BOISE, Idaho — In 2020, business across every industry focused on staying afloat.
But, as life returns "back to normal" some industries are struggling to keep up with increased demands. While Idaho was the perfect place for anyone to pick up a COVID-friendly hobby, the hospitality and travel industry saw a shift in consumer behaviors.
According to the Department of Labor, accommodations, food services, art, and recreation account for about `10.7% of Idaho's total jobless claims for the week ending April 10, 2021. But, that's only a piece of the story as "industry or job attachment is not part of the monthly unemployment statistics."
Idaho Commerce reported the tourism aspect they certainly saw a difference in consumer behavior noting that people were not traveling or staying in hotels in the "same way."
But as consumer confidence grows with advancements like the COVID-19 vaccine, Idaho Commerce says they're noticing an upward trend with numbers almost matching business in 2019.
"2019 was our best year on record, so I am optimistic that people that were may be exposed to a lot of those activities last year will say you know that was pretty great why don’t we do that again," said Matt Borud, with Idaho Commerce.
