The Year Ahead

We continue to hear about improvements in the economy. Inflation has slowed and, according to some indicators, maybe it has peaked.

According to the latest national jobs reports, the number of non-farm jobs added at businesses is at its highest rate since last spring. The labor force participation rate, which measures the number of people working or looking for work as a percentage of those who could work, is also at its highest level since the pandemic.

In North Carolina, 432,575 people were employed in Food Service & Drinking Places and Accommodations at the end of 2022. This compares to 440,325 people in 2019. The hospitality and leisure sector, which includes restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues, added 44% more employees at the beginning of the year compared to their monthly averages in 2022.

This might lead you to believe that we’ve recovered, or that we are nearly back to where we were as an industry before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we know that this is not true. Many hotel rooms are still out of inventory and restaurant tables are sitting idle. This is because as we have seen an uptick in employment numbers overall, our economy in North Carolina has also expanded.

As our state continues to be named one of the “best states” to do business, it attracts more industries, including many new hotels and restaurants. The new growth in our economy keeps the hospitality industry scrambling for employees.

NCRLA is addressing the issue on two fronts with a Workforce Recruitment Campaign and a Hospitality Worker Training Program. Later this year, we are developing a hospitality career website with an updated job board. We are also developing concepts and messaging to support getting more workers interested in hospitality jobs.

At the same time, we have rolled out a $1.1 million Workforce Training Initiative to showcase career opportunities and offer free training, credentials, and certifications for high school and college students, employees entering or reentering the industry, and current employees seeking professional development.

To keep up the momentum during our legislative long session, we look forward to continuing our work with policymakers to support and strengthen our industry. We encourage all of our NCRLA members to engage in our collective efforts with our Boards, Government Affairs, and Workforce Recruitment Task Force teams.

We look forward to working together with each of you this year as our collective voices can only help us protect, educate, and promote the hospitality industry!

STAFF

President & Chief Executive Officer

LYNN D. MINGES

Vice President of Communications & Business Development

CHRIS MACKEY

Vice President of Government Affairs

ISABEL VILLA-GARCIA

Vice President of Finance and Operations

SHELLY EUBANKS

Director of Membership

NATALIE COX

Director of NCRLA Foundation & Workforce Development

KECIA POLING (TAYLOR)

Executive Assistant

JENNA DAUGHERTY

Digital Communications Manager

NATE ROBERTS

Communications, Development & Events Coordinator

INEZ NICHOLSON

NCRLA Foundation & Workforce Development Coordinator

KATIE PARKER

Food Safety and Lodging Regulations Specialist

CAROLYN K. GRIFFIN

Editor

SHANNON FARLOW

Designer

TRACIE EUBANK

BUSINESS OFFICE

222 North Person Street, Suite 210

Raleigh, NC 27601

Phone: (919) 844-0098

Website: NCRLA.org

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, contact Chris Mackey, Vice President of Communications & Business Development, at cmackey@ncrla.org. Published