Career Advice & News Center

Many out of work Americans have been looking for a field that has resisted the overpowering current of the economic downturn. A nursing shortage and aging population has made the healthcare industry one of the more resilient sectors, but these jobs often require certain degrees or education levels not met by most unemployed workers.

However, pointing to the hospitality industry, Smith Travel Research's president Mark Lomanno told the New York Times, "Hotel building cycles rarely mesh just right with economic cycles."

Because planning and building the construction of a hotel can take up to eight years, many new accommodations that were being discussed when the economy was healthy are scheduled to open by the end of 2010.

Specifically, almost 100 hotels are slated for ribbon-cuttings in major U.S. cities this year, according to the news source. A total of 46 new hotels will open in New York City alone, and another 30 will be unveiled in Houston.

"Once you put the foundation in the ground and start with construction, from an investment point of view, it almost always makes the most sense to proceed, even if market demand appears shaky," Sean Hennessey, CEO of the NYC consulting company Lodging Advisors, told the news source.

Because of the major upswing in hotel assembly this year, travelers will have a broader selection of rooms than in previous years, which is likely to drive down prices.

In addition, major chains like Marriot, which is opening five hotels in New York, will need to fill jobs in construction and hospitality.

The new job opportunities may be especially appealing to jobless Americans, as many entry- and mid- level jobs at hotels and other leisure accommodations require little more education than a customer-service orientation and on-the-job training, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.