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Leisure and hospitality employment during recent recessions

August 08, 2014

Despite making up only 8 percent of total nonfarm employment, the food services and drinking places industry (part of the larger leisure and hospitality industry) accounted for almost 1 out of every 6 nonfarm jobs added during the recovery after the recent recession. The overall leisure and hospitality industry accounted for almost 1 out of every 5 nonfarm jobs added during the recovery.

 
  Leisure and hospitality and total nonfarm employment, indexed to 2001 and 2007 leisure and hospitality employment peaks, 2001 and 2007 recessions, seasonally adjusted
Number of months after leisure and hospitality employment peak 2001 recession 2007 recession
Month Leisure and hospitality Total nonfarm Month Leisure and hospitality Total nonfarm
Employment level Index (July 2001 = 100) Employment level Index (July 2001 = 100) Employment level Index (Dec 2007 = 100) Employment level Index (Dec 2007 = 100)

-6

 Jan 2001 11,977,000 98.90 132,694,000 100.39 Jun 2007 13,413,000 98.99 138,017,000 99.76

-5

 Feb 2001 11,997,000 99.07 132,766,000 100.44 Jul 2007 13,417,000 99.02 137,984,000 99.74

-4

 Mar 2001 12,000,000 99.09 132,741,000 100.43 Aug 2007 13,419,000 99.03 137,968,000 99.72

-3

 Apr 2001 12,040,000 99.42 132,460,000 100.21 Sep 2007 13,461,000 99.34 138,053,000 99.79

-2

 May 2001 12,068,000 99.65 132,422,000 100.18 Oct 2007 13,499,000 99.62 138,135,000 99.84

-1

 Jun 2001 12,076,000 99.72 132,293,000 100.09 Nov 2007 13,535,000 99.89 138,253,000 99.93

0 (peak)

 Jul 2001 12,110,000 100.00 132,178,000 100.00 Dec 2007 13,550,000 100.00 138,350,000 100.00

1

 Aug 2001 12,093,000 99.86 132,020,000 99.88 Jan 2008 13,542,000 99.94 138,365,000 100.01

2

 Sep 2001 12,061,000 99.60 131,778,000 99.70 Feb 2008 13,543,000 99.95 138,279,000 99.95

3

 Oct 2001 12,015,000 99.22 131,454,000 99.45 Mar 2008 13,531,000 99.86 138,199,000 99.89

4

 Nov 2001 11,985,000 98.97 131,160,000 99.23 Apr 2008 13,511,000 99.71 137,985,000 99.74

5

 Dec 2001 11,967,000 98.82 130,989,000 99.10 May 2008 13,498,000 99.62 137,803,000 99.60

6

 Jan 2002 12,006,000 99.14 130,847,000 98.99 Jun 2008 13,482,000 99.50 137,631,000 99.48

7

 Feb 2002 11,962,000 98.78 130,714,000 98.89 Jul 2008 13,463,000 99.36 137,421,000 99.33

8

 Mar 2002 11,965,000 98.80 130,695,000 98.88 Aug 2008 13,431,000 99.12 137,162,000 99.14

9

 Apr 2002 11,928,000 98.50 130,615,000 98.82 Sep 2008 13,379,000 98.74 136,710,000 98.81

10

 May 2002 11,936,000 98.56 130,607,000 98.81 Oct 2008 13,352,000 98.54 136,236,000 98.47

11

 Jun 2002 11,905,000 98.31 130,664,000 98.85 Nov 2008 13,300,000 98.15 135,471,000 97.92

12

 Jul 2002 11,912,000 98.36 130,579,000 98.79 Dec 2008 13,256,000 97.83 134,774,000 97.42

13

 Aug 2002 11,936,000 98.56 130,564,000 98.78 Jan 2009 13,222,000 97.58 133,976,000 96.84

14

 Sep 2002 11,991,000 99.02 130,504,000 98.73 Feb 2009 13,193,000 97.37 133,275,000 96.33

