The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) is calling for government officials to allow the
reopening of attractions in their states as well as pushing for
Covid-related relief legislation -- such as additional PPP funding and
industry-specific grant and loan programs -- to support the industry.
"Covid-19 has devastated our industry," said John Hallenbeck, vice
president of North America at the IAAPA, in a statement. In addition to theme parks, his group represents amusement parks, arcades, historical sites, museums, zoos and aquariums, nature parks and other institutions. "IAAPA
estimates the effects of the pandemic will have cost $23 billion in
economic losses in 2020 alone. Parks and attractions are ready to reopen
responsibly and can do so with guidance and regional support."
The IAAPA cited a recent study it released that found the U.S. attractions industry has experienced job losses five times greater than the average loss across all other sectors.
Analyzing data pulled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the organization found that U.S. attractions collectively saw a decline of more than 125,000 employees between last March and May. By July, typically the peak month of employment for the attractions industry, the sector's employment was down 35% on the same month in 2019, with around 165,000 jobs lost.
Wages were also down significantly last year, with attractions employees experiencing a combined $1.1 billion decline in pay in the second quarter of 2020 on the same period a year prior.
Amusement and theme park employees appeared to be hit hardest by pay loss, accounting for 70% of the industry's drop in wages.
When it comes to recovery, the IAAPA reported that much of an attraction's ability to bounce back has hinged largely on the response of officials and policymakers in the attraction's region. The group said that industry employment losses were "less dramatic" in markets like Florida, where attractions have generally been permitted to reopen with safety protocols in place, but remained high in states such as California, Massachusetts, Illinois and New York, where attractions have largely been closed.
For example, the IAAPA estimated that attractions industry employment in California was down 60% for the year through October, while industry employment in Florida, where partial reopenings began in July, was down approximately 30%.