NATIONAL HOTEL EMPLOYEE DAY | September 1
September 1 we celebrate National Hotel Employee Day and honor nearly 2 million employees who work in the industry.
#HotelEmployeeDay
Across the United States, hotel employees play a key role in some of Americans’ most important life events. Whether they’re helping facilitate family reunions, preparing for wedding receptions, or assisting guests with vacation activities, hotel employees are the backbone of any hotel stay. In addition, they keep guests safe, give back to their communities and are critical to making our nation’s nearly $2 trillion travel and tourism industry run smoothly.
The hotel industry is a vibrant, innovative, and dynamic business. The success of each hotel depends upon the hardworking employees who staff the property on a daily basis. Each employee, including those who work behind the scenes, plays an important role in everyday operations.
Hotel Employee Facts
- There are nearly 2 million hotel employees in America.
- The hotel industry offers employees more than 200 different career paths.
- More than 50% of hotel general managers got their start in an entry level position.
- On average, entry level hotel workers receive a raise within 9-12 months of being hired.
- About 80% of entry level hotel workers are eligible for a promotion in less than one year of being hired.
Hotel Operations
What makes a hotel property successful? A successful hotel depends on the day-to-day activity of each employee. Providing guests the best experience possible requires a partnership among every section, department, and employee in the hotel. In fact, hotel employees typically work in one or more of nine major areas:
- Lobby and guest services
- Food and beverage
- Recreation and events
- Rooms
- Security
- Engineering and maintenance
- Sales and marketing
- Accounting
- Human Resources
Book It
There are many different types of hotels and a variety of factors to consider before booking a stay, including location, amenities as well as reviews and recommendations. Technology has transformed the way guests book their hotel rooms. Today, hotel bookings make up 15 percent of all U.S. ecommerce, with some 500 online bookings happening every minute. Here are some consumer tips when booking hotels online:
- Look before you book. Take time to verify the hotel’s booking site by checking the URL address. It’s important to know you are giving your personal information to the right hotel. Although the hotel name may be part of the URL, double check the website address to ensure it’s not a third-party vendor using a hotel’s identity without permission.
- Take advantage of loyalty programs. Sign up for loyalty programs at your favorite hotels. Loyalty programs are free and offer a host of benefits. Remember to always book directly with the hotel to ensure you’re getting your points.
- Ask the right questions. Before providing your credit card information, check the following:
- What is the cancellation/trip change policy?
- Is it a secure payment site? The URL should have a small lock and start with https://, and not http://.
- Is the site, in any way, affiliated with the hotel?
- Book directly with the hotel or a trusted travel agent. This helps ensure you get what you want and need from your reservation and provides the better value.
SHOW EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION
- Thank a hotel employee in person
- Leave a good review about your hotel stay online
- Create a bucket list of must-stay hotels and visit those places
- Tag and post #HotelEmployeeDay when you share photos of your hotel stay on social media
ABOUT NATIONAL HOTEL EMPLOYEE DAY
In 2022, The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and National Day Calendar decided to celebrate National Hotel Employee Day each year on September 1. The day is meant to thank hotel employees for their hard work and dedication and recognize the integral role they play in our nation’s travel, tourism, and hotel industries.
For more than 100 years, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has been the representative and advocate for the U.S. lodging industry and its employees. AHLA is the only national association representing all segments of the hotel industry, including major chains, independent hotels, management companies, REITs, bed and breakfasts, industry partners and more. In addition to representing most U.S. hotel properties, AHLA represents the millions of employees who make them run, including:
- Team members who work in both front and back of the house roles
- General managers
- Owners
- CEOs
- Corporate staff
For more information, contact media@ahla.com.