Survival during pandemic: Hotel industry is betting on staycations

Fearful of flying and wary of a second wave, travellers are taking to their cars and heading for resorts, spas and even motels

The global hotel industry is pinning its survival on the staycation. Millions of them. From Asia to Europe to America, people have been cooped up for months. Now, as lockdowns loosen, the shellshocked are emerging. Those with means desperately want to get away, but fear of the coronavirus remains very real.
 

So how do you take a break during the summer of pandemic?  You avoid mass transit. You certainly don’t fly. You stay close to home. In other words, you go to a hotel. The American Hotel and Lodging Association said that pre-pandemic, there were 1.1 billion guest nights in