of granular filters and its refusal to include resort and parking fees in the displayed price. If you’re savvy enough, you can avoid this by shopping with a virtual private network (VPN) and selecting a server in Ireland, where European regulations require that all charges be clearly disclosed. A clear browser’s cookies will also help you see the full picture. In our tests, this strategy shaved more than 10 percent off the total cost of a reservation. In fact, it was the only way we were able to see all available rooms at some hotels.