These States Have Been Hardest Hit by COVID-19's Impact on Tourism

Apr 15, 2020

WalletHub has released its report on states hit hardest by COVID-19’s impact on tourism. The personal finance website compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia using 10 metrics, including GDP generated by travel and tourism.

Here are some of the takeaways of the report and how advisors can combat these effects.

States With the Highest Share of GDP Generated by Travel and Tourism
The state most affected by the loss in travel-related GDP is Hawaii, where 14% of the state’s GDP relies on revenue from the travel and tourism industry, according to WalletHub. Other states with a high reliance on GDP generated by travel and tourism include Nevada, Florida, Montana and Wyoming.

Other States Where Tourism Was Greatly Affected by COVID-19
In addition to Hawaii, among the top 10 most affected states are Florida, New York and California. New York is one of the most impacted because it has nearly 40% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S, and all three states have active shelter-in-place orders.

What Does This Mean for Travel Advisors?
While traditional tourism is out of the question, travel advisors can encourage clients who have the means to donate to some of the places they might normally visit — including museums, parks and historical sites, as WalletHub recommends.

What's more, Ceridwyn King, associate professor and department chair of the department of tourism and hospitality management at Temple University, says advisors should look ahead and try their best to prepare for the recovery process.

That includes considering how the pandemic, which discourages human connection, will impact the travel and tourism industry.

“How will a global health pandemic that has conditioned us to be wary of human connection — which is ultimately at the heart of the tourism and hospitality industry — transform the way we engage with our guests in the future?” King said.

The Details
WalletHub
www.wallethub.com