Many of El Paso’s hotel workers still jobless due to low occupancy rates

EL PASO, Texas -- A fuller picture of the damage being done to El Paso's hotel industry by the Covid-19 pandemic is now emerging.

Billions of dollars have already been lost, according to the El Paso Hotel and Lodging Association.

Before the pandemic, El Paso had nearly 100 hotels and motels, keeping a workforce of about 12,000 people employed.

Now, at least four of those establishments have had to temporarily consolidate or close their doors all together and over 70% of the workforce has been furloughed or laid off.

“In terms of a lot of customers coming back to the hotel scene, fortunately that is starting to happen in a few states," said American Hotel & Lodging Association president William Rogers. "Specifically, we are seeing better numbers in places around the country that offer beach activities. Unfortunately for a community like El Paso, those other areas will bounce back first."

The upcoming summer months are expected to bring only slight relief.

"The overall situation is still abysmal," said El Paso Hotel and Lodging Association president Marco Ortega. "I know a few hotels that have been able to get it up a little bit but the average occupancy is still at about 20%."

Meanwhile, hotels across the country are taking a serious look at a series of new safety guidelines that were put out on Monday by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

“Right now, we are staggering our guests through the hotel," said Indigo Hotel General Manager Terra Maguregui. "We limit the number of people per floor and trying to maintain a fully disinfected environment."

Other protocols that are part of those new safety guidelines include increased cleaning sweeps in places like elevators and making it so that housekeepers will not enter a guests room unless that guest specifically requests it.