15

 Oct 2002 12,070,000 99.67 130,629,000 98.83 Mar 2009 13,127,000 96.88 132,449,000 95.73

16

 Nov 2002 12,109,000 99.99 130,639,000 98.84 Apr 2009 13,056,000 96.35 131,765,000 95.24

17

 Dec 2002 12,112,000 100.02 130,481,000 98.72 May 2009 13,106,000 96.72 131,411,000 94.98

18

 Jan 2003 12,173,000 100.52 130,575,000 98.79 Jun 2009 13,076,000 96.50 130,944,000 94.65

19

 Feb 2003 12,130,000 100.17 130,422,000 98.67 Jul 2009 13,078,000 96.52 130,617,000 94.41

20

 Mar 2003 12,109,000 99.99 130,212,000 98.51 Aug 2009 13,046,000 96.28 130,401,000 94.25

21

 Apr 2003 12,085,000 99.79 130,167,000 98.48 Sep 2009 13,054,000 96.34 130,174,000 94.09

22

 May 2003 12,092,000 99.85 130,156,000 98.47 Oct 2009 12,995,000 95.90 129,976,000 93.95

23

 Jun 2003 12,121,000 100.09 130,166,000 98.48 Nov 2009 12,986,000 95.84 129,970,000 93.94

24

 Jul 2003 12,143,000 100.27 130,189,000 98.50 Dec 2009 12,944,000 95.53 129,687,000 93.74

25

 Aug 2003 12,177,000 100.55 130,148,000 98.46 Jan 2010 12,931,000 95.43 129,705,000 93.75

26

 Sep 2003 12,208,000 100.81 130,250,000 98.54 Feb 2010 12,933,000 95.45 129,655,000 93.72

27

 Oct 2003 12,259,000 101.23 130,446,000 98.69 Mar 2010 12,947,000 95.55 129,811,000 93.83

28

 Nov 2003 12,284,000 101.44 130,462,000 98.70 Apr 2010 12,981,000 95.80 130,062,000 94.01

29

 Dec 2003 12,320,000 101.73 130,586,000 98.80 May 2010 13,007,000 95.99 130,578,000 94.38

30

 Jan 2004 12,346,000 101.95 130,747,000 98.92 Jun 2010 13,031,000 96.17 130,456,000 94.29

31

 Feb 2004 12,372,000 102.16 130,791,000 98.95 Jul 2010 13,053,000 96.33 130,395,000 94.25

32

 Mar 2004 12,425,000 102.60 131,123,000 99.20 Aug 2010 13,087,000 96.58 130,353,000 94.22

33

 Apr 2004 12,435,000 102.68 131,372,000 99.39 Sep 2010 13,132,000 96.92 130,296,000 94.18

34

 May 2004 12,481,000 103.06 131,679,000 99.62 Oct 2010 13,125,000 96.86 130,537,000 94.35

35

 Jun 2004 12,495,000 103.18 131,753,000 99.68 Nov 2010 13,130,000 96.90 130,674,000 94.45

36

 Jul 2004 12,495,000 103.18 131,785,000 99.70 Dec 2010 13,159,000 97.11 130,745,000 94.50

37

 Aug 2004 12,485,000 103.10 131,917,000 99.80 Jan 2011 13,149,000 97.04 130,815,000 94.55

38

 Sep 2004 12,550,000 103.63 132,079,000 99.93 Feb 2011 13,196,000 97.39 130,983,000 94.68

39

 Oct 2004 12,582,000 103.90 132,425,000 100.19 Mar 2011 13,247,000 97.76 131,195,000 94.83

40

 Nov 2004 12,606,000 104.10 132,490,000 100.24 Apr 2011 13,286,000 98.05 131,517,000 95.06

41

 Dec 2004 12,630,000 104.29 132,619,000 100.33 May 2011 13,290,000 98.08 131,619,000 95.13

