The tourism and hospitality industries face a steep recovery from a crippling pandemic, an industry expert told a forum of San Fernando Valley business people this week.
The industries’ economic recovery remains sluggish, impacted by lingering worker shortages as the Delta variant of the coronavirus keeps people skittish, Wendy Kheel, client manager, Symphony at Tourism Economics said in a discussion hosted by the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday, Sept. 21.
“We interact with a lot of people and there is a fear of contracting the virus,” she said.
Labor shortages are expected to continue as companies struggle to hire and keep workers and that will linger into upcoming months.
“If you’re having trouble hiring, you’re in very good company,” Kheel said. “Everybody is having trouble hiring at this point.”
Women, and particularly women of color, were disproportionately hurt in this pandemic, she added. And they stayed in at home to take care…
