Travel booking jobs posted another slight uptick in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Jobs Report. According to the report the sector added 200 travel arrangement and reservation services jobs in February over the previous month. Year over year, the economy added 23,900 travel booking jobs as of February.
Looking at the leisure and hospitality sector, that portion of the economy added 1,600 jobs last month. Year over year, leisure and hospitality was up 32,500 jobs.
Overall, the unemployment rate continued to hold steady at 4.1 percent, where it has hovered for the last past five. Employment also rose in construction, retail trade, professional and business services, manufacturing, financial activities and mining.
The February report marks the third straight month of gains for travel booking jobs and the leisure and hospitality sector, after hospitality jobs in particular were hit by the impact of Hurricanes Harvey, Maria and Irma. Those storms had led to job declines for November and October, before jobs began to tick up again from December onward.
The job gains come as travel agencies are reporting positive signs of growth over the course of last year and the first quarter of 2018. Avoya Travel recently reported that January was the best month in the company’s history, with over $50 million in booked sales – that represents a 25 percent increase over January of last year. Similarly, Expedia CruiseShipCenters said that it posted 20 percent year over year growth in 2017, opening 25 new franchise locations and welcoming 1,773 new travel agents.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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