Preparing the Hospitality and Tourism Workforce for the Future of Work

The economic restructuring necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic has ignited a fundamental transformation of the US workforce driven by powerful digital technologies. No sector has been hit harder than the hospitality and tourism industry (H&T), and no industry has more to gain from reinvention. H&T employs about 32% of the US labor force; however, workers’ wages, benefits, and career support are among the lowest of all industries. Moreover, research shows that numerous jobs in H&T are susceptible to automation due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). The fears related to job loss resulting from applying advanced technology, such as AI, are rising, and the H&T workforce requires significantly higher levels of research support to advance the workers’ skills and careers