>>> IT’S LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AND
>>> IT’S LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AND
ONE PLACE PEOPLE OFTEN VISIT
THIS TIME OF YEAR IS GALVESTON.
THE ISLAND CONVENTION AND
VISITORS BUREAU TOLD US THEY
TYPICALLY SEE FROM 200 TO
500,000 VISITORS ON HOLIDAY
WEEKENDS JUST LIKE THIS ONE.
>> HOUSTON’S TRAVEL AND TOURISM
INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HIT HARD BY
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, HOTEL
BOOKINGS ARE DOWN 66% COMPARED
TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
>> BUT CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATOR
MARIO DIAZ BROKE DOWN SOME
NUMBERS AND AS HE SHOWS US
TONIGHT, THINGS MAY ACTUALLY BE
LOOKING UP.
>> Reporter: TAKING TO THE SKIES
CAN BE CHALLENGING THESE DAYS.
>> I’M SCARED.
>> Reporter: LUKE IS NOT AFRAID
BECAUSE HE’S FLYING DURING
COVID.
HE IS SCARED BECAUSE IT’S HIS
FIRST TIME ON A PLANE.
MOM VICTORIA OF ALVIN IS HAPPY
THAT SHE AND HER BOYS ARE MAKING
THEIR LONG AWAITED TRIP TO
CALIFORNIA A REALITY.
>> I’M SUPER EXCITED TO GO SEE
MY DAD AND MY MOM BECAUSE I JUST
WANT THAT HUG.
>> Reporter: DURING THE
PANDEMIC, MIRANDA RESCHEDULED
THIS ON TRIP MULTIPLE TIMES.
>> IT’S BEEN A LOT MORE.
CHAING.
>> Reporter: THE CORONAVIRUS HAS
SEVERELY IMPACTED THE INDUSTRY.
CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES
CHRONICLED THE CHALLENGES IN
EARLY MAY WITH MULTIPLE FLIGHTS
AROUND TEXAS.
AT THAT TIME PASSENGER ACCOUNTS
WERE AROUND 200,000 PER DAY,
DOWN NEARLY 90% FROM THE
PREVIOUS YEAR.
HOWEVER, TSA NUMBERS SHOW NEARLY
900,000 PASSENGERS FLEW TWO DAYS
AGO.
AND WHILE IT COULD TAKE A COUPLE
OF YEARS TO FULLY RECOVER, IT’S
A SIGN AIR TRAVEL IS FLYING IN
THE RIGHT DEPRESSION, WHICH
COULD MEAN -- DIRECTION, COULD
MEAN SOME OF THE JOBS LOST COULD
SOON COME BACK.
>> THE ACCOMMODATION SECTOR IS
NEARLY AT 35% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
>> Reporter: THE OUTLOOK FOR
THOSE ISN’T AS CLEAR.
ZEVAN WORKS ALONG HIS FATHER
WHO’S OWNED HOTELS HERE SINCE
THE 1980s.
>> 63% OF OUR HOTELS IN THE
HOUSTON AREA ARE DELINQUENT IN
SOME WAY IN THEIR DEBT SERVICE
AND THEIR MORTGAGE.
>> Reporter: THE AMERICAN HOTEL
AND LODGING ASSOCIATION SAYS
FOUR OUT OF 10 HOTEL EMPLOYEES
ARE OUT OF WORK RIGHT NOW AND
OKAYPANSION AVERAGES BELOW 40%.
>> IT IS ONE OF THE MOST
SATURATED MARKETS IN THE
COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: THE HOPE IS THE
HOTELS WILL START FILLING UP
WITH TRAVELERS WANTING TO SPEND
MONEY IN OUR STORES AND
RESTAURANTS, BOOSTING OUR
ECONOMY.
>> WE’RE DOWN 16% OVER LAST YEAR
FOR OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY.
>> Reporter: MICHAEL IS THE
CHIEF TOURISM OFFICER FOR
GALVESTON ISLAND, WHERE THE
TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS FOCUSED ON
ATTRACTING VISITORS THAT ARE
WITHIN A 300-PLIEL RADIUS
OF ---300-MILE RADIUM.
>> IT’S 400 MILES AWAY.
A GREAT SHORT DRIVE TO GET TO
THE BEACH.
>> Reporter: THE APPROACHES
WORKED.
WITH ISLAND BED AND BREAKFASTS
AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS SEEING
STRONG PERFORMANCES.
THE GOAL OF HAVING A MEMORABLE
VACATION STILL ATTAINABLE DURING
A TIME WHEN THE VIRUS CAUSING
THE DOWNTURN IS AS WELL.
YEAH.
AND WITH ALL THAT SAID, YOU CAN
FIND SOME REALLY GREAT DEALS
RIGHT NOW FOR PLAYED LIKE
MEXICO -- PLACES LIKE MEXICO,
CARIBBEAN, AND CENTRAL AMERICA.
THERE ARE DEALS THAT ARE
DISCOUNTED BY AS MUCH AS 70% OFF
RIGHT NOW.
KEEP IN MIND, YOU ALSO HAVE
EUROPEAN NATIONS THAT ARE
BEGINNING TO OPEN UP.
THOSE RESTRICTIONS NOT AS
DIFFICULT THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
THEY’RE EXPECTING SOME DEALS FOR
THOSE NATIONS.
CLOSER TO HOME, YOU’LL HAVE
DEALS FOR PLACES LIKE
SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN, AND OF
COURSE, THE STAYCATION IN OUR
OWN BACKYARD.
WE’VE PUT SOME OF THOSE DEALS UP
ON THE INVESTIGATES -- IN THE
VETSES SECTION OF
CLICK2HOUSTON.COM.
LIVE ON THE SEA CALL IN