42

 Jan 2005 12,665,000 104.58 132,753,000 100.44 Jun 2011 13,338,000 98.44 131,836,000 95.29

43

 Feb 2005 12,690,000 104.79 132,992,000 100.62 Jul 2011 13,372,000 98.69 131,942,000 95.37

44

 Mar 2005 12,718,000 105.02 133,126,000 100.72 Aug 2011 13,396,000 98.86 132,064,000 95.46

45

 Apr 2005 12,802,000 105.71 133,489,000 100.99 Sep 2011 13,416,000 99.01 132,285,000 95.62

46

 May 2005 12,797,000 105.67 133,664,000 101.12 Oct 2011 13,463,000 99.36 132,468,000 95.75

47

 Jun 2005 12,837,000 106.00 133,909,000 101.31 Nov 2011 13,514,000 99.73 132,632,000 95.87

48

 Jul 2005 12,867,000 106.25 134,282,000 101.59 Dec 2011 13,542,000 99.94 132,828,000 96.01

49

 Aug 2005 12,891,000 106.45 134,478,000 101.74 Jan 2012 13,594,000 100.32 133,188,000 96.27

50

 Sep 2005 12,862,000 106.21 134,545,000 101.79 Feb 2012 13,638,000 100.65 133,414,000 96.43

51

 Oct 2005 12,840,000 106.03 134,629,000 101.85 Mar 2012 13,703,000 101.13 133,657,000 96.61

52

 Nov 2005 12,884,000 106.39 134,966,000 102.11 Apr 2012 13,700,000 101.11 133,753,000 96.68

53

 Dec 2005 12,905,000 106.56 135,125,000 102.23 May 2012 13,705,000 101.14 133,863,000 96.76

54

 Jan 2006 12,945,000 106.90 135,402,000 102.44 Jun 2012 13,711,000 101.19 133,951,000 96.82

55

 Feb 2006 12,980,000 107.18 135,717,000 102.68 Jul 2012 13,739,000 101.39 134,111,000 96.94

56

 Mar 2006 13,034,000 107.63 135,997,000 102.89 Aug 2012 13,810,000 101.92 134,261,000 97.04

57

 Apr 2006 13,074,000 107.96 136,179,000 103.03 Sep 2012 13,868,000 102.35 134,422,000 97.16

58

 May 2006 13,052,000 107.78 136,202,000 103.04 Oct 2012 13,889,000 102.50 134,647,000 97.32

59

 Jun 2006 13,061,000 107.85 136,279,000 103.10 Nov 2012 13,921,000 102.74 134,850,000 97.47

60

 Jul 2006 13,130,000 108.42 136,486,000 103.26 Dec 2012 13,981,000 103.18 135,064,000 97.62

 

The most recent employment downturn (the recession that began in December 2007) was historic in many ways, but most notably, in the substantial number of jobs lost. In percentage terms, the job loss between the total nonfarm employment peak in January 2008 and the trough in February 2010 was the largest job loss since the 1940s. The employment downturn between July 2001 and June 2002  (part of the recession that began in March 2001) was less severe in comparison with the recent recession.

The leisure and hospitality industry employment recoveries in 2002 and 2010 differ in several ways. For many industries, the 2001 employment downturn was shorter than the 2007 downturn and the accompanying job losses were less severe. It took the leisure and hospitality industry 6 months to recover the jobs it lost between its July 2001 peak and its June 2002 trough, a recovery rate of about 17 percent per month. It took half as long to recover the jobs as it did to lose them.

In contrast, it took the leisure and hospitality industry 24 months to recover the jobs it lost from the December 2007 peak to the January 2010 trough, a recovery rate of about 4 percent per month. It took about the same amount of time to recover the jobs as it did to lose them.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. To learn more, see "Restaurants help feed job growth: how the leisure and hospitality industry fared after the recent employment downturn," Beyond the Numbers, August 2014. The months in which recessions begin and end are determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Leisure and hospitality employment during recent recessions at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140808.htm (visited February 28, 2026